Investing in Arts and Heritage in British Columbia

WHISTLER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - March 1, 2016) - Department of Canadian Heritage

Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Member of Parliament (West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country), on behalf of the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, today announced $489,500 in funding over two fiscal years to the Whistler Arts Council for the Cultural Connections project.

This joint initiative will allow the Whistler Arts Council and five community partners (Audain Art Museum, Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre, Whistler Chamber of Commerce, Resort Municipality of Whistler and Tourism Whistler) to collaborate on a project that will link diverse cultural attractions along the Cultural Connections pathways in Whistler Village and throughout the Whistler Valley.

The Government of Canada is providing this funding through the Strategic Initiatives component of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund. This component provides funding for projects supported by multiple partners and benefiting many organizations. These initiatives help arts and heritage organizations diversify their revenue streams and improve their business practices.

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Canada's arts and heritage sectors represent an important part of our economy and contribute significantly to our national identity #culture

Quick Facts

• The Whistler Arts Council is an arts service organization and multi-disciplinary presenter whose mandate is to enrich Whistler by cultivating and celebrating artistic creativity, supporting artists, collaborating with resort stakeholders, and engaging residents and visitors in arts.
• Since 2010, 64 partnership-based projects have received a total of close to $18 million through the Strategic Initiatives component of the Canada Cultural Investment Fund.

Quotes

"The Government of Canada is proud to be contributing to our cultural and creative sector. This initiative will benefit several facilities, art galleries and studios. It reflects our unique Canadian identity and strengthens the social and economic vitality of our communities."

- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage

"We are pleased to provide funding to the Whistler Arts Council for this collaborative project. This type of partnership-based project contributes to the success of the cultural sector in Canadian communities."

- Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, Member of Parliament (West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country)

"This is wonderful news for the Whistler Arts Council, and for the entire Whistler community. The Government of Canada's financial support will enable us to work with our community partners in strengthening the cultural sector, diversifying our local economy and growing cultural tourism. It recognizes our past successes and sets the stage for building a stronger, more resilient arts and heritage sector in our community."

- Maureen Douglas, Interim Executive Director, Whistler Arts Council

Associated Links

Strategic Initiatives

Whistler Arts Council

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