Victoria business offers free poster printing to support live events in the city
Metropol has been in the business of promoting the arts in Victoria for the last 19 years.
"When COVID hit, that entire postering department just completely shutdown," said Steve Webb, founder of Metropol and administrator of Vicposters.com.
With no live events, the "postering" side of Webb’s business had nothing to promote. Now, with restrictions lifting and live events coming back, Webb has decided to give back to the community that helped build his business.
"The fact is that it’s been a year and half since we needed that, so we thought we would see if we could do it and offer it as a free service," said Webb.
By offering to print posters for free, each organization is expected to save hundreds of dollars per promoted event.
"It’s really incredible that he’s giving back to artists and doing this free campaign," said Ashley Wey, a musician and artistic director at Hermann’s Jazz Club in downtown Victoria.
Wey will be holding an album release party for her new album titled Hummingbird this Saturday night at Hermann’s Jazz Club. She took Webb up on his offer.
"I think it absolutely helped sell out my show on Saturday," said Wey.
Chris Fretwell is the general manager at the Victoria Events Centre (VEC) in downtown Victoria.
"It’s been a tough haul," he told CTV News on Thursday.
But the stage lights are back on at the VEC after a difficult pandemic year. Now the challenge is letting everyone know that shows are back on.
"Some people are very aware and have been looking out for this very actively," said Fretwell. "I find that a lot of people are not aware at all that shows are happening."
They too have taken up the offer of free posters and say that it’s made a difference filling seats.
"We had a very successful probably sold-out festival," said Francyne Morrison, marketing communication co-op student with Theatre Skam.
Theatre SKAM sold out last weekend's SKAMpede Festival, showing that there is a renewed hunger for live performances in the city.
"This thing is going to come back, it’s going to come back in full force,” said Webb. “It’s going to be bigger, it’s going to better, there’s going to be more stuff to do.”"
"I think if we can stick together as a community and support our local music and our local businesses, then we will all be better off for it," he said.
Event organizers looking to have posters printed can find further information on the Vic posters website here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
After hearing thousands of last words, this hospital chaplain has advice for the living
Hospital chaplain J.S. Park opens up about death, grief and hearing thousands of last words, and shares his advice for the living.
WHO likely to issue wider alert on contaminated cough syrup
The World Health Organization is likely to issue a wider warning about contaminated Johnson and Johnson-made children's cough syrup found in Nigeria last week, it said in an email.
WATCH Video shows dramatic police takedown of carjacking suspects chased through parking lot north of Toronto
Police have released video footage of a dramatic takedown of a group of teens wanted in connection with an attempted carjacking in Markham earlier this month.
Canada, G7 urge 'all parties' to de-escalate in growing Mideast conflict
Canada called for 'all parties' to de-escalate rising tensions in the Mideast following an apparent Israeli drone attack against Iran overnight.
'It was all my savings': Ontario woman loses $15K to fake Walmart job scam
A woman who recently moved to Canada from India was searching for a job when she got caught in an online job scam and lost $15,000.
Families to receive Canada Child Benefit payment on Friday
More money will land in the pockets of some Canadian families on Friday for the latest Canada Child Benefit installment.
After COVID, WHO defines disease spread 'through air'
The World Health Organization and around 500 experts have agreed for the first time on what it means for a disease to spread through the air, in a bid to avoid the confusion early in the COVID-19 pandemic that some scientists have said cost lives.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.