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Trailing on my previous blog post about Sled Island and the West’s exploding music scene, comes this CBC article about an art show in a little town you might know called Paris. And no, this isn’t Paris, Ontario I’m talking about. The subject? Why Winnipeg, of course. 

‘My Winnipeg’, an exhibition at La Maison Rouge in the art capital of the world, showcases the work of 73 Winnipeg artists. It runs from June 22 - September 25 and includes everything from kitschy Canadiana to books about sex during the winter. The title takes it’s name from avant-garde filmmaker Guy Maddin who grew up in the snowy capital. On it’s opening night, reporters from France’s biggest newspapers showed up. There were parties, people had fun, and Winnipeg affirmed the notion that it is indeed a popular place for art. Maclean’s Magazine dubbed Winnipeg the #2 destination for art in Canada, beating out both Montréal and Toronto (much to their dismay, I’m sure). It sits right behind Vancouver, again making the West a interesting place to be right now. 

So the capital of Manitoba seems to be really turning itself around. A strong art’s scene/international arts show, a burgeoning music scene, an acclaimed film director, and a brand new NHL team. Yes, things seem to be looking up for the city that used to be the 3rd largest in Canada. Could these things help restore Winnipeg to it’s former glory? With the rise of Vancouver and the advent of the TransCanada highway, railroads were no longer important and neither was Winnipeg. But now it’s clear that Winnipeg is back and it’s not taking ‘No’ for an answer. I predict that Winnipeg will only continue to rise in this anomalous fashion and we’ll be seeing more parties at Portage & Main. 

But really, who thought this would happen? Winnipeg? You have to admit it’s a little odd to hear. As odd as it is amazing. So congratulations to this city, and keep it up. Who knows, maybe Halifax will explode one of these days (no pun intended). I mean, Winnipeg can’t have everything.