EMCA's History
The Eastern Manitoba Concert Association (EMCA) is a community
presenter of professional musical entertainment in the Eastman Region. An
incorporated non-profit, volunteer organization, EMCA has maintained a
professional venue for artists, provided educational opportunities for
students and enriched the cultural life of Eastern Manitobans for 46
years.
The EMCA formula is simple: quality concerts and a rewarding
community volunteer experience. EMCA has presented over 300 professional
performances of Manitoban, Canadian and International artists. More than
25 Juno Award Winners, numerous Prairie and East Coast Music Award winners
and even Grammy and Oscar Winners have performed on the EMCA Stage.
Examples are Buffy Ste. Marie, Leona Boyd, John Allan Cameron, The Borodin String
Quartet, Finjan, Stan Rogers, Lois Marshall, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra
and Natalie McMaster. With volunteer production and local business
sponsors, almost every dollar of ticket revenues goes to artist fees. EMCA
gives Eastern Manitobans A-list performances at affordable prices.
EMCA subscribers are from a large area, including Pinawa, Lac du
Bonnet, Whitemouth, Seven Sisters, Pine Falls, Powerview, Beausejour,
Nopiming and Whiteshell Parks and the surrounding countryside. EMCA is
also a customer for equipment (more than $100,000 has been invested in
sound, lights and stage hardware), services (advertising, publishing,
agencies, equipment rentals) and hospitality (hotels, restaurants,
events), contributing to the Eastern Manitoba economy.
EMCA provides many services to the community. These include technical
support with lighting and sound to other community groups such as theatre
and band, a music scholarship, and music education support to area schools. EMCA also provides fundraising
opportunities for other non-profit community groups, for example, to
supply refreshments during intermission to raise funds for their
particular activities.
A volunteer Board of Directors runs EMCA. The board is responsible for
Administration, Publicity, Advertising, Membership, Staging, Lighting,
Sound and Artist Liaison. It takes intensive on-the-job training to master
these positions at the level demanded for professional presentations.
Volunteers train for a full year and have their position replaced or
renewed every three
years. As a result EMCA has grown deep roots in the community - in its
47-year history, more than 200 citizens of the region have been a
volunteer Director at one time or another - combining fun, achievement,
community enrichment, a quality venue, an audience for artists, and of
course, enjoyment of the concerts.
That is the substance and value of EMCA to cultural life in Eastern
Manitoba. After 47 years of hard work and careful spending - attracting a
faithful audience and paying its bills, EMCA is a favourite destination
for performing artists across the country. EMCA is a valuable and popular
institution in Eastern Manitoba.
Back To Top