The Art of Making the Marigold Cultural Centre a Success

NOTE: The following feature story was written for the Nova Scotia "Come to life" initiative. "Come to life" is a public-private sector initiative that markets Nova Scotia as an excellent place in which to live, work, invest, play and visit.

For Trish Maynard, the Marigold Cultural Centre presented the opportunity of a lifetime -- a lifetime that seemed to perfectly prepare her to make the most it.

Maynard, executive director of the Marigold Cultural Centre in Truro, had a love of music instilled in her at an early age, growing up in a family of musicians. And before starting with the Marigold Cultural Centre as evening/weekend manager in 2006, she spent 10 years as a teacher's assistant with the Chignecto Central Regional School Board. Both experiences give her a solid foundation for her work with the centre.

The musical background has helped her draw some of the biggest names in the region to perform in Truro, and her work with children has helped expand that side of the centre's mandate. All that from an urging from her husband to respond to a newspaper ad he happened to notice.

"I gravitated towards the job in part because of how excited I was by what the Marigold Centre was offering," says Maynard, whose family were regulars at cultural events during her youth in Boston. "I remember looking at the first season and thinking that there were so many things I wanted to see and that I wanted to take my kids to see.

"I immediately fell in love with being here and I wasn't even looking for a new line of work. It was a calling I didn't realize I had."

But a calling she's made the most of, much to the benefit of the Marigold Cultural Centre. She's been able to draw such acts as The Cottars, Cindy Church, and Bette MacDonald, CBC Radio has chosen the Marigold to record musical performances, and the internationally recognized group the Barra MacNeils has hand-picked the cultural centre to record their latest CD.

"They absolutely love the acoustics here," says Maynard of Marigold's top notch sound system. "There's a lot of buzz about us in the arts world, the artists are talking to each other and really promoting us. It's absolutely wonderful."

Even more important to Maynard and the Marigold is highlighting the area's abundant performers.

"We've got a lot of talent here in Truro, and a really supportive community."

That community support was evident in bringing the long-time dream of a culture centre in the region to fruition. Truro's original theatre, the Centennial, was empty for three years before a group of art lovers bought the building. Their efforts and the community vision was so keen, the group was able to raise $950,000 in just 90 days.

A non-profit organization, the Marigold is run by the Cobequid Arts Council, which provides operational funds. The board of directors is a blend of representatives from business and the arts.

"The business people help us raise the money that we need and the arts people help to bring in the right programming," says Maynard. "It's a perfect balance."

The Marigold houses a 206-seat theatre, small art gallery, workshop space, board room, concession area, and offices. With the strong support of the community and various organizations, it also provides a variety of cultural programming to the residents of Truro. Promoting "arts education," the Marigold offers classes ranging from cello and violin lessons to youth drama productions.

Bringing together her love of the arts and youth, Maynard is drawing young people to the Marigold in droves. Her connections with schools and youth groups have helped get the word out about youth-focused programs and opportunities. March Break camp, musical drama events, and summer theatre schools are just some of the activities offered.

"It's really important to me to involve kids in the arts and in the community," she says. "They are our future."

Maynard says that future is bright.

"Truro is bustling right now. It's really booming. New buildings are going up, new schools are being built, new people are moving in."

And that's not just good for the area's residence. Maynard says she hears stories all the time from people choosing to live in Truro and commute to work in Halifax.

"They want more of a rural environment for their children. And it's just a great place to live and do business."

That's encouraging, but Maynard hopes to have more people working in Truro, too, a goal she hopes the Marigold can help achieve.

"We'll soon be in a position to create more jobs through the centre and I really think we can put Truro on the map as far as bringing in more tourism."

Two full-time staff and three part-time technical staff help Maynard keep the Marigold running year-round. About 50 acts grace the stage each year.

"I'm enormously gratified with how things are going," says Maynard, who has big plans for the next five years, including sponsorship and subscription packages, and an in-house theatre school.

"It's a very exciting time."