'More than a venue': Artesian fundraiser looks to continue programming in the Queen City

From a church in need of repairs to a live music and improv venue, the Artesian on 13th has transformed over the years.

The non-profit is hosting their annual fundraiser on May 3 called 'I Heart Artesian.'

"I remember sitting in the balcony and like just being totally captivated," Dana Rempel said. "And I'd be lying if part of that wasn't the space because it's a beautiful space."

Rempel is the managing director of Artesian Performing Arts, the non-profit that leases and operates the Artesian on 13th. He started out as a patron enjoying the shows.

"I didn't have the privilege of getting to see it in its sort of skeletal form but I've certainly heard people talk about what it was before," Rempel said.

"There's so many little quirks and interesting design bits that make the use of the space," he said. "You get more out of it than you would expect."

The original operators had to step away because it's difficult running a space like the Artesian, Rempel said. But after community members stepped up to create the non-profit board, the Artesian is the organization it is today.

"I just try to prioritize and make a lot of space for the things that I think the community needs to see."

The Artesian follows their mission statement of supporting artists, not just booking shows that make money, Rempel said.

"If no one's going to take a chance on something that's a little bit outside of the ordinary then no one has a chance to experience it either," Rempel said.

Kris Alvarez is the host for the fundraiser night, has done shows in the space and recently hosted a children's camp there.

"Walking into that space as an artist and getting to do what I love most and feeling the intimacy and yet the feeling of it being a special place — it is aesthetically, it's a beautiful theater — it really is the cherry on top," she said.

"It's a place where it feels like an authentic to Regina identity," she said. "Regina being a place that's what we call it a 'little big town,' you know, we have big ideas as artists and sometimes not the space to do it in."

The people behind the Artesian make it fantastic, she said.

"It's not just a venue," Alvarez said.

"I'm getting a lot of feedback from people who say 'I've never been here before. The space is amazing,'" she said. "And that just really fuels my creative heart."

The people behind it take a chance on events, she said, like her show Burnt Sienna. It was put on with The Curtain Razors and stood out to Rempel as well, he said.

"Not only is it fantastically entertaining, hilarious and very engaging, it's also very critical work around race," he said. "Those performances not only make me laugh but they make me cry and make me feel a lot of things."

One of the artists performing this Friday is singer Kara Golemba. Her first impression of the Artesian was through a music video by Poor Nameless Boy.

"I remember watching the video and thinking 'Oh my goodness, that looks like such a beautiful venue. I hope I get to play there someday,'" she said.

Golemba started playing at the Artesian around 2017 and has opened for a variety of groups.

"It's probably my favourite room to play in the city. I feel so lucky every time," she said. "People who come to those shows, they love music, they have a passion for music and they generally enjoy the storytelling."

The Artesian also has diverse programming, she said, with music, improv, children's programming and all ages shows.

"It helps I think a wider range of people be able to connect to each other through art," Golemba said. "And that's just always a beautiful thing."

Friday, May 3 is the annual fundraiser for the Artesian on 13th that is called 'I <3 Artesian.' It is being hosted by Kris Alvarez. It also features Hitchhikers Improv, Gerald Hill, Megan Nash, Kara Golemba and others. Tickets are $25 and they are also accepting donations on top of the ticket price and providing charitable gift receipts.