Arts groups divvy up the money

By KEITH DEMPSEY, FOR THE SUDBURY STAR

Ten local arts organizations have been awarded grants totalling $441,010 from the Ontario Arts Council.

 

Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci made the announcement on Friday during a press conference at Theatre Cambrian on Eyre Street.

"We've applied many times before and we've always been unsuccessful," Theatre Cambrian's executive director Mark Mannisto said. "It was frustrating because there are hours and hours that go into filling out an application and really, it's all a big guessing game; sometimes you're successful and sometimes you're not.

"(We) really had to persevere and (we) really couldn't give up on these funding applications because they're so important to the cultural fabric of our community."

Theatre Cambrian received $10,000 toward its 2011-12 season.

Mannisto said the money will help with the hiring of some of th musicians who play in Theatre Cambrian's main stage musical season.

"The biggest project Theatre Cambrian has on the go is renovating the theatre space (on 40 Eyre St.) from a church into a fully functional community arts centre that's not going to be open just to Theatre Cambrian, but to all the community arts organizations here in Sudbury.

"That's the big picture, as for an artistic level, we want to continue to support professional artists here in Sudbury and find opportunities for artists to make a living, to become professionals, and to train them along their ways so they can further their careers."

Bartolucci said having an arts scene is good for the city.

"It develops the total community," Bartolucci said. "It provides a venue where the cultural components of our community can display incredible talents and so the $441,010 investment to ten different arts and cultural groups, enhances the opportunity of and for the community to view the arts in a positive way and it allows a very real sense for our definition of Greater Sudbury to be enhanced because of the excellence of the ten groups that were funded today."

Mannisto has been Theatre Cambrian's director since 2006 and said the future is bright. "It's pretty much baby steps and we continue to grow," he said.

"Theatre Cambrian has been around now for 27 years, so we're quite excited."

Also getting money are:

. Art Gallery of Sudbury/Galerie d'art de Sudbury received $47,700 towards its current operations.

. 5-Penny New Music Concerts $10,000 towards its 3-concert series.

. Galerie du Nouvel- Ontario, Centre d'artiste received $12,000 for various programs as well as $55,000 towards its operations.

. Les Concerts La Nuit sur l'etang received $30,000 towards its operations.

. Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury received $45,000 for operating costs.

. La Slague due Carrefour francophone received $13,800 in support of 'Junesse musicales du Canada.

. Music and Film in Motion was awarded $9,000 towards its Northern Ontario Musical and Film Awards Conference 2012.

. Myths and Mirrors Community Arts received $5,510 in support of its 15th Anniversary Retrospective Festival, plus $33,000 towards its operations.

. Theatre du Nouvel- Ontario received $170,000 to help with operations and other projects.

Twitter: @keith_dempsey