(The following article originally appeared in The Huntsville Forester on Wednesday, March 21, 2007.)
By Gillian Brunette
The Huntsville Festival of the Arts is once again $20,000 richer thanks to a grant from the Arts Presentation Canada program of the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The funding will support the group’s 2007 summer programming.
“Our government is pleased to invest in the Huntsville Festival of the Arts,” said Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. “Festivals like this enrich the cultural and community life of the region by offering a platform for artistic experiences that allow us to celebrate our rich cultural diversity.”
Every year, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts presents an array of programming including a variety of musical genres, theatre, and dance. The summer festival takes place in July at several venues including the town dock and the Algonquin Theatre. The festival attracts both tourists and residents and is well attended by youth audiences.
“The Canadian Heritage Ministry has been a consistent supporter of the Huntsville Festival since its first season,” said festival general manager Rob Saunders.
“As we celebrate our 15th season in 2007 we can reflect on how this funding has allowed us to present and create programming that has been culturally diverse, has involved emerging artists and has brought artists from across this country to our Huntsville stage. Without the support of the Canadian Heritage funding we would not be where we are today.”
New for the Huntsville Festival of the Arts in 2007 is a town-wide jazz festival in August. Saunders is currently awaiting word on a request for additional funding through the provincial initiative Celebrate Ontario.
