Retired teachers Jane Walters and Roslyn Roberts say there's a lot you can learn at the Winnipeg Art Gallery about our culture, and there's even more exhibits on the horizon.
"We have an art gallery of this caliber in the city and it's going to get even better with this Inuit art," said Roberts.
The WAG is planning a 3,700 square metre, $65 million expansion to house Inuit art.
"It's Manitoba art, it's from here which is incredible," said Walters.
That project just got a big boost.
After months of uncertainty, the Pallister government is coming to the table with $10 million.
"It allows us to offer a very meaningful path to reconciliation connecting people across the country," said WAG CEO Stephen Borys.
But that’s $5 million less than the $15 million promised by the previous Selinger government. The WAG says it must now determine next steps on how to make up for the shortfall. The province says its contribution was determined by a value for money formula based on projected economic spinoffs.
"We know that there's going to be residual effects with regard to hospitality, hotels, meals, things like that and of course a real boost to the economy," said Heritage Minister Cathy Cox.
Roberts wishes the province had put in the full $15 million, matching a grant from Ottawa. She says the arts get shortchanged.
We spend a lot of money on sports and you know concessions for professional sports teams," said Roberts.
The provincial bank vault did fly open for another heritage project. Up to $10 million is available for the brand new 9,800 square metre Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada. It's set to rise on a vacant parking lot near the old airport terminal. Work is scheduled to begin next spring, with a fall 2019 completion date.
"It's a game changer for us, it moves us forward to start our construction planning," said Helen Halliday, museum president and CAO.
The province also announced $5 million to create a trust for small and medium sized museums and archives.
