The Government of Canada Invests More than $4 Million in Arts and Culture in Alberta

Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament (Edmonton Centre), announces support for local festivals, cultural infrastructure, arts presentation and more

EDMONTON, Aug. 25, 2019 /CNW/ - Arts, culture and heritage organizations across Alberta will continue to prosper and offer arts programming, festivals and celebrations year round, in modernized and well-equipped facilities, thanks to ongoing, dedicated support from the Government of Canada.

Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament (Edmonton Centre), today announced funding totalling $4,010,697 for 47 organizations across the province. He made the announcement on behalf of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism.

This support has been provided through the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage (BCAH) program, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund (CAPF) and the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF).

Funded projects include the Enoch Cree Nation's annual pow wow celebration, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival and the City of St. Albert's new arts space. Fringe Theatre Adventures, which produces the world-renowned Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, has received $75,000 through the CCSF and $858,000 through the CAPF, for a total investment of $933,000.

Budget 2019 announced more than $50 million to support a wide range of artistic and cultural events, including performance series, festivals and celebrations throughout Canada. Eligible organizations have received supplemental funding as a result of these increased investments, which include $14 million over two years for the BCAH program and $16 million over two years for the CAPF.

Budget 2017 also announced an additional $300 million for the CCSF over a 10-year period, starting in 2018–2019, to further support creative hubs and other cultural spaces. This additional investment is a part of the social infrastructure component of the Investing in Canada Plan.

Quotes

"Arts and culture are important for cultivating innovation, improving social well-being and fostering inclusion. Our government is pleased to provide funding to organizations across Alberta that promote arts and culture in our communities. These increased investments demonstrate our ongoing commitment to supporting cultural infrastructure, our creative economy, and our gifted artists and creators as they entertain, inspire and engage with Canadians from all walks of life."

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

"As a proud Albertan and arts aficionado, I have seen first-hand the impact that this kind of support creates in our communities. Today's announcement recognizes 47 cultural organizations that work diligently to promote civic engagement, increase accessibility, create safe spaces for artists to practice and perform, and stimulate our imagination and inner creativity. From Grand Prairie to Fort McMurray, Jasper to Lloydminster, there is something for everyone! I am especially delighted to share this news during the 38^th annual Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, one of the most successful of its kind in the world."

—Randy Boissonnault, Member of Parliament (Edmonton Centre)

"This funding received through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund will enable the City of St. Albert to build upon our commitment to excellence in arts programming and expand into a new performing arts space to further support artists and other industry professionals in our community. This new space will provide artists and patrons alike with increased access to arts in the community. Thank you to the Government of Canada for their investment in the City of St. Albert's new performing arts space, supporting excellence in professional artistic practices in our community."

—Her Worship Cathy Heron, Mayor, City of St. Albert

"As the largest and longest running fringe theatre festival in North America, and as a cultural hub of local creative activity throughout the year, we are incredibly grateful for the Government of Canada's bolstered support for the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, our yearly operations and—new this year—an upgrade to our audio systems in the ATB Financial Arts Barns. The funds provided through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund will ensure that we can continue providing quality support to more than 2,000 artists and 850,000 Fringers who frequent our festival and the Arts Barns each year."

—Adam Mitchell, Executive Director and Producer, Fringe Theatre Adventures Society

"Enoch Cree Nation would like to acknowledge and thank the Government of Canada for its recent contribution to our 27^th annual pow wow celebration. There was a time in Canadian history when our traditional and cultural practices were banned and outlawed. Today, the pow wow allows participants and performers (even members of the audience) a way to reclaim and honour our rich and vibrant culture as Indigenous Peoples. While at the pow wow, many can attest to the deep-seated feelings of pride, joy and interconnectedness that is felt when the traditional drum beat fills the pow wow arbour. The pow wow celebration is a means of bringing our Indigenous People together in community and reconciliation as we drum, sing and dance! It also allows our community members, both young and the young at heart, to get involved in the community through volunteer opportunities, and by experiencing our culture and traditions first-hand."

—Candace Persson, Fund Development Analyst and Grant Writer, Enoch Cree Nation

Quick Facts

The Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program provides funding to increase opportunities for local artists, artisans, heritage performers or specialists to be involved in their community through festivals, events and projects. It also allows local groups to commemorate their local history and heritage.

The Canada Arts Presentation Fund provides financial assistance to organizations that professionally present arts festivals or performing arts series (arts presenters) and organizations that offer support to arts presenters.

The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. The Fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.

Associated Links

Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage

Canada Arts Presentation Fund

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

Investing in Canada Plan

Backgrounder

Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage

City	Organization	Project	Amount
Edmonton	Western Carnival Development Association	Cariwest Caribbean Arts Festival	$54,625
Edmonton	Arts on the Ave Edmonton Society	Kaleido Family Arts Festival	$100,985
Edmonton	Common Ground Arts Society	Found Festival 2019	$24,200
Edmonton	Treaty 8 First Nations of Alberta	Honouring Our Treaty Gathering 2019	$61,000
Edmonton	The Free Will Players Theatre Guild	Freewill Shakespeare Festival	$48,400
Edmonton	Thousand Faces Festival Association	Thousand Faces Festival	$11,200
Enoch	Enoch Cree Nation	Enoch Cree Nation 27^th Annual Pow Wow Celebration	$102,500
Fort Saskatchewan	Josephburg Agricultural Society	Christmas in the Heartland	$12,100
Jasper	Friends of Jasper National Park Association	Canada's Parks Day	$25,300
Lacombe	Lacombe Regional Tourism and Marketing Association	Lacombe Culture & Harvest Festival	$8,000
Sturgeon County	Poundmaker's Lodge Treatment Centres	Pow Wow	$41,100
Vegreville	Vegreville Cultural Association	46^th Vegreville Ukrainian Pysanka Festival	$22,800
Whitecourt	Whitecourt and Woodlands Performing Arts Society	Party In The Park 2019	$27,300
TOTAL:			$539,510

