The High River Performing Arts Foundation hosted a reveal party for The Venue at the Highwood Golf Club Friday, April 5.

(Kylee Martinez, a local artist, performing at The Venue reveal party)

Director of building and design, Michael Koehler says there were three things to consider when planning the design of the building.

"The first part of the design is we wanted our building to look like it's been in High River for a hundred years. The second part is we have a piece of property, and our property has constraints to it, and so we had to work within the size of the property and that's what made us decide to go to three stories high. The third part of the design is every room in the building needs to be used for something else."

Koehler says all of The Venues' rooms are designed to be versatile and able to change to fit the day-to-day needs of whomever is using it or performing in it.

Koehler added the goal is not only to have a space available to local artists, but to attract big league performers too.

"But more importantly, it's also gonna be a place where people might have a show on Saturday night in Calgary, but they want to come play The Venue on Friday night in High River. So, it's a place for them to stop and play before they get to their next show."

Koehler says one of the benefits to having a place like The Venue is the folks around High River may not need to travel to Calgary to see artists perform.

Koehler says the building will be booked out to any short or long term tennants that would like to use the buildings facilities.

"We are a collabrative art space, we are a place where artists or performers will come and use our spaces. And so we want anyone to come and use it, and we want everybody to come and enjoy it."

Koehler says community support will be key to the success of The Venue.

 

(The planned design for The Venue)