During the First World War, Calgary became known as one of the world's premier Arts and Culture districts, a distinction the city was only able to hold on to for a short spell. Then, when the Great Depression hit hard, many theatres had to close up shop or offer far less discriminating fare to attract more theatre-goers. In the wake of this severe cultural errosion, all the serious talent left town post-haste by the trainload for the sunnier cultural climes of any of the eastern cities. Thus began a slow decline that reached its lowest point in the 1990's and the early twenty-first century. At this time, Calgary had become (in)famous for its erotic bookstores (not really bookstores, more like glossy magazines stores), its live nude shows featuring U of C alumni wrestling in baked beans, X-rated movies starring same, and other 'adult' fare. By the close of 2005, many people had come to consider Calgary to be the epitome of urban and moral decay, a syndrome not normally present in Canadian cities, but unusually widespread in Calgary.
