Victoria announces nearly $400k in grants for arts, culture venues
The City of Victoria is awarding nearly $400,000 in grants to several non-profit arts and cultural organizations.
The grants include funding for upgrades to performance and rehearsal spaces, and efforts to make venues more accessible to artists and audiences.
Seventeen organizations were approved for the funding, with the largest grants of $50,000 each going to the Open Space gallery, the Société Francophone de Victoria and the White Eagle Polish Hall.
Open Space and the Polish hall will use the funding to install elevators, while the Société Francophone de Victoria will use its grant for an outdoor lift and other accessibility upgrades.
In all, 20 organizations applied for the city grants, with the Victoria Event Centre, the Khalsa Diwan Society and the African-Caribbean Cultural Society being denied in their requests.
"The arts and culture sector was hard-hit by the pandemic and high market rents continue to make it challenging for these groups to thrive," said Mayor Lisa Helps in a statement Tuesday.
Other grants include awards for new LED lighting in the Baumann Centre and Alix Goolden Hall, and staging and shared office improvements at Theatre Skam’s arts hub at 846 Broughton Street.
The city says the arts and culture sector contributes $435.8 million annually to the local economy and employs 5,588 people.
A full list of recipients of the $395,879 in grants is available here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.