Mandate
Essential Collective Theatre (ECT) is a non-profit theatre company based in St. Catharines, producing professional Canadian contemporary plays and creating original works that resonate with Niagara audiences.
Mission
We create intimate and compelling theatre performances that reflect our region’s unique identity and provoke conversations about our past, present, and future. At the core of ECT’s vision is further developing the Niagara Region’s performing arts community by supporting and retaining local theatre professionals and emerging artists with artistic collaboration and mentorship to inspire creative energy and fresh perspectives.
Values
- Fostering and celebrating contemporary Canadian playwrights and stories with local relevance
- Connecting with our community through outreach, involvement, and creative partnerships to better understand, serve, and grow our audience
- Providing professional industry-standard, artist fees, and contracts to support and retain Niagara’s artists.
- Providing a pathway to a career in theatre for emerging and new-generation artists with training, mentorship, and paid work on quality productions with union contracts, credits, and regulations
- Diversity on the page and the stage is supported by policies and procedures promoting an anti-racist, equitable, inclusive, and safe work environment for all
At the core of ECT’s creative process and production is supporting the work of emerging and/or local playwrights and further developing the Niagara Region’s performing arts community.
For these reasons, ECT offers quality mentorship placements for emerging artists and collaborates with artists from the Niagara Region and beyond to infuse our creative environment with fresh energy and perspectives.
The company strives to develop audiences’ appreciation for new Canadian work and stories that hold up a mirror to the Niagara Region. Of ultimate importance to ECT, is building up our region’s performing arts scene by sharing resources with other local arts organizations. It is only by working together that we can grow together.