Posted by Sudbury Northern Life 
The Sudbury arts community is $689,635 richer thanks to grants from the Ontario government through the Ontario Arts Council, Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci announced Friday.
"Artists, writers, performers and creative organizations are fundamental to the cultural diversity of our community," said Bartolucci, in a release. "We are fortunate to have a government that cares about the value of creativity."
The Ontario Arts Council is the province's primary funding body for professional arts activity. Since 1963, the Council has played a vital role in promoting and assisting the development of the arts and artists for the enjoyment and benefit of Ontarians.
In 2007, the Ontario government increased annual funding to the Ontario Arts Council by $15 million over three years, a 37.5 per cent increase that would take it from the current $40 million to $55 million by 2009-10.
More than 250,000 people earn their living in Ontario's culture sector, which generates $19.7 billion of Ontario's gross domestic product; more than Ontario's agriculture, fishing, mining, oil and gas extraction and utilities industries combined.
Funding recommended in 2008 will benefit several local arts organizations, including nine francophone groups:
- 5-Penny New Music Concerts - $3,500
- Art Gallery of Sudbury/Galerie d'art de Sudbury - $55,800
- Carrefour francophone de Sudbury - $21,250
- Centre franco-Ontarien de resources en alphabetization -
$18,800
- Contact intercultural francophone de Sudbury - $15,000
- Les Concerts La Nuit sur l'étang - $42,000
- Éditions Prise de parole - $71,750
- Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario - $55,000
- Konflit Dramatik - $5,000
- Myths and Mirrors Community Arts - $33,000
- Northern Lights Festival Boreal - $8,500
- Le Salon du livre du Grand Sudbury - $64,000
- Silver Birch Concerts Inc. - $3,000
- Sudbury Symphony Orchestra Association - $25,000
- Sudbury Theatre Centre - $92,000
- Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario Inc. - $172,185
- Your Scrivener Press - $3,850
