Larry Desrochers wins Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction

Larry Desrochers grew up on the family farm in the RM of Argyle before moving into the town of Baldur in 1979.

The Manitoba Arts Council recently announced that Larry Desrochers is the recipient of the 2026 Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction.

This prestigious annual award includes a $30,000 prize and is given to a professional artist or arts/cultural professional who has demonstrated outstanding artistic excellence and made significant contributions to the arts in Manitoba.

Larry Desrochers boasts an impressive 25-year career as the CEO and General Director of Manitoba Opera.

In addition to his work in opera, he has also served as a producer and administrator in theatre, festivals, film, and large-scale cultural events, often leading significant changes within Canada’s arts and culture sector. Notably, he was the inaugural executive director of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, which has grown to become the second-largest fringe festival in North America.

Larry was also a founding board member of Manitobans for the Arts, an organization dedicated to advocating for arts, culture, and heritage in Manitoba. He also produced and directed the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 1999 Pan American Games, which was the largest live-broadcast outdoor stadium event in Canadian history at that time.

Larry has received numerous accolades throughout his career, including the University of Winnipeg’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Winnipeg Arts Council’s Making a Difference Award, the Winnipeg Film Group’s Lifetime Honorary Membership, Opera America’s Distinguished Service Award, and the Opera Canada Ruby Award.

We were able to speak with Larry this past week, getting his take on growing up in a small town and how his upbringing benefited him as an adult in his chosen profession.

“When I left Baldur in 1980 to go to school in Winnipeg, I never expected to have the career path that I’ve had. My intention was to attend Red River Community College, now called RRC Polytech, to study Creative Communications and pursue a career in journalism. (I’m still a news junky to this day.) The course was full, so I went to the University of Winnipeg instead and took courses that I could transfer back to RRCC the following year. One of those courses was an Introduction to Theatre, and I just stuck with it. At the U of W, I studied acting, theatre design and stage directing, and worked on numerous school productions.

“Ultimately, I gravitated to directing. I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to assistant direct on a mainstage production at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre while I was still completing my fourth-year directing studies at the U of W. That experience led to both contract work and full-time employment at RMTC through to 1993, and to my starting the Fringe Festival in 1988. Then I was lucky enough to be offered a series of opportunities, and suddenly it’s 40 years later.

“I think if you grow up in the country, you have a strong work ethic, a strong sense of community and a willingness to pitch in. I think all of those traits have helped me in my career. The cows don’t care if you feel like milking them or not – they have to be milked. The audience doesn’t care what kinds of problems you’ve had to put on a show; they just want a show ready when they arrive at the theatre. And believe me, they can bawl just as loudly as an unmilked cow, if the show is not ready.

“But maybe above all else, growing up in the country teaches you to stay down to earth, not to take yourself too seriously, and to remember to have a good laugh. In both a small town and the arts sector, it takes a whole community to pull together to make life better.”

Robert Vineberg, who nominated Larry for this award, shared the following:

“Larry has shown, time and again, that the arts can bring people together, spark dialogue, celebrate heritage, and create empathy; and that leadership rooted in integrity and compassion can have a transformative effect far beyond any one organization.”

Thank you, Larry, and congratulations on your most recent award.
You continue to be an inspiration for us all!

PHOTO CAPTION: Larry Desrochers of Winnipeg is the recipient of the 2026 Manitoba Arts Award of Distinction.