This article was previously published on CambridgeToday.
The annual struggle to find temporary housing for the hundreds of cast and crew members behind Drayton Entertainment's productions has become such a challenge for the Cambridge-based theatre company that they're appealing to the community for help.
The housing crisis means short-term apartments that were available to artists in the past, aren't available anymore.
And as Drayton Entertainment has grown and their productions have become more elaborate, so has the demand for accommodations.
"It's an ongoing problem which is really the result of growth. So, it's a good problem to have," says Drayton Entertainment's executive director Steven Karcher.
"The question now is how do we manage and sustain continued growth?"
One way is to raise awareness about Drayton's billeting program, an ongoing search for "artist housing partners" willing to make space in their homes for short-term stays.
Homeowners get a stipend for providing space for artists and support the arts community at the same time.
Billeting has always been a part of the theatre company's efforts to find housing, but in the post-COVID world it's not as easy as it used to be to find people willing to share their homes, Karcher says.
That's why Drayton is raising awareness about the program as a tangible and essential way to support the local arts community.
It's something many newcomers to the city might not even be aware of, he says.
Residents who are able to provide rooms or apartments in their homes for the entire season are encouraged to sign up. But so are others who may only have space available for a week or two.
Karcher says Drayton's team will facilitate suitable matches to artists through a private portal where cast and crew members can share information about themselves.
Limits in place through the Canadian Theatre Agreement, a contract created by the Canadian Actors Equity Association and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres, mean theatre companies need to find housing for their artists within the range of $120 to $150 per week.
It's a relatively small amount given the reality of the housing crunch.
High demand for units in the region and beyond has jacked rental prices and created a vacancy shortage.
Also affecting availability is the lucrative short-term rental market on booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo.
It's an issue that's affecting the arts in a way that a lot of people don't really think about, Karcher says.
And coming out of COVID, so much has changed.
In the small village of Drayton, where the theatre company got its start, Karcher says it's a different mindset. People are more willing to open their homes, give back to the community and support the arts in a meaningful way.
"People think we must have so many options in an urban centre," but comfort levels have changed as well, he says.
On the positive side, many artists who once called Toronto home are relocating to Waterloo region, reducing some of the pressure the theatre company is facing to find temporary housing.
When Drayton's headquarters were constructed in Cambridge in 2012, the theatre company thought ahead by dedicating the entire third floor of the administration wing to housing.
But it only contains 33 units, about half of what any current production needs, Karcher says.
Any given production can have upwards of 50 people working on stage or behind the scenes and because the Cambridge theatre is the cultural hub for the entire company, it serves as the rehearsal space for up to four productions at once for its theatres from St. Jacobs to Grand Bend.
"There was a point here in 2024 when we had four productions rehearsing at the this space," Karcher says.
The company typically works a year in advance to find space for its talent, so current efforts are for the 2026 season and involve the full programming and rehearsal time.
Karcher says they're looking at capacity and trying to secure enough space but since the numbers can fluctuate wildly with any given production, it's still a challenge.
"From Vancouver to Montreal, every urban centre, regardless of its size is struggling with this very issue," he says. "It's great to be back at that critical mass. It's taken five years to get back."