Canada Arts Presentation Fund

City	Organization	Project	Amount
Camrose	Camrose Performing Arts Centre Management Council	Presentation Season	$16,500*
Edmonton	Alberta Book Fair Society	LitFest	$12,100*
Edmonton	Arts Touring Alliance of Alberta	Touring Network Support	$49,500*
Edmonton	Azimuth Theatre Association	Expanse Festival	$11,000*
Edmonton	Brian Webb Dance Company	BWDC 2018/19 and 2019/20 Seasons	$75,900*
Edmonton	Citadel Theatre	Beyond the Stage	$48,000*
Edmonton	Edmonton Chamber Music Society	Summer Solstice Music Festival	$13,200*
Edmonton	Edmonton Folk Music Festival Society	Edmonton Folk Music Festival	$600,000
Edmonton	Edmonton International Street Performers Festival Association	Edmonton International Street Performers Festival	$93,500*
Edmonton	Edmonton Jazz Festival Society	TD Edmonton International Jazz Festival / EJFS Outreach Initiatives	$55,000*
Edmonton	Edmonton Jazz Society (1973)	Yardbird Suite	$22,000*
Edmonton	Edmonton Poetry Festival Society	Edmonton Poetry Festival	$5,500*
Edmonton	Francis Winspear Centre for Music	Live at the Winspear	$27,500*
Edmonton	Fringe Theatre Adventures Society	2018–2022 Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival, Fringe Theatre Season, Fringe Spotlight, and Chinook Series	$858,000
Edmonton	Mile Zero Dance Society	Mile Zero Dance presents three performance series: Dirt Buffet Cabaret; MZD Salon Series; Dance Crush	$19,800*
Edmonton	Nextfest Arts Company	NEXTFEST	$26,400*
Edmonton	Rapid Fire Theatre Society	Improvaganza	$8,800*
Edmonton	Regroupement Artistique Francophone de l'Alberta	Production and modernization of the tool Apprenti Diffuseur	$35,250
Edmonton	Works International Visual Arts Society	The Works Art & Design Festival; The Art & Design in Public Places Program	$119,900*
Edmonton	Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre Society	Canoe Theatre Festival	$16,500*
Fort McMurray	Keyano College	Professional Artist Presenter Series	$33,000*
Fort Saskatchewan	Shell Centre (City of Fort Saskatchewan)	2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21 Shell Theatre Performance Series	$27,500*
Grande Prairie	Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival	Grande Prairie International Street Performers Festival	$7,150*
Leduc	Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts (City of Leduc)	2018–2019, 2019–2020, 2020–2021, 2021–2022 seasons	$18,700*
Lloydminster	Vic Juba Community Theatre Board	Dr. H. A. McDonald Season	$24,200*
Sherwood Park	Strathcona County	Festival Place Professional Artists Season	$77,000*
Spruce Grove	Horizon Stage Performing Arts Centre (City of Spruce Grove)	Horizon Stage Professional Series	$49,500*
St. Albert	City of St. Albert	2018–2019 and 2019–2020 Arden Theatre Season Program	$77,000*
St. Albert	Friends of the Northern Alberta International Children's Festival Society	2018-2019-2020 Northern Alberta International Children's Festival	$104,500*
Stony Plain	Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Society	Blueberry Bluegrass & Country Music Festival	$9,900*
TOTAL:			$2,542,800

*Note: Recipient may receive additional supplemental consideration over this amount

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

City	Organization	Project	Amount
Calgary	Association of the Inside Out Integrated Theatre Project	Inside Out Accessible Theatre Space Equipment	$12,000
Calgary	Decidedly Jazz Danceworks	Theatre Equipment	$75,000
Camrose	Camrose Performing Arts Centre Management Council	Final Fit-up, Specialized Presenting Equipment and Safety Project	$73,465
Edmonton	Citadel Theatre	Schocter Theatre Accessibility	$75,000
Edmonton	Fringe Theatre Adventures Society	Arts Barns Audio System Replacement	$75,000
Edmonton	Old Strathcona Performing Arts Centre Society	Fire Alarm System Upgrade	$9,316
Hinton	Home for Fine Arts Society of Hinton	Technical Equipment	$5,283
Leduc	Maclab Centre for the Performing Arts (City of Leduc)	Specialized Equipment Maclab Centre 2019	$74,500
Spruce Grove	Horizon Stage Performing Arts Centre (City of Spruce Grove)	Horizon Stage Technical Improvements	$63,208
St. Albert	City of St. Albert	St. Albert New Arts Space	$465,615
TOTAL:			$928,387

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

For further information: (media only): Simon Ross, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, 819-997-7788; Media Relations, Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [e-mail]

Related Links

www.pch.gc.ca