Thank you, Madam Chair, and good morning, everyone. Thank you all for taking the time to be with us today.
Over the past few weeks, I've been watching a show called Off Campus. It's filmed here in Canada, with much of the cast and crew being Canadian. Many on that cast are now being considered overnight success stories. I think it's funny that we often recognize talent only when it's already on that upward trajectory.
The truth is that I think that characterization does more disservice to those in this space than anything else, because it fails to recognize the challenges they faced prior to becoming overnight successes. It really makes you wonder how much talent we miss out on—actors, singers...I'd even extend this to athletes—because we don't always ensure that they get those opportunities where and when they need them most. Local pubs, coffee shops and smaller venues are a fundamental part of artists' progression, and without them, we would risk missing out on some of the greatest talent our country might produce.
Mr. Simms, through your work overseeing cultural programming, concerts and festivals at Glasgow Square Theatre, you support both emerging and established artists while helping to bring cultural experiences to local audiences. How important are regional performance venues in helping artists develop their careers before they reach larger markets, and what would be lost if communities no longer had access to these local stages?