New Brunswick Arts Board Launches Fredericton Community Arts Project
Fredericton (November 5, 2009) – The New Brunswick Arts Board is pleased to be partnering with the City of Fredericton on the Fredericton Community Arts Project, an initiative made possible through the 2009 Cultural Capitals of Canada.
This one-year pilot project is intended to increase the sources of revenue available to professional artists and artists’ collectives in Fredericton and to encourage creative projects that will reinforce partnerships and cooperative action in the community, by enabling professional artists at all levels of their career to make a recognized contribution, increase their visibility and develop their particular talents.
The funding agreement will see the the New Brunswick Arts Board, the Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport, and the City of Fredericton with the Cultural Capitals of Canada funding through the Department of Canadian Heritage contribute $70,000 for the Fredericton Community Arts Project. This partnership is part of the NBAB’s orientation towards a greater democratization of culture, and a confirmation of the New Brunswick Arts Board’s commitment to recognize regional differences.
“The Arts Board has a mandate to promote the arts at a professional level and to facilitate distribution of the arts in as many milieus as possible,” said Benoît Duguay, Chair of the Board of Directors of the Arts Board. “I can assure you of my colleagues’ commitment to the spirit of this mandate. Nothing could further this agenda better than the partnership being launched with Fredericton today.”
“Our year-long reign as a 2009 Cultural Capital of Canada continues to bring out the best in our arts and cultural community,” said Councillor Dan Keenan, Chair of the City of Fredericton’s Development Committee. “We are pleased to co-present this initiative which supports creative projects put forward by local professional artists. I am looking forward to seeing these projects unfold over the next year.
“The Government of New Brunswick believes that the arts and culture play an important role in our province,” said the Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sport, Hédard Albert. “Supporting grassroots initiatives like this one will not only make it easier for artists to earn a living creating their art, but will also allow local residents to develop a greater appreciation for the unique talents of those artists living in their midst.”
The pilot agreement will run for one year and the project’s objectives are to support creative initiatives and artistic projects that value the work of the professional artist within his or her community; to support creative artistic projects that involve initiatives that value artist-creation-community partnerships in Fredericton; and to foster the participation of greater numbers of Fredericton’s citizens in the arts by making it more accessible within their own community.
To be eligible for the Funding Program, applicants must be a professional artist or writer, or an artists’ or writers’ collective working in media arts, visual arts, multidisciplinary arts, dance, the literary arts, fine crafts, music or theatre. Eligible projects for the Fredericton Community Arts Project must be initiated by professional artists who will contribute 25% of the total budget. Artists of all levels may apply. Artists may receive a one-time grant of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000. Applications for funding will be assessed by a jury of peers and arts resource people working in the region. All applications will be assessed on the basis of merit, the objectives and the assessment criteria specific to the Fredericton Community Arts Project.
An information session will be held on November 18th at 7:00pm in the Charlotte Street Arts Center Auditorium by the New Brunswick Arts Board that will focus on the Fredericton Community Arts Project and tips for writing effective grant applications.
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Media Contact: Vanessa Moeller, Deputy Managing Director, New Brunswick Arts Board (506) 444 4696; Angela Watson, Cultural Development Officer, City of Fredericton, (506) 460-2411.
