Southeast Manitoba Festival Gala Awards Night showcases region’s top rising talent

The Southeast Manitoba Festival (SEMF) will celebrate the region’s promising young performers at its annual Gala Awards Night scheduled on March 25, 2026, at 7pm at the SRSS Theatre. This event will showcase top award-winning participants from various festival disciplines. Their achievements reflect these artists’ dedication and the tireless commitment of teachers, coaches, and mentors who nurture the young performers in our region.

This year’s Gala holds great significance for the Steinbach Arts Council (SAC) as it marks the first Gala Awards Night hosted by the organization since its merger with SEMF in 2024. This merger has fostered growth across the festival, as seen by the over 700 entries received this year, spanning vocal, dance, piano, musical theatre, choral, and strings disciplines.

The Gala Awards Night will feature live performances from select trophy and scholarship recipients, showcasing the excellence nurtured throughout the festival season. In addition to these highlights, the evening will include dance entries by performers from SEMF Dance.

“Throughout this festival season, we were welcomed into community venues across the Southeast,” said David Klassen, Executive Director of the Steinbach Arts Council. “We would like to thank Evangelical Fellowship Church, the Southeast Event Centre, SRSS, and Blumenort Community Church; they opened their doors to support this annual regional tradition. It really shows the commitment our region continues to make in nurturing young performers. We’re encouraged by this shared investment and hopeful for a future with even more unified, accessible spaces for artists to learn, grow, and share their talent.”

This festival season will conclude with a full presentation of trophies, scholarships, and awards across SEMF disciplines to encourage and foster the community’s belief in the achievements of our young Southeast Manitoba artists.

The public is invited to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of Southeast Manitoba’s artists and performers. Admission to attend the SEMF Gala Awards Night is $5.