Calgary’s Grand Theatre will stay open thanks to new tenancy agreement

Calgary’s Grand Theatre has been saved.

An agreement has been reached which will keep the century-old Calgary institution operational for many more years.

Just like so many others in the city of Calgary, rent increases at The Grand Theatre in the historic Lougheed Block nearly spelled the end.

The building, constructed in 1912, isn’t cheap to maintain. So, in 2020, The Grand Theatre Society sold off the building to a company called Allied Properties Real Investment Trust (REIT) to help maintain the building.

REIT raised the rent, which the society couldn’t afford.

Negotiations to try and figure out how to save the theatre have been ongoing since March.

Devon LeClair, the board chair of The Grand Theatre Society, says the contents of the five-year lease agreement are confidential.

“We understand that The Grand is a central component of the Calgary art scene and it needs to be available for a number of different organizations and artists alike,” she said.

Around 70 arts community stakeholders took part in a workshop earlier this month to give input on ways The Grand could be accessed by more organizations, the theatre says.

“The Grand’s history with cinema started in the 1960s and we are so thrilled Allied is committed to ensuring a key part of Calgary’s history and future remains intact,” Katherine Penhale, executive director of the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) said. “We look forward to partnering with The GRAND and ensuring we contribute actively to the stewardship of such a critical asset to the arts ecosystem.”

There are also ongoing conversations with other groups, including CIFF, about using the space as a theatre-in-residence model.

More information on the theatre, including showtimes, can be found at thegrandyyc.ca