Vancouver alliance of arts groups unveils vision for new concert halls, performance venues

Architect's proposal for a new Vancouver Cultural Precinct at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Photo by Credit: Diamond Schmitt Architects /Submitted: MGMG

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In May, the Vancouver Youth Choir won the Fleischmann International Trophy at the Cork International Choral Festival.

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Local audiences may have to wait awhile to see these talented youth perform.

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“The Vancouver Youth Choir is the best in the world,” said Suzanne Anton, chair of the Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society. “Their Christmas concert could sell out the Orpheum twice. But they can’t get into the venue.”

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Anton was one of the speakers at a news conference Thursday to address the lack of performance space in the city.

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Suzanne Anton is the chair of the Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society. Photo by Jason Payne /PNG

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A two-year study was developed in consultation with a coalition of 32 local performing arts organizations impacted by Vancouver having the lowest per-capita music hall capacity of any major Canadian or comparable international city.

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With 0.52 seats per 1,000 residents, the city can’t even measure up to Calgary’s 1.00 figure.

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Three possible locations are being proposed for construction of a new Vancouver Cultural Precinct — Robson Square, the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Vancouver Playhouse, and the False Creek waterfront between B.C. Place and Science World.

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Each of these choices would include a 2,000-seat, full-production facility proscenium theatre, a 1,700-seat concert hall, an 800-seat performance theatre, and a 400-seat multi-use space.

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The only additions to the downtown arts district in the past seven decades were the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in 1959, the Vancouver Playhouse in 1962, and the restoration of the Orpheum in 1977. With no new confirmed expansion of performance venue capacity, the per-capita seating gap continues to widen as the region’s population increases.

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Anton notes Vancouver is “way overdue” for an upgrade.

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“All 32 coalition organizations, all music and dance based, need good acoustics, and don’t have one Vancouver venue meeting demand,” said Anton. “So we are proposing these new halls. All function flexibly, so you can have music one night, an opera the next, assorted touring acts, etc.”

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Downtown Vancouver presently has a total arts performance seating capacity of 6,250 seats.

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One of the problems facing arts organizations is that 85 per cent of this capacity is held in two 2,700-seat sites — the Orpheum and the Queen Elizabeth. The next available civic theatre is the Vancouver Playhouse with 660 seats. The Annex only fits 190.

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While stressing her love of the Orpheum, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra president and CEO Angela Elster says that the VSO has long sought a smaller, acoustically stronger venue, reserving the Orpheum for big events such as Christmas recitals.

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“The sweet spot for a symphony orchestra is around 1,800 seats, and neither the Orpheum or Queen Elizabeth were designed for orchestra,” said Elster.