The Manitoba government is giving the Royal Winnipeg Ballet (RWB) $7.5 million toward its campus expansion and modernization plan, premier Heather Stefanson announced Wednesday.
The RWB’s plan — which has a $30-million total price tag — is intended to include a student living centre as well as infrastructure upgrades to its other facilities, with a March 2024 completion date for its second phase.
The improvements will include energy efficiency upgrades, as well as updating inclusivity, safety and accessibility measures and enhancing the RWB’s production shop and warehouse.
Get daily Winnipeg news
RWB artistic director and CEO André Lewis called the updates a “significant step forward” for the organization and its facilities — one that will help the ballet maintain its global reputation.
“Together, we will ensure that the RWB stays at the forefront of the art form of dance and continues to rank among the best ballet companies and schools in the world,” Lewis said.
The RWB said it has also secured $15 million in private funding toward the $30-million project.