Cultural Centre Books Show Financial Improvement

Attendance was sparse at the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre AGM - MJ Independent Photo

Last year it was controversial but this year the Annual General Meeting of the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre Inc went off without a hitch on Tuesday evening.

Unlike last year, there was no drama, but there was a bit of a trip down memory lane constitution wise as the Cultural Centre AGM was told by executive director Derik Cronan that there were changes being made to the constitution regarding membership and the minimum number of board members.

The issue of not having the ability to have members arose at last years AGM when it was announced changes to the Cultural Centre’s constitution in 2013 meant there were no members of the corporation. SEE RELATED Weirdest AGM Ever

The Cultural Centre had adopted a new constitutuion in 2013 replacing the 2002 constitution.

“That constitution was not properly filed with ISC (Information Services Corporation) by previous management,” Cronan told the just over dozen attendees.

In order to fix the constitutional problems the Cultural Centre was returning to the 2002 constitution, he said.

In her report to the membership Board Chair Carol Acton admitted it had been a tough year for the Cultural Centre and its staff but they had been successful facing the challenge.

“They have worked through some difficult days and have proven themselves to be up to the task,” Acton said, later adding “the future looks bright for the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre.”

In his report Cronan said despite having few shows booked upon his being hired as the Cultural Centre’s Executive Director in November 2017 there were very few shows boked in the theatre and exhibitions in the art gallery. Despite this lack of use Cronan said he took advantage of it assuming full creative control over the concerts and events presented.

“My goal for 2018 was to continue providing the entertainment the citizens of Moose Jaw have come to expect while also expanding our audience through genres of music that were being overlooked,” Cronan said.

The loss of RuBarb Productions Inc in late Summer 2018 was a blow to the arts community, he said.

“RuBarb Productions provided a great service to the community through their School of Performing Arts and I was saddened to by the announcement that they would be closing their doors.”

In the Spring of 2018 RuBarb and the Cultural Centre would become embroiled in a war of words regarding the theatre company monopolizing space at the Cultural Centre. The Cultural Centre’s board would inevitably allow RuBarb to remain in the building until the theatre group’s summer festival over. Shortly following their final eviction RuBarb announced it was disolving.

SEE RELATED RuBarb News Conference RuBarb Announces It Is Over Jordan on RuBarb’s Closure

A highlight of the year was a partnership with the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) which allowed six concerts from August 2018 to 2019, he said, adding the Cultural Centre would be working with OSAC to bring in more concerts in 2019/2020 through the Stars For Saskatchewan Concert Series.

Musicals put on by local high schools and the Moose Jaw Community Players will be presenting the musical The Last Five Years in April. Menopause The Musical will be presenting three performances on April 2nd, 2019.

In a December 31, 2018 audited financial statement Moose Jaw Cultural Centre Inc showed total assets of $689,476 up from $548,920 on December 31, 2017.

The accounts receivable grew from 2017, when they were $28,086, to $46,944 in 2018. Although the parties owing the Cultural Centre changes as debts are repaid it needs to be noted there is an increase of $18,858 in accounts receivable. It is unknown, due to privacy legislation, how much - if any - RuBarb Productions may owe of this increased accounts receivable amount.

At least one debt (belonging to Robert Earl Froese and his partner Gabriela Garcia-Luna Rodriguez) start pre-dates any of the present board members tenures but through publicly accessible documents MJ Independent - on our own initiative - was able to determine a lien was placed on the home of the two individuals over two years ago in an attempt to collect the debt. The actual amount of the outstanding debt is unknown.

Despite the growing Accounts Receivable the statement of Revenue versus Expenditures improved in 2018 over top of 2017. In 2018 there was an excess of revenues of $4,732 versus a loss of $55,186 in 2017.

In the Expenses listed for 2018 there were $7,419 in Bad (or uncollectable) Debts written off compared to $0 in 2017. As well in 2018 expenses were reduced to $241,624 from $267,904 in 2017.

In the Events Income Statement there was a slight increase of income in 2018 where there was $23,483 from $21,971 in 2017.

The Board consists of chair Carol Acton, Colleen Patterson, Laura Connors, Joanne Van Slyck, Jared Robinson, Paul McCorriston and Carrie Richardson.