Saskatoon artistic director rethinks strategy due to plunging dollar

Kirby Wirchenko says he won't be able to take many risks on musical artists he brings to Saskatoon's Broadway Theatre. He's the organization's artistic director, and says a struggling Canadian economy changes how people consume art.

"I know that people in Saskatoon are going to make more and more careful choices about how they spend their money." he said.

Wirchenkosays that as Canadians scale back their spending habits, they're less likely to go to a concert of an artist they haven't heard before. That means he has to be careful about who he asks to perform at the Broadway Theatre.

"If you're not willing to take a risk with your money right now, then I can't be either," he said.

Wirchenkoanticipates promoters and organizers of other Saskatchewan art organizations will adapt to the rising costs of entertainment while the loonie shrinks.