ELORA – Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott met with the team at the Elora Festival to hear more about the $127,400 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) on July 3.
The fund was used to recover and build resiliency from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The project has allowed the Elora Festival to better meet community needs in a post-pandemic landscape by increasing capacity for strategic planning and resource management.
“Our thanks go out to Ontario Trillium Foundation,” Arnott said in a news release. “The Elora Festival gets better every year, and this grant will help to strengthen our local community support for the future.”
In addition to building resiliency from the impacts of COVID-19, the Elora Festival will also develop a volunteer program and an individual and corporate donor program that will encourage community participation and grow organizational capacity.
“I am very grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for this incredible investment,” said Elora Festival and Singers artistic director Mark Vuorinen.
“This grant has allowed us to step into the future with confidence in our ability to raise funds to support our festival, develop a volunteer base, and better respond to our audience members throughout the year.
“This grant is making a world of difference as we enter the beginning of our 45th annual Elora Festival.”
The Elora Festival has established a reputation as Canada’s international choral festival, presenting world-class choirs and vocal ensembles over three weeks in July in the village of Elora.
The 45th anniversary season took place from July 5 to 20 and featured performances by The King’s Singers, Laila Biali, Constantinople and ensemble-in-residence, the Grammy and Juno nominated Elora Singers.
More information on the 45th Elora Festival can be found at: elorafestival.ca.
“Whether it’s helping people learn new things, connect with their community or simply have fun, organizations like the Elora Festival deliver experiences that make a difference,” minister of tourism, culture and gaming said Stan Cho said.
“That’s why grant support through the Ontario Trillium Foundation is so important. This funding will help ensure they remain at the heart of the community for decades to come.”
The OTF is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province.
Last year, OTF invested more than $110 million into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector partnerships.
Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together, connect and create a more sustainable environment.
For more information, visit otf.ca.
