Located in the historic Cardium Theatre in downtown Drayton Valley, the Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) is a multi-purpose performing arts venue serving Drayton Valley, Brazeau County, and surrounding communities.
EPAC was created with a simple goal: to bring people together through live performance. Whether it’s music, theatre, dance, or community events, the EPAC provides a space where people of all ages can gather, perform, and experience the arts close to home.
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) is built within a local historical landmark, the former Cardium Movie Theatre, preserving an important piece of Drayton Valley’s history while giving it new life as a vibrant cultural space.
What was once a traditional theatre has become a community gathering place where audiences, performers, students, and artists can connect through shared experiences. Today, EPAC continues that legacy by supporting local productions, creating opportunities for residents to participate in the performing arts, and welcoming touring performers.
Education is also an important part of EPAC’s role in the community. With music education currently unavailable in local schools, EPAC supports local music teachers and provides annual children’s performances designed to complement the school curriculum and introduce young audiences to the performing arts.
EPAC also supports local visual artists by displaying their work in the lobby and offering it for sale on their behalf, giving artists another opportunity to share their work with the community.
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) exists to provide a versatile performing arts centre for the Drayton Valley area fostering community creativity and engagement.
By hosting performances, community events, and educational opportunities, EPAC helps:
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) facility is jointly owned by the Town of Drayton Valley and Brazeau County, with operations guided by a dedicated volunteer board. Together, partners and volunteers work to ensure EPAC continues to serve the community as a welcoming and accessible venue for performances and events.
EPAC’s success is made possible through collaboration — between municipalities, volunteers, sponsors, donors, performers, and community members who believe in the value of arts and culture.
From nationally recognized performers to local theatre groups and dance schools, the Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) offers experiences that bring people together. Performances at the EPAC create opportunities for families, friends, and visitors to gather, enjoy live entertainment, and support arts and culture right here in Drayton Valley, Alberta.
More than a venue, EPAC is a place where memories are made — on stage and in the audience.
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) is supported by a volunteer Board of Directors committed to guiding the continued growth and success of EPAC.
The Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre (EPAC) is named in honour of a woman whose life reflected a deep commitment to community, service, and the arts.
Eleanor and her husband Howard Pickup arrived in Drayton Valley in 1954 from the coal mining town of Nordegg, at a time when the community was still taking shape. They believed strongly in the responsibility and privilege of citizenship and dedicated themselves to helping build a thriving, connected community.
Eleanor’s impact on the community was far-reaching. She devoted more than 60 years of service to the Red Cross and supported numerous charitable organizations, including the Canadian Cancer Society, the Heart and Stroke Foundation, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, and many international relief efforts. She also opened her home to 13 foster children throughout the 1950s and 1960s, offering care and stability to families in need.
A lifelong music educator, Eleanor Pickup taught music for over six decades and was deeply involved in local artistic initiatives, from live theatre and choral groups to community drama productions. Eleanor Pickup believed the arts enriched quality of life and created opportunities for people to discover and express their creativity.
Today, the Eleanor Pickup Arts Centre carries forward that spirit — providing a place where community, creativity, and connection continue to grow, just as Eleanor envisioned.