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Victoria Fringe Festival operators applaud increase in grant funding

B.C. boosts arts council funding $15 million over three years
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Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch with Intrepid Theatre executive director Heather Lindsay. (Travis Paterson/B次元官网网址 Staff)

VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Intrepid Theatre executive director Heather Lindsay is breathing a little easier this week following the creation of a three-year funding announcement from the B.C. Arts Council.

The latest round of Arts Council grants (there are three grant periods throughout the year) is a total of $1.5 million, distributed to 191 people and organizations.

The decision to create a three-year grant commitment came from a round of community consultations by the B.C. Arts Council. For theatre companies such as Intrepid, which has doubled in size the last 10 years, the B.C. Arts Council funding is vital, Lindsay said.

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B次元官网网址淲ithout it, there would be no Fringe,B次元官网网址 she said, adding tickets to Fringe shows could cost as much as $75 each, instead of under $10.

Intrepid runs the annual Victoria Fringe Festival at which time their employee numbers swell from five full-time members to an additional 47 seasonal and part-time employees.

B次元官网网址淭his is really crucial for strengthening the foundation of companies who present [festivals] annually,B次元官网网址 Lindsay said. B次元官网网址淲e all applaud them for it.B次元官网网址

Intrepid delivers three festivals annually to about 35,000 people and this allows Lindsay to shape the festivals more artistically.

B次元官网网址淚 can think ahead about the artists weB次元官网网址檙e presenting in our festivals,B次元官网网址 Lindsay said. B次元官网网址淚 can bring in artists from around Canada and the world, and we can invest back into our local artists. It allows me time to travel and think ahead.B次元官网网址

This yearB次元官网网址檚 funding for Intrepid is $63,000 but Lindsay doesnB次元官网网址檛 yet know how much it will increase next year.

Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare announced in Oak Bay on Monday that the B.C. Arts Council grants are growing $15 million over the next three years ($5 million per year). It will bring the annual budget to $34 million in 2019-20.

Among the Arts Council increases is a jump from 77 community festival grants last year to 102 this year.

Beare acknowledged recently deceased former mayor Nils Jensen as a champion for the arts.

B次元官网网址淢ayor Jensen understood the central role that arts play in the social and economic vitality of communities,B次元官网网址 Beare said.

reporter@oakbaynews.com


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Intrepid Theatre executive director Heather Lindsay at the B.C. Arts Council announcement in Oak Bay on Monday, April 29. (Travis Paterson/B次元官网网址 Staff)
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Intrepid Theatre executive director Heather Lindsay at the B.C. Arts Council announcement in Oak Bay on Monday, April 29. (Travis Paterson/B次元官网网址 Staff)
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Intrepid Theatre executive director Heather Lindsay at the B.C. Arts Council announcement in Oak Bay on Monday, April 29. (Travis Paterson/B次元官网网址 Staff)




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