Funding Provided to Local Artists to Pursue National and International Opportunities

Increasing national and international opportunities for local artists and musicians is a key objective for sustainable economic growth in the arts sector, explained the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Education, as he announced funding approvals for projects by local artists looking to explore business prospects.

�Taking advantage of export opportunities makes good economic sense,� said Minister Hedderson. �I am very pleased that we have provided support for members of our arts community to explore this potential within their areas of expertise.�

With an investment of approximately $67,000, these seven projects were approved under the Cultural Economic Development Program, which will provide $2 million this year for the development of arts and heritage projects. The arts sector receives support for operations, marketing, professional development and export for cultural products. Eligible areas include visual arts, performing arts, book and periodical publishing, literary arts, film and video.

Amy House, artistic animateur of the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company, one of the recipients of funding, stressed the critical nature of developing export potential within the arts sector. �If we are going to succeed, we have to start exporting and we have to make it a priority,� said Ms. House. �What we want, of course, is to give artists the support to export and tour and to maintain this province as their home base. We have national icons from our province within the arts community who have achieved their level of success because they looked outward; they pursued opportunities beyond Newfoundland and Labrador. A lot of them still make this province their home."

�There is an incredible level of talent and creativity that flourishes in this province,� said Minister Hedderson. �Our support of these projects is part of an overall goal to increase exporting opportunities and economic growth within the arts sector, while keeping our creative talent right here.�

For more information on the Cultural Economic Development Program, please go to //www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/services_programs/CEDP.

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Media contact:
Glenda Power
Communications Manager
Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
709-729-0928, 728-7762
glendapower@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Projects Approved Through the Cultural Economic Development Program

Artistic Fraud � $2,400 to assist with travel costs incurred in bringing the production Belly Up to Theatre La Chappelle in Montreal, Quebec from February 6 through 9, 2007.

Dance Party of Newfoundland � $3,980 to perform in the Chicago SketchFest from January 10 to 16, 2007. SketchFest is the biggest festival of its kind in North America.

March Hare � $20,000 to assist with costs of the March Hare 2007 tour of Ireland celebrating the 20th anniversary of this literary festival. Newfoundland and Labrador poets, writers and musicians will perform in eight Irish venues in a celebration of words and music. Each of the eight shows in Ireland will feature six artists from the province and provide an opportunity to promote a 20th anniversary anthology and CD.

Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre (RCAT) � $20,000 to assist with the promotion and marketing of the hit musical High Steel by Mary Walsh and Rick Boland, with music by Ron Hynes. Promotion will include a display at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) Conference in New York, scheduled for January 17 to 23, 2007.

Shelia O�Leary Photography � $4,000 to enhance the current web site marketing potential in national and international e-business markets.

Will Gill � $2,000 to support the development of a comprehensive marketing portfolio building upon current regional, national and international recognition and sales. Mr. Gill has exhibited sculpture and painted works across Canada.

William Ritchie � $15,000 to enable participation in 10 Days on the Island Festival in Tasmania, an artist-in-residency term from January 20 to April 4, 2007 and participation in the Ten Days on the Island 2007 program March 23 to April 4, 2007.

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