A Stage Worth Saving: Effie Arts Collective Nears Its Final Act
When I walked into Effie Arts Collective for the first time, I didn’t expect to feel like I had discovered something rare in Kamloops. Purple stage lights washed over heavy curtains, the audience sat quietly at small tables, and when performers stepped up to the microphone, people actually listened. “It was the best show on our tour across Canada,” one performer said after his set. “The people who come to see the show are here to see a show. They’re coming for the artist.” That intention is what sets Effie apart. It is not a bar. It is not a nightclub. People are not coming for cheap drinks or background noise. They are coming to connect with whoever is on stage.
Located on Kamloops’ North Shore, Effie has operated for nearly four and a half years in a building owned by Propolis Cooperative Housing. From the beginning, organizers knew the building would eventually be redeveloped into affordable co-operative housing, a model where residents buy into a corporation that owns the building rather than renting individual units. The project aims to house 24 families and help address the housing crisis. That redevelopment is now approaching, meaning Effie will close before reaching its five-year mark.
“The biggest challenge has been knowing that it’s going to end,” one organizer said. “We’ve literally been working month to month for like the last year.” Despite the uncertainty, Effie has continued hosting local and touring artists. Tickets typically range from $20 to $30, making live performances more accessible than traveling to larger cities for shows. Organizers say the most important way the community can support the space is simple: show up.
“The biggest thing people can do to help is to come to events,” the organizer said. As rumors of closure spread, artists from across Canada have reached out asking how they can help. Organizers hope to secure a new location, though nothing has been confirmed. A final week of shows is planned for late April. For many, Effie has become more than a venue. It is a place to sit down, listen, laugh, and feel part of something intentional. In a city where performance spaces are limited, its absence will be felt. For now, the stage lights are still on.
A local artist performs under purple stage lighting at Effie Arts Collective, which is expected to close due to redevelopment plans.
Audience members watch a live performance at Effie Arts Collective on Kamloops’ North Shore. The venue’s seated layout encourages focused listening.
A performer engages the audience during a recent show at Effie Arts Collective in Kamloops. Artists say the venue allows for a stronger connection between performer and listener.
