The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, today announced a Government of Canada investment in Festival Antigonish totalling $157,048 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in state-of- the-art facilities for Bauer Theatre and Festival Antigonish,” said Minister MacKay. “Today’s commitment is another demonstration of our government’s unparalleled investment in Canada’s arts and culture sector of more than $2.3 billion a year. In addition, through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we are investing more than half-a- billion dollars in stimulus funds in the arts and culture sector because we understand the value and potential of the sector and the importance of making it accessible to Canadians.”

"Our Government is proud to support the upgrade sound and lighting equipment of the Bauer Theatre," said the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage. "State-of-the-art equipment will enhance the experience of the Festival Antigonish professional live theatre performers as well as that of their audiences."

The project will improve the operation’s overall efficiency and artistic quality by upgrading the Bauer Theatre’s stage lighting and sound systems. In addition, structural modifications to the Technical Office will provide better housing for the new equipment within a separate, climate- controlled room.

“The local community and St Francis Xavier University are our biggest supporters, keeping the theatre busy with local productions all year round,” said Ed Thomason, Artistic Producer, Festival Antigonish. “These upgrades ensure that the Bauer Theatre will long have a role to play as a prime cultural facility, not just for Festival Antigonish but also for a wide range of participants in the community.”

Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre is the longest-running professional summer repertory theatre in Nova Scotia, offering a unique program of 100 performances of a dozen different shows over two months.

The festival serves as an anchor tourism attraction for northeastern Nova Scotia and figures prominently in regional and provincial destination marketing efforts. In addition, the availability of acclaimed live theatre serves as a recruiting tool in attracting professionals who are considering working and re-locating their families to the area.

The Department of Canadian Heritage has provided funding of $98,049 under the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (formerly Cultural Spaces Canada). This program seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing, visual, and media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays.

ACOA’s contribution of $58,243 is being made through the Agency’s Innovative Communities Fund, which focuses on investments that lead to long-term employment and economic capacity building in rural communities.

The Government of Canada is investing $540 million in the arts and culture sector to stimulate the economy as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan. It also recently renewed funding for federal arts programs totaling $1.51 billion over the next five years.

FOR BROADCAST USE:

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, today announced a Government of Canada investment in Festival Antigonish totalling $157,048 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA), and the Department of Canadian Heritage.

This project will improve the operation’s overall efficiency and the artistic quality of the festival’s Bauer Theatre by upgrading the stage lighting and sound systems.

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INFORMATION:

Alex Smith
Director of Communications
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
902-830-3839
alex.smith@acoa-apeca.gc.ca