The City’s generosity in supporting Mainstage B.C., the provincial theatre festival, has paid dividends.

Theatre B.C., the nonprofit organization that runs the festival, has opened an office in Kamloops and plans to consolidate here after Mainstage 2011 in July, said president Ray Mordan.

“Basically because of the wonderful civic support we’ve got from the City of Kamloops,” Mordan said. “They have always been huge supporters of what Mainstage does.”

The City contributes $6,000 to the festival when it’s here. Mordan estimates the event generates $600,000 to $700,000 in local spinoffs by attracting 400 to 500 participants.

In recent years, Mainstage has been a moveable feast, rotating between Nanaimo, Kamloops and other communities on a three-year cycle. Community theatre groups from across the province converge to present finalist plays selected through regional zone festivals.

That rotation came to an abrupt end last year, however, as a result of provincial funding cuts to the arts. Vernon, which was to have hosted the festival this year, and Chilliwack, the 2012 host city, both bowed out, citing a lack of funds.

As a result, Kamloops will have hosted three successive festivals by 2012. A rotating host city for 2013 hasn’t been confirmed.

Due to the cuts, Theatre B.C. has had to look as well at means of generating greater revenues on its own. With its support for the next two years in place, it has a head start on that.

“Nowadays, Mainstage has to be a major source of revenue for us. We’re looking now to establish it as a major fundraiser.”

After Mainstage 2011, the organization will close its Nanaimo office and consolidate here. Vance Schneider has been hired to staff the Kamloops office, located at the Old Courthouse Cultural Centre.

Mordan wasn’t optimistic that premier-designate Kristy Clark will fulfill her leadership campaign promise to restore funding to the arts.

“We’ll see. I’m a skeptic, but I also believe in the arts becoming as self-sufficient as possible. We really do need to become more of a business. We have to attract sponsorships.”

Theatre B.C. was founded in 1932 to promote development of community theatre in the province.