| Federal government gives Alberta $8-million arts boost
The federal government announced an investment of more than $8-million in arts and culture funding in Alberta as part of a larger arts investment project throughout the country. The money will fund a number of Calgary organizations, including the Art Gallery of Calgary Society, the African Festival and Presentation Society and the Folk Festival Society of Calgary.
Heritage Minister Shelia Copps was in Calgary for the $8,039,622 announcement on March 8, which drew praise from all sectors of the arts community, but also highlighted the provincial government’s lack of arts funding compared to other provinces.
Copps says if the province did more to support the arts in Alberta, the federal government would boost its contribution because many of the funding formulas are set up to match provincial grants. She adds, however, that the federal funding is designed to aid all sectors of the country.
"The government of Canada is committed to supporting access to the arts for all Canadians, regardless of where they live, and to fostering creativity, diversity and excellence. "We are helping to ensure that arts organizations can attain some stability so they can focus on what they do best: create great art."
The money is the first round of projects supported under and new federal program announced earlier this year. The largest Alberta recipients are the Fringe Theatre Adventure Society of Edmonton, which received $2 million over three years, and the city of Medicine Hat, which was granted $2.5 million over two years for an arts and heritage centre.
Local recipients include: $400,000 to the Art Gallery Society of Calgary; $86,000 to the Calgary International Children’s Festival Society; $45,3000 to the African Festival and Presentation Society of Alberta, $50,000 to the Folk Festival Society of Calgary and $40,000 to Wordfest: Banff-Calgary International Writer’s Festival. |
