Prairie debut is recognized for enhancing the vibrancy of communities of all sizes across the Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Yukon) through the high quality presentations of Canadian classical and world music artists. We seek to inspire imagination and creativity through our educational programming, and foster a better understanding of different cultures, by introducing world music to new audiences. During this COVID-19 period, your donation will support artist fees, and enable us to engage with new technology, to digitally connect artists from across Canada to Prairie audiences, with special focus on those marginalized due to health, financial and social considerations.
Prairie Debut was initiated in 1995 as a collaborative project between community presenters in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, their provincial touring organizations, and provincial arts funders, as it was apparent that the curation and subsequent programming in the classical and world music genres was especially challenging for presenters of all sizes and an organization that would address this was needed in the region.
Since that time, Prairie Debut has flourished as a non-profit performing arts network organization, with charitable status, incorporated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Through the creation of touring opportunities, Prairie Debut provides valuable career development for Canadian artists, allowing them to perform for audiences and communities whom they would not otherwise be able to reach. We provide professional support for artists, and work with artists in preparation for concert performances and education programming. Each concert features works by Canadian composers, and Prairie Debut regularly commissions new works for tours. Prairie Debut is an important career milestone for Canadian musicians and many alumni have gone on to establish international careers.
Prairie Debut has steadfastly promoted the arts in communities that would otherwise have few opportunities to be enriched by live classical and world music performances of this calibre.
The contribution of Prairie Debut to the cultural development throughout the region has been immense. To date, Prairie Debut has taken 159 artists on 56 tours to 80 communities throughout the Prairie Provinces and Yukon. Prairie Debut and our artists have traveled over 100,000 km of open prairie roads, bringing with them instruments as varied as harpsichords, marimbas, bassoons, accordions, and have carried multi-million-dollar violins onto small prop planes in order to reach northern towns. They have performed over 600 full-length concerts and countless school shows, workshops and masterclasses. Artists perform in venues of all sizes, from intimate house concerts, to churches, community halls and theatres.
Prairie Debut artists and programming appeals to music lovers who have varying degrees of classical knowledge and exposure to the discipline. We work very closely with community presenters and provide support in all aspects of successful performance presentations.
Prairie Debut has a well-established reputation for presenting artists with a high level of excellence. Each year, Prairie Debut receives over 80 applications from Canadian artists eager to tour through Western Canada. An independent artistic advisory panel selects four artists or ensembles who will tour the following season. Community presenters across the Prairies and Yukon have the opportunity to present these artists in concerts, at a subsidized fee, which enables these concerts to be affordable in communities of all sizes.
Prairie Debut plans, develops and financially supports four tours per year, and pays appropriate fees to the artists, in recognition of their high artistic standard. Artists also engage in school performances, workshops, masterclasses and community outreach activities. It is an aim of Prairie Debut to continually explore new possibilities for artists to connect with communities. We do so by selecting outstanding artists, then organizing and financially supporting their tours throughout the vast region in which we work of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Yukon.
By supporting Prairie Debut you provide the resources for our organization to connect some of Canada’s best musicians with thousands of people across Western Canada.