After spending years immersed in Prince Albert’s arts scene, Roxanne Dicke is ready to face a new challenge.
Dicke, who has spent more than 20 years as an arts educator, administrator and director, was named the new general manager of the E.A. Rawlinson Centre on Monday.
After spending the last 11 years in Prince Albert, Dicke said she’d come to love the city’s arts community. Making the jump to being the next Rawlinson Centre GM just felt natural.
“It felt like a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up,” she said during an interview on Thursday. “There were other things on the table at the same time for me, in terms decisions and opportunities, and I just kept coming back to the fact that our family really made Prince Albert our home and I am invested in staying here.”
City council officially approved a one-year contract for Dicke on Monday, with her term set to start on June 19. Jody Boulet, the City of Prince Albert’s community services director, said it was an easy hire to make given her local connections.
“Roxanne has a lot of great support in our arts community and our community in general here in Prince Albert,” explained Boulet, who served as the interim Rawlinson GM during the application period. “That was certainly evident through the process.”
Dicke has spent time with a variety of local arts organizations, including a stint as chair of the Prince Albert Arts Board and artistic director of Sparks Theatre. She said her time with those organizations gave her an appreciation for the Rawlinson and its reputation. Now that she’s in the GM’s chair, she’s eager to grow that reputation even further.
“The centre is really part of the community (and) I see opportunities to network and grow within the community, but also to continue to offer incredible talent to the people of Prince Albert,” she said. “It enhances everybody’s lives, so I want to see that continue to grow.”
Dicke added that Prince Albert is fortunate to have a facility like the Rawlinson. Ideally, she hopes everyone who comes through the door, whether as a performer or patron, will leave feeling proud too. For the foreseeable future, she plans of working closely with the city on a plan to keep maintain those high standards, while also reaching out to community members for feedback.
It’s going to be a busy few weeks for her, but she said she’s eagerly embracing the challenge.
“It’s a very important role in our city and I’m very honoured to do it,” she said.
Season preview
Although Dicke doesn’t start until June 19, the city plans to use the fall Season Preview Gala on June 14 to officially introduce her to the public. Traditionally, the annual free event showcases the range of shows coming to Prince Albert between September and the end of December. However, this year organizers plan to use the occasion to let patrons get acquainted with the new GM. The gala begins at 7 p.m. at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre.