It’s the end of an era at The Metro

We are sharing some sad news with our community. Intrepid Theatre has made the difficult decision to close The Metro Studio in 2026, due to substantial increased operating costs and a rent increase. Intrepid has extended our original lease, at an increased cost, to allow us to operate The Metro until March next year when we will wrap up our time on Quadra Street. While tears were shed over this decision, we are confident it is the responsible choice to make given the financial implications. This venue has been our cherished home for 20 years, and we are proud of having created such a unique space for indie theatre in Victoria. But, The Metro is more than just a space. It has been a vital part of the local arts scene since 2005, and has been a beacon for independent artists, as well as our much-loved home. It holds two decades of memories for audiences, artists, staff, and community. The Metro has welcomed and showcased everyone from Fringe artists making their first steps, to international superstars like Otto & Astrid, The Tiger Lilies, Taylor Mac and Ronnie Burkett. At The Metro, Intrepid has presented countless world premieres like the recent commission of Ivan Coyote’s Playlist, and a long list of local companies have rented the space and made it their home. 

The Metro was born out of a creative collaboration with our landlords, the Victoria Conservatory of Music, who supported a shared-space lease that allowed both Intrepid Theatre and the VCM to use the former church gym at the corner of Quadra and Johnson. An inventive partnership like this one was something brand new at the time in Victoria. Nathan Medd, CEO at the VCM, congratulates Intrepid Theatre on building such a vital home for artists and adds, “as the Conservatory prepares to take a larger role in the space next year, we are committed to ensuring it remains a place full of artistic activity. We look forward to welcoming Intrepid back at every opportunity. For 20 years, the Conservatory’s alliance with Intrepid Theatre has strengthened local artistic creation and brought increased national tours to the CRD, while also supporting arts training through the Conservatory’s post-secondary music department. This co-location of two growing arts organizations helped inform a number of multi-tenant studio initiatives that followed in BC, including Left of Main, Progress Lab 1422, and The Post@750.”

We greatly value our relationship with the VCM, and appreciate the extension to our original lease that allows us to operate until next Spring. However, the truth is the venue is no longer financially viable for our long-term, sustainable operations. We are profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of artists, patrons, donors, community members, past Intrepid leadership, and our funders and supporters who collectively made The Metro possible.

What’s next?

As we head into our 40th Anniversary in 2026, we can assure you that Intrepid Theatre is thriving. “The 2024 OUTstages was the highest grossing in its ten year history, and the team has created successful new programming and partnerships, despite increased expenses on nearly every budget line from insurance to artist flights to rent. While it is sad to see this end of an era at The Metro, financially, we could not handle this large cost increase to our bottom line. As we explore other venues around the city, our programming will continue to bring Victoria audiences bold theatre and contemporary performance from some of the country’s most talked about artists” says Maggie Chapin Caravaca, Board President. 

Intrepid has a long history of both operating its own venues (Planet Theatre, Metro Studio, Intrepid Studio) and using other traditional and pop-up venues. We have recently had great successes working with The McPherson Playhouse (Children of God), The Mary Winspear (Playlist) and The Farquhar Auditorium (Queer Songbook Orchestra), and for nearly 40 years the Fringe has hosted shows in spaces and venues all over the city.  As we transition, we will be moving our assets and theatrical equipment into storage, and exploring other venues for our upcoming programming. And Intrepid will continue to support local artists with festival opportunities, residencies, and free space access programs. The company will continue to operate the 45 seat Intrepid Studio, and flexible space next door at the Festival Hub. These spaces will remain home to our festivals and operations, and are available for low-cost rentals to the community.

As we wrap-up our time on the corner of Quadra and Johnson, we look forward to our fall season of shows, and hosting many more rental events this year at The Metro. We will be presenting three more festivals at our home venue before it closes: the 2025 Victoria Fringe; the 2025 Incoming Festival in November; and the 2026 OUTstages Festival in winter 2026. We hope to see you there! 

The VCM will then take over operation of the space, and Intrepid hopes to use it for the 40th anniversary Victoria Fringe next summer. Before then, we will be planning a closing party to bring together our community, so we can celebrate the memories made over the last 20 years, to say goodbye to this era for The Metro, and toast to everyone who was part of building this successful indie arts venue. 

Artistic Director Sean Guist reflects, “With change comes possibility and opportunity, and we are looking for our next adventure. We are really open to what that could look like – a collaborative space, creative partnerships, a shared venue, a new performance space – all are possibilities that align with Intrepid’s goal of creating an improved experience for artists, audiences, volunteers, staff and anyone who called The Metro home. Let’s dream together.” 

How can you help?

We just launched the 39th Victoria Fringe Festival last week, and will be announcing a full fall program of shows. So buy a ticket. Subscribe to our newsletter. Pick up a festival program. Make a donation. Support local arts organizations. Make the arts part of your regular conversations. Tell your friends and family and colleagues about the shows you see (even if you didn’t like them) and take them to the theatre, an art opening, a concert, or a Fringe show. Make art a part of your life.

“We are really looking positively to the future and what our next steps may be. If you are a developer, property manager, or a community minded organization that loves weird and wonderful art, and wants to support the next generation of artists, we’d love to hear from you!”  Managing Director Julie Haddow adds.

We invite you to follow along on our journey, we promise to keep you posted!

Sincerely, and on behalf of the Intrepid Theatre leadership and Board of Directors,

Sean Guist, Artistic Director

Julie Haddow, Managing Director

Maggie Chapin-Caravaca, Board President

–

To read more about the history of The Metro Studio and the successful transformation from church gym to downtown theatre space, read this blog post.

Read more about the supporters who made this venue possible on the blog.

Read the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s statement here.