EDEN MILLS – Michael Chong, Member of Parliament for Wellington-Halton Hills, today announced a federal investment of $16,000 in the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival. This investment in arts and culture will increase tourism, create jobs, and boost the local economy.
The federal funding will support the 24th and 25th editions of the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival in 2012 and 2013. The festival, which takes place on the banks of the Eramosa River in the village of Eden Mills, will present more than 60 published and unpublished authors and storytellers at five venues, including outdoor sites throughout the village of Eden Mills, the Science Complex of the University of Guelph, the Eden Mills Community Hall, and Camp Edgewood.
“This year marks the start of the five-year countdown to Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017,” said Chong. “The government is proud to invest in projects that contribute to our collective identity and define who we are as Canadians. Our investment in arts and culture will assist the festival in attracting exceptional artists and provide visitors with a greater cultural experience. On the road to 2017, let us continue to celebrate all of the things that make Canada the united, prosperous, and free country we are today.”
“Although it takes place on the banks of the Eramosa River in a tiny village in the heart of Ontario’s countryside, the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival reaches out to many local communities,” said Susan Ratcliffe, Chair of the Board of Directors, Eden Mills Writers’ Festival. “Funding from the Government of Canada will allow the festival to extend its reach to create partnerships with libraries, run electronic workshops for aspiring writers, encourage attendance of new visitors, and organize gatherings for local book clubs.”
The Government of Canada has provided total funding of $16,000 ($8,000 in 2012–2013 and $8,000 in 2013–2014) through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program 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.
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