Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
July 14, 2016
Supporting Culture and Economic Development
Stage West Theatre Receives Provincial Government Funding
Stage West Theatre Festival in Corner Brook has received a financial investment of over $14,000 from the Provincial Government to support marketing efforts and as well as its production of A Soldier's Heart. The festival opened on July 1 with the premiere of A Soldier's Heart, a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme and the young men who served.
"Stage West Theatre has established itself as a premier summer theatre festival in Corner Brook, with a growing audience. Our department is pleased to provide support to allow the festival to continue to grow and provide economic development opportunities to businesses in the area. Our support will provide this community group access to the necessary resources to leverage their activities and encourage investment from the private sector"
- The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development
Through the Business Development Support program, $7,283 will support working capital for the festival through the purchase of set materials and set construction services, as well as develop marketing material. An additional $7,000 through the Honour 100 program will support A Soldier's Heart by David French which commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The show tells the story of two men who survived the battle and the cost they paid for coming home. A Soldier's Heart will also be playing at the Deer Lake Legion and the Stephenville Legion this summer. A Soldier's Heart features Christian House, Mike Payne, and Jordan Stringer, and is directed by Steve Perchard.
"Along with keeping theatre alive and well at the community level, the Stage West Theatre Festival is helping Corner Brook continue as a cultural centre in the province and throughout the country. I'm thrilled to see this investment in the local arts scene in the area, and I look forward to many more years of meaningful and inspirational performances."
- The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills and MHA for Corner Brook
Stage West Theatre Festival will run from July 1 to 31 and has produced seven shows.
"We founded Stage West Theatre Festival Inc. in 2008, coming out of the objective to run a summer festival in Corner Brook. The mandate of our company is to promote the artistic and cultural development of the province's west coast, while creating a strong tourism product that will attract tourists to Corner Brook and help to grow tourism related businesses. This is our eighth season and we are pleased with the financial support provided by the Provincial Government which makes our operation possible, as well as support from Honour 100 for Soldier's Heart."
- Stephen Perchard, Artistic Director, Stage West Theatre Festival
The Business Development Support Program assists Newfoundland and Labrador Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) with opportunities to increase their productivity and improve their competitiveness. The program supports SMEs who demonstrate a desire to develop and grow by improving the operations of the business, investing in its people, and focusing on trade opportunities.
The Honour 100 Grant Program enables communities and organizations to remember and honour our heroes and create their own lasting legacies. It was created to support arts and heritage projects with two scopes: community-based projects, as well as projects that had a provincial impact.
QUICK FACTS
- The Provincial Government is providing over $14,000 to support the Stage West Theatre Festival in Corner Brook.
- The festival, in its eighth season, will run July 1-31 and has produced seven shows.
- 30 -
Media contacts:
|
Tansy Mundon Director of Communications Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 693-1865 tansymundon@gov.nl.ca |
Stephen Perchard Artistic Director Stage West Theatre Festival 709-638-4622 info@stagewesttheatrefestival.com |
|
Susie Bugden Constituency Assistant to Hon. Gerry Byrne MHA for Corner Brook 709-637-4056 SusieBugden@gov.nl.ca |
2016 07 14 11:15 a.m.