The Stratford Festival Theatre is receiving over $2 million from the Ontario Arts Council.
Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announced the funding in a statement from his office on Monday. The funding is meant to "to support good jobs, empower local artists, and help community arts organizations thrive," Rae's statement read.
The Ontario Arts Council, which is supplying the funding, is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
This grant is being awarded through the Ontario Arts Council’s Major Organizations: Contribution Agreements program. The program provides operating support to major arts organizations that are significant to their sectors and regions through their artistic activity, community role and organizational capacity.
The money will allow for the Stratford Festival Theatre to continue presenting the works of William Shakespeare, as well as many other beloved theatre productions across their four stages along with providing arts educational programming for all ages.
The funding total amounts to $2,056,998.
"Our government recognizes the important role arts and cultural organizations play in strengthening communities and growing local economies," said MPP Rae. "This investment will help the Stratford Festival continue delivering world-class performances while supporting tourism, creating good jobs, and generating economic benefits for Stratford and Perth County."
"The Ontario Arts Council provides important support," said Stratford Festival Executive Director Anita Gaffney. "This annual operating investment is directed towards mounting a season of 12 to 14 plays and enabling the Festival to bring together an accomplished team of artists and artisans to breathe life into these plays. This investment, in turn, generates prosperity for Stratford and the surrounding region with $277 million in economic impact as a result of the Festival's output."
