The Pembina Hills Arts Council (PHAC) received a $24,185 grant from the Provincial Government. The Manitoba Community Arts Council grant was presented by the Minister of Finance for the Province Cameron Friesen earlier this week.

PHAC Interim Administrative Coordinator Patricia Hunt said this money will help keep the doors open to the facility this year.

"It's nearly a quarter of our annual operating budget," said Hunt.

Hunt said they're very grateful for the grant and note with more of their operating costs being covered, they can utilize money previously raised for new or additional programming.

"Earlier this year we were able to create a pre-school program, which we called creative play-date," said Hunt. "We were able to run it for 18 weeks for free and roughly 30 families from the community were able to participate in that program."