Funding for a “behind the scenes” request can be just as impactful as support for a highly visible project. Just ask Tempest Theatre & Film Society, which asked the Community Foundation for help with their HVAC and lighting upgrades in 2025.

Addressing those needs was critical for us,” says Kate Twa, Artistic Director of Tempest. “Our former HVAC system was old, inefficient, unreliable, and expensive to operate. Our lighting was also a big challenge; the wiring wasn’t well organized for our use of the space, which introduced all kinds of practical problems for us and limited what we could do here.”

Thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation, which helped trigger a matching grant from another funder, Tempest Theatre now has a high efficiency, heat pump HVAC system and new powering profile for their stage lighting rig. “The temperature in the theatre space is so consistent now, which benefits our performers and the audience immensely,” says Ronan Reinart, Technical Director. “More importantly, we’ve cut our heating and cooling bills in half – a very significant savings for a small society like ours.”

It’s clear that Ronan’s favourite part of the upgrades is his new bank of electrical control switches, which are conveniently mounted in the production booth. “All our power controls are at my fingertips now,” he says. “No more running up and down the stairs!” The wiring for the lighting has also been redone, eliminating the need for the extension cords that used to hang from the rafters.

“We really appreciate the Community Foundation’s help,” says Kate. “These upgrades have truly transformed our theatre space.”

Established in 2018, Tempest Theatre & Film Society operates a 75-seat black box theatre in Penticton. Tempest is committed to amplifying diverse voices through its programming, classes, faculty and audiences. The Society serves many needs in the South Okanagan theatre and artistic community, including mentoring young theatre companies in developing their skills and broadening their networks. You can learn more about Tempest here.