Stabilizing Alberta’s performing arts, sports, rodeo sectors
By Janet Kanters, Editor
The provincial government is investing $17 million to ensure the stabilization of performing arts, sports and rodeo organizations.
Alberta’s live experience organizations have lost a full season of programming and revenue but still have ongoing overhead costs. The Stabilize Program will provide one-time grant funding to support live experience presenting and performing arts, sport and rodeo organizations. The funding will help these organizations continue to operate and reopen when it is safe to do so.
“This funding is critical to supporting venues and events that build and sustain vibrant communities and our cultural heritage and our mental well-being,” said Leela Sharon Aheer, Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women, and Chestermere-Strathmore MLA.
“Reinvigorating our live experience sector will also bring back jobs and foster tourism to support our economic recovery. When arts, culture, sport and heritage thrive, Alberta thrives.”
Non-profits that host rodeos, professional and elite amateur sports organizations, and non-profits that own and/or operate dedicated presenting and performing arts venues can apply for operational funding through the Stabilize Program to offset financial losses. Qualifying organizations will be eligible for a one-time grant of up to 25 per cent of eligible expenses based on 2018 and 2019 financials.
Organizations may use funds for ongoing operational costs, such as utilities, rent, insurance and programming, to support their reopening. The Stabilize Program allocates $12 million, and applications will be accepted until midnight Feb.18.
The Stabilize Donation Matching stream will allocate $5 million to match private donations (from a minimum $250,000 to a maximum $1 million) dollar-for-dollar to eligible non-profit organizations that host rodeos and professional and elite amateur sports. Non-profit organizations that own and/or operate dedicated presenting and performing arts venues or live experience venues are also eligible.
According to Statistics Canada