Local festivals and events will receive $188,000 in provincial funding to help expand programming, attract visitors, and increase economic impact.
Stratford Summer Music, Here for Now Theatre of Stratford, and Stratford Festival will split funding, Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae announced via a media release.
Stratford Festival will receive $125,000, Stratford Summer Music $32,209 and Here for Now Theatre, of Stratford, will receive $31,680.
Funds are through the provincial government's Experience Ontario grants, which includes $19.5 million for 280 festivals and events.
“Stratford Summer Music is thrilled to be a driver of tourism and a creator of culture in the Stratford area and delighted to receive the Experience Ontario funding for World in a Weekend,” said Kendra Fry, executive director for Stratford Summer Music.
World in a Weekend is a four-day family puppetry-themed event that compliments Stratford Summer Music, and welcomed thousands of guests to the city during the Civic Holiday weekend.
"The Experience Ontario funding has been essential to the success of our up-and-coming theatre company,” said Fiona Mongillo, artistic director of Here for Now Theatre in Stratford. “The summer of 2023 marks our 4th year in operation. We are incredibly grateful for the Experience Ontario grant, as it has enabled us to operate on this scale."
“We are extremely grateful to the province for continuing to support our pandemic recovery through this grant from Experience Ontario,” said Anita Gaffney, executive director of the Stratford Festival. “These funds are instrumental in the production of our 2023 season, which is a vital attractor for the tourism sector in Stratford and southwestern Ontario.”
