Minister of State Sorenson Announces Funding to Strenghthen Arts, Culture and Heritage in the Yukon

WHITEHORSE, Aug. 26, 2013 /CNW/ - On behalf of the Hounourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Kevin Sorenson, Minister of State (Finance) and Member of Parliament (Crowfoot), today announced funding for 14 arts and culture organizations in the Yukon. Minister of State Sorenson made the announcement at the Yukon Arts Centre alongside leaders of Whitehorse's arts community.

"Our Government recognizes the importance of the arts and heritage to enriching quality of life, as well as to creating jobs and wealth in our communities," said Minister of State Sorenson. "That is why we are proud to support organizations that work to enhance the vitality of their communities and strengthen connections between Canadians."

The support announced today will enable organizations throughout the Yukon to deliver programming, organize festivals, strengthen and promote Aboriginal culture, develop official-language minority communities, aid local publications, modernize collections management in local museums and present annual concert series. The organizations receiving support include Liard Aboriginal Women's Society, All-City Band Society, Yukon Arts Centre, Association Franco-Yukonnaise and MacBride Museum Society.

"Our Government is proud to support arts, culture and Aboriginal organizations in the Yukon," said Minister Glover. "Today's announcement demonstrates that we are committed to supporting organizations that contribute to their community's cultural life and also strengthen its economy."

"The Yukon Arts Centre is presenting a stunning season of Canadian work drawn from across this great nation. This season is made possible in part by the continuing multi-year support of the Canadian Arts Presentation Fund," said Al Cushing, CEO of the Yukon Arts Centre. "Since the entire grant is expended on Canadian artists, it is a remarkably wise investment by the Canadian Government in Canada's culture economy."

The Government of Canada has provided total funding of $738,613 through the following programs of the Department of Canadian Heritage: the Aboriginal Peoples' Program, the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, the Canada Periodical Fund, and the Museums Assistance Program.

For more information about the projects, see the attached backgrounder.

BACKGROUNDER

Today's announcement includes the following projects:

Aboriginal Peoples' Program: Aboriginal Languages Initiative (ALI) The objective of ALI is to encourage and support community-based language projects that contribute to the revitalization and preservation of Aboriginal languages and increase their use in community settings.
City	Organization	Project	Funding and Year
Beaver Creek	White River First Nation	Language on the Land 2013-14	$74,293 (2013-14)
Watson Lake	Liard Aboriginal Women's Society	Reconnecting Wellness: The Kaska Language Project	$60,874 (2013-14)
Watson Lake	Liard First Nation	Dene Zagi Koa	$75,481 (2013-14)
			TOTAL: $210,648

Building Communities through Arts and Heritage The Building Communities through Arts and Heritage program provides Canadians with more opportunities to take part in activities that present local arts and culture and celebrate local history and heritage.
City	Organization	Project	Funding and Year
Whitehorse	All-City Band Society	Music for a Winter's Eve	$9,500 (2013-14)
			TOTAL : $9,500

Canada Arts Presentation Fund The Canada Arts Presentation Fund gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.
City	Organization	Project	Funding and Year
Whitehorse	Adäka Cultural Society	Adäka Cultural Festival	$25,000 (2013-14)
Whitehorse	Yukon Arts Centre Corporation	Yukon Arts Centre 2013-14 and 2014-2015 Performing Arts Season	$95,000 (2013-14) $95,000 (2014-15)
Whitehorse	Skookum Jim Friendship Centre	2014 Skookum Jim Folklore Show	$6,000 (2013-14)
Whitehorse	Nakai Theatre Ensemble	Pivot Theatre Festival	$14,000 (2013-14)
			TOTAL : $235,000

Canada Periodical Fund The Canada Periodical Fund provides funding to Canadian print magazines, print non-daily newspapers and digital periodicals to enable them to overcome market disadvantages and continue to provide Canadian readers with the content they choose to read.
City	Organization	Project	Funding and Year
Whitehorse	Association Franco-Yukonnaise	L'Aurore Boréale	$2,510 (2013-14)
			TOTAL: $2,510

Museums Assistance Program This program provides funding to Canadian museums and related institutions for projects that foster excellence in museum activities and that facilitate access to the treasures of our collective heritage.
City	Organization	Project	Funding and Year
Whitehorse	MacBride Museum Society	Collections Information Systems and Collection Storage Solutions Update and Reorganization	$50,000 (2013-14)
Haines Junction	Champagne and Aishihik First Nations	Collections Management and Preservation	$87,000 (2013-14)
Old Crow	Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation	Van Tat Gwich'in Navigation Systems Project - Rampart House	$70,000 (2013-14)
Whitehorse	Kwanlin Dun Cultural Society	Becoming our Histories: First Nation Elders and Storytellers Legacy Project	$52,500 (2013-14)
Dawson City	Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in	Northern Yukon Beading Practices	$21,455 (2013-14)
			TOTAL: $280,955

 

 

SOURCE: Canadian Heritage

(media only), please contact:

Marisa Monnin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages
819-997-7788

Anna Gravelle
A/Regional Manager
Communications
Western Region
Canadian Heritage
604-666-6504

Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
[email protected]

(This news release is available on the Internet at www.canadianheritage.gc.ca under Newsroom.)