Holly Wiersema: Inside Winnipeg’s Cultural Core: Lessons in Leadership, Passion, and Preservation

Winnipeg is a city deeply rooted in culture, carried by an arts community that continues to inspire and shape our shared identity. Winnipeggers show up for our cultural institutions with genuine curiosity and pride, eager to explore the ideas and visions of the creative leaders who call this city home.

Our Leadership Winnipeg cohort was given a rare opportunity to step behind the scenes of several of these institutions and witness firsthand how their leaders pour their energy, passion, and entire hearts into strengthening both their teams and our broader community.

Our day began at the Manitoba Museum, where we were welcomed by CEO Dorota Blumczyńska. Dorota’s depth of leadership knowledge- paired with the weight of Manitoba’s history she carries with such grace- was both moving and humbling. She offered rich insights into museum leadership and the immense, often unseen effort that keeps an institution of that scale thriving. Housing nearly 3 million artifacts and specimens, the museum plays a vital role in collections-based research and in preserving our shared stories. Dorota also shared the profoundly important Homeward Journey project, a meaningful initiative that deserves the full support of our community. It was equally clear how the 18‑year freeze on government funding has affected the museum, and yet Dorota’s trust‑based leadership and unwavering passion continue to propel her team forward.

We then toured parts of the museum, and I was fortunate to be guided by Roland Sawatzky, Curator of History. His expertise and enthusiasm showcased a part of a team of people who are not only knowledgeable but genuinely devoted to enriching our cultural landscape.

Our next stop was the Tom Hendry Warehouse, where we were greeted by Evan Klassen, Executive Director of RMTC, along with his wonderfully energized team. Evan’s leadership is both engaging and generous; he invited his team to share the spotlight, giving us insight into the thoughtfulness and strategic planning required to build each season. Their programming choices clearly reflect and honour the diverse voices and desires of the community they serve. We were then treated to a panel of arts leaders whose varied backgrounds and leadership styles offered something relatable for everyone in our cohort. Their collective dedication underscored just how essential the arts are to our city’s spirit.

We ended our day at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, welcomed by a Leadership Winnipeg alum- an especially meaningful connection. Here, we witnessed the next generation of leaders in motion. Watching the ballet students rehearse was deeply inspiring; their tenacity, discipline, humility, and grace illuminated the extraordinary commitment required of young artists. During our tour, guided by Gail, the RWB archivist, we experienced another full‑circle moment: the same profound respect for history, knowledge, and preservation that we encountered at the museum was alive and thriving here as well.

Winnipeg is a vibrant arts and culture community- but it remains so only when we, as leaders, continue to support, uplift, and champion it. Our institutions, artists, and cultural storytellers deserve not only our admiration, but our commitment to ensuring that their work- and our shared stories- continue to flourish.