Provincial Support Will Help Cultural Organizational Grow

TOURISM/CULTURE--Provincial Support Will Help Cultural Organizations Grow

Twenty-seven Nova Scotia cultural organizations are getting a financial boost from the Nova Scotia government. The investments will help organizations in every region of the province promote their activities, open new markets and increase sales.

Tourism and Culture Minister Rodney MacDonald made the announcement today, May 1, in Windsor at the Mermaid Theatre. A total of $213,984 will support culture projects across the province, with four in Cape Breton, eight in southern Nova Scotia, one in northern Nova Scotia, 10 in the Halifax Regional Municipality and four which are provincial in scope.

The money will help these cultural organizations become more market-ready and increase sales outside the province. Direct expenditures associated with these projects are estimated at $1.11 million.

"These projects are diverse and impressive. They have great potential to increase awareness and expand sales of Nova Scotia art, theatre, music and literature to the rest of the world," said Mr. MacDonald. "Our investments are supporting a variety of initiatives from e-commerce site development to product showcase tours and marketplace development conferences."

In the southern region, Mermaid Theatre will receive $10,000 to create materials to promote their latest production to national and international markets. Mermaid will also receive $943 to investigate potential markets in Ireland for their Youtheatre project.

"Support of this nature has enabled us to serve as cultural ambassadors for Nova Scotia and Canada," said Sara Lee Lewis, co- founder and managing director of Mermaid Theatre. "Our shows have become travelling showcases for Atlantic region talent." Over the past three decades the company has performed for over 2 million people in four continents.

Cape Breton's Magazine Centre for Documentary Field Studies will receive $10,000 to produce Read Cape Breton, a promotional catalogue for 16 Cape Breton publishers.

"This funding will open export doors for all Cape Breton book publishers," said project co-ordinator Ron Caplan. "It is a unique opportunity for growth in this industry -- growth that none of us could achieve without this significant help."

In the northern region, the Evolve Festival Consortium will use its $10,000 investment to market the Evolve music festival in Antigonish.

"We're trying to give local musicians a chance to showcase their music to a larger audience and let local artists and craftspeople sell their work to a wider group of customers," said Jay Cleary, publicist, Evolve Festival Consortium.

In Halifax Regional Municipality, East Coast Arts Production will receive $10,000 to expand e-commerce and export sales through the Web site, Nova Scotia Kitchen Party.com. The Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Foundation and GP Communications will use a $7,200 investment to launch and market the CD-ROM publication Healing Journeys Magazine.

Two organizations, the Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia and the African Nova Scotia Music Industry Association, received funds for projects that are provincial in scope.

During the summer of 2001, the department announced a series of new programs for its Culture Division. Among these is the Cultural Industries Program, which helps cultural industries increase sales outside the province, enhance their market readiness, improve their technical and export capabilities and expand their market opportunities through potential or earned revenues.

Community organizations have two opportunities each year to apply for assistance. The next deadline is Sept. 15.

NOTE: The following is a complete list of projects receiving support under the Cultural Industries Program.

Cultural Industries Projects: May 1, 2002

Southern Region

• $10,000 will go to Lennart Krogall and Associates to help Nova Scotian musicians expand into German markets.
• Grand Dérangement will receive $10,000 to develop sales in the French European market.
• The Robert Pope Foundation will receive $10,000 to produce exhibits of their artwork in Switzerland and Australia.
• The LaHave River Valley Tourism Association will receive $1,136 to enhance marketing opportunities for craft producers.
• The Teddy Bear Guild of Nova Scotia will receive $4,025 to promote local crafts people in national publications.
• With $10,000 in support, the Mermaid Theatre will create materials to promote their latest production to national and international markets. The theatre will also receive $943 to investigate potential markets in Ireland for their Youtheatre project.
• Two Planks and a Passion will receive $7,850 to attend a marketplace development conference throughout Canada.

Cape Breton Region

• $10,000 will help SeaCape Publishing develop new markets throughout Atlantic Canada.
• Pottersfield Portfolio will receive $6,755 to help expand their sales across Canada.
• Cape Breton's Magazine Centre for Documentary Field Studies will produce a promotional catalogue for 16 Cape Breton publishers with its $10,000 in support.
• Gaeltalk Communications and the Nova Scotia Highland Village will receive $10,000 to enhance their e-commerce and Web site offerings to the global market.

Northern Region

• The Evolve Festival Consortium will use its $10,000 investment to market the Evolve music festival in Antigonish.

Halifax Regional Municipality

• East Coast Arts Production will receive $10,000 to expand e- commerce and export sales through the Web site, Nova Scotia Kitchen Party.com.
• The Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Foundation and GP Communications will use a $7,200 investment to launch and market the CD-ROM publication Healing Journeys Magazine.
• Design in Business will receive $10,000 to develop Living Spaces: Collaborations, an exhibit that will promote Nova Scotian craftspeople, designers and manufacturers.
• Eastern Edge, a consortium of companies will receive $30,000 for five complementary projects that will include management services, music publishing, production of live events, a commercial Web site and a central intellectual property managing office.
• A $10,000 investment will help the Maritime Command Museum co- produce The Navy Times as a marketing tool for the Museum's Admiralty House.
• Jest in Time Theatre will receive $10,000 to showcase their performance to national buyers in Ottawa.

Provincial

• The Music Industry Association of Nova Scotia will use a $10,000 investment to attend music showcases and research marketing opportunities. They will also receive $10,000 to cover costs associated with showcasing artists at the East Coast Music Awards.
• The African Nova Scotia Music Association (ANSMA) is receiving $16,075 in support of their showcase at the East Coast Music Awards and the Junos.