Looking to the year ahead, Winkler Arts and Culture is gearing up for an exciting 2025, packed with fresh programming, new initiatives, and a continued commitment to bringing the community together through the arts.  

Jered Hildebrand, Executive Director of Winkler Arts and Culture, shared some of the organization’s goals for the year and some of the things they are most excited about. 

Opportunities for artists 

One of the main themes for 2025 according to Hildebrand is increasing community involvement by creating more opportunities for local artists to showcase their work and engage with the public.  

“We had 10 exhibits in 2024, now we should be able to expand that to 12 full exhibits with an additional 6 months’ worth [of time] now that we’re reopening our upper gallery.” 

The additional 6 months was something that Hildebrand shared he was particularly excited about, seeing as it was, “nearly double the amount of time that people could have artwork displayed.” 

New events and workshops 

Hildebrand also shared that there are plans to increase the number of events and workshops being held throughout the year. After hosting 38 events in 2024, the organization is aiming for 50 events in 2025.  

One new initiative will be the introduction of “drop-in nights” by the end of February.  

“The intention is for these to be either free or extremely low cost, like a dollar or two for a drop. People come in, whether it’s like a sketch club that might meet once or twice a month, could be a just a generalized art drop-in night, so if you want to bring what you’re working on you can do that.”  

The “drop-in nights” will also have materials available for people to create something entirely new if they are simply looking for an opportunity to express themselves through a medium that they might not have thought about trying before, according to Hildebrand. 

The ‘Manitoba Arts Showcase’ 

In addition to regular programming, WAC is set to host the prestigious Manitoba Arts Showcase 2025. This event, which is part of a collaboration with the Manitoba Arts Network, will take place in Winkler at the end of September.  

While the specific details are still being finalized, the showcase promises to be a major event, offering a mix of workshops, panels, and performances. The conference will provide a platform for artists, arts organizations, and the community to come together and learn from each other, as well as be an avenue for live performers to showcase art as well. 

“There are going to be emerging and established musical artists… to give us a taste of what’s available… the intention is for this to be a concert available for the community to come and enjoy.” 

Community engagement and partnerships 

Another focus for WAC in 2025 is building stronger relationships with the broader community. “We had a lot of growth in 2024… we’re hoping to far exceed the number of people that we saw come into our building,” Hildebrand noted. To achieve this, the organization plans to strengthen partnerships with local businesses, nonprofits, and other community organizations. WAC has already teamed up with local businesses like Bloom and Clay Owl as well as non-profits to host collaborative events, and they are eager to expand these efforts in the coming year.  

Musical programming 

In addition to visual arts, Winkler Arts and Culture is also expanding its music programming.  

Hildebrand shared that the organization has already begun offering voice lessons in partnership with Emily Hildebrand of Radiant Voices Music Studio, which has been met with great success. “We’ve already started voice lessons that we partnered with Emily Hildebrand of Radiant Voices Music Studio, and she’s sold out, which is amazing.” 

There are also plans for a guitar workshop in February, where local musicians will have the chance to learn finger-styling techniques with instructor Ken Hiebert from Axent Guitar Studio. 

For those interested in staying up to date with all that Winkler Arts and Culture has to offer, Hildebrand encourages everyone to visit the centre’s website for event details, class schedules, and exhibit information. 

Click below to hear the full interview with Jered Hildebrand.