Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
October 4, 2017
Artists, Performers and Audiences to Benefit from Improvements to LSPU Hall
Through investments totalling close to $260,000 from the Governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada, the iconic Resource Centre for the Arts, a mainstay of the St. John’s cultural scene, will improve its facilities and implement a development plan to enhance its sustainability and nurture the development of the province’s cultural and tourism industries.
The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, and the Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veteran’s Affairs and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister Response for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), as well as the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced the funding today.
The Resource Centre for the Arts, which is housed in the former Longshoremen’s Protective Union (LSPU) Hall, creates, produces and provides space for a variety of artistic works. The LSPU Hall provides performance and visual arts spaces for theatre productions, dance and film festivals, awards events, symposiums and workshops, readings, concerts, as well as arts shows and forums, providing significant multi-disciplinary cultural programming for the benefit of diverse audiences.
Through this project, the Resource Centre for the Arts will enhance various systems and equipment in the LSPU Hall helping improve production values and operational efficiency and will also implement a professional marketing, re-branding and audience development plan. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $69,191, while the Government of Canada is providing non-repayable investments of $100,428 through ACOA’s Business Development Program and $90,364 through Canadian Heritage for this initiative.
These investments build on the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces’ commitment to drive economic growth in Atlantic Canada through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which involves targeted actions to stimulate Atlantic Canada's economy, including supporting projects that help position small and medium-sized businesses in the region to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Quotes
“The Resource Centre for the Arts continues to create and produce some of the most significant multi-disciplinary cultural programming in the country. Today’s announcement re-affirms our commitment to the arts, and recognizes the economic development activity generated by RCA. This investment will assist with equipment enhancements and marketing activities to generate new opportunities.”
Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
“The Resource Centre for the Arts, fondly known as the Hall, has a long and vibrant history of providing inspiration, support and guidance to many of this province’s best-loved and most well-known artists. These enhancements will further develop Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich cultural industries by helping to strengthen the acting, writing, directing, producing, technical and arts administrative capacity within the province.”
Honourable Seamus O’Regan
Minister of Veteran’s Affairs and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl
“The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in the people, places and projects which strengthen our communities, nurture opportunities for business growth and development, and create good, well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians. These investments in the Resource Centre for the Arts will help enrich Newfoundland and Labrador’s envious cultural product offerings and provide additional opportunities for it to continue to grow and flourish.”
Honourable Navdeep Bains
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Arts and culture have taken centre stage during this year of Canada 150 celebrations. Access to professional arts experiences is important to the quality of life in communities. With this new specialized equipment, the Resource Centre for the Arts will continue to provide top-quality arts experiences in a cherished cultural space, the LSPU Hall.”
Honourable Melanie Joly
Minister of Canadian Heritage
“This investment by the Government of Canada not just meets the immediate needs of the theatre and performing arts community, but also the broader goals of the film, television, music, and cultural tourism industries in our province. Performing arts facilities like the LSPU Hall provide the critical link that help provide unique cultural experiences and support the ongoing development of the cultural and cultural tourism industries.”
Nick Whalen
Member of Parliament, St. John’s East
“Here at the Resource Centre for the Arts we are profoundly grateful for this investment into our organization. It broadens the visionary work of our professional artists, elevates our audience experience, and enhances our sustainability.”
Berni Stapleton
Resource Centre for the Arts
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Learn More
Resource Centre for the Arts - https://rca.nf.ca 
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Media contacts
Eric Humber
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
709-729-4819
erichumber@gov.nl.ca
Paul McGrath
ACOA NL
709-772-2984
Paul.mcgrath@canada.ca
Suzanne Mullett
Resource Centre for the Arts
709-753-4531
generalmanager@rca.nf.ca
2017 10 04 11:20 a.m.