Several local arts organizations will receive grants from the BC Arts council this year, a testament to the quality of the Prince George arts and culture scene.
“We were very delighted to see that organizations that Theatre North West, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, Prince George Regional Art Gallery and of course the Robson Valley Music Society are all recipients of funding from the BC Arts Council,” says Prince George Valemount MLA Shirley Bond.
Theatre North West Marnie Hamagami says the grant, which the organization has received for the past few years, is essential to the theatre’s operation
“This money is used for core operations and is absolutely essential to continuing the good work that Theatre North West does in our community. As a core funding grant, the nice thing about this is it’s not tied to any particular project.”
Hamagami says the city’s arts offerings are on par with much larger centres and that’s because the city makes arts organizations a priority.
“We’re seeing shows that are being shown in Toronto and Vancouver and Calgary at literally a fraction of the price. That’s why these grants are so important. They help us make theatre more accessible. The City of Prince George gives us a grant every year and it is this incredible support from the city that we are able to leverage to get support from the other granting bodies both provincially and federally.”
Bond says the grants will help the city’s arts organizations continue to thrive.
“All of us recognize how important it is to have a vibrant arts community and it certainly makes our community a much richer place because we can participate in many of these fantastic opportunities.”
Through funding made available by the provincial government, the BC Arts Council will hand out $24 million dollars in grants to artists and arts organizations this year.
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