Rosebud School of the Arts offers support to left-out MRU arts students

Times Contributor

 

Earlier this spring, when the Alberta government delivered a seven per cent cut, rather than the expected two per cent increase to the province’s post-secondary institutions, Calgary’s Mount Royal University (MRU) responded by eliminating its art programs, stranding their current and prospective arts students. 

Paul Muir, Education Director at Rosebud School of the Arts (RSA), wrote to MRU’s board, urging them to reconsider their decision. He referred to the quote from Gabrielle Roy, featured on the Canadian twenty-dollar bill: Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?

“Here’s something that is significant enough to go on our $20 bills, yet it’s one of the first things that gets cut when cuts are being made,” Muir says. “The way we know not only ourselves, but the way we know ourselves from generation to generation, is through the arts. It’s through storytelling … Our whole cultural identity as a province is held in our storytelling.” 

Muir says storytelling happens through music, visual art, theatre and dance. 

It might seem RSA would rejoice in the reduced competition brought on by the MRU program cancellation, but Muir doesn’t take that perspective.

“In no way are we interested in being vultures,” he said. 

His emphasis is on the cancellation’s harm to the arts community. 

“With fewer places to train,” said Muir, “ultimately, you’re still hurting the (arts) industry. Obviously, we care about the students who now don’t have a place to go that were going to MRU.”

Rosebud School of the Arts plans to express that support for MRU theatre students at a two-day Open House in the Epcor Centre’s Learning Arts Centre (across from the Baraka Cafe) in Calgary, from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., on June 13 and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., on June 14.

“It’s for the public, but we really do want to make a special invitation to the MRU students to say… hey, we care about the fact that this cancellation is happening, and we care about you, and we care about arts training in general,” said Muir. “If Rosebud School of the Arts does pick up a few students, of course it benefits Rosebud School of the Arts, but my hope is that the greater benefit actually is for the student. Our philosophy toward education here at Rosebud is that it actually is all about the student.”

A highlight of the Open House will be a free lunchtime concert starting at 12:15 p.m., featuring the Cotton Patch Gospel band, currently performing in Rosebud’s summer musical.  Muir said everyone will enjoy the bluegrass music regardless of their usual musical genre. 

“You’re going to be tapping your foot to it, even if (bluegrass isn’t) your cup of tea,” Muir said. “I would just encourage people to come out. There will be Rosebud actors and instructors there. I think it will just be a really good thing for people to have a chance to talk about what Rosebud is, what we have to offer, and actually find out directly from the people that work here.”

The day before the Open House, RSA will participate in a rally planned by Save Our Fine Arts (SOFA), to be held in the Epcor Centre’s Max Bell Theatre, at 7:30 p.m. on June 12, organized to protest the deep provincial cuts to post-secondary education. 

 “We’re a private institution. We don’t receive public money anyway,” Muir said, but supports the cause in spite of their funding. “RSA’s wish is to express support for the staff and students of institutions that are affected. I hope it feels like a response that is in solidarity with our colleagues at Mount Royal University, and that we really do want to partner with them.” 

(Learn more about Rosebud School of the Arts at www.rosebudschoolofthearts.com. Learn more about the SOFA rally at www.saveourfinearts.ca.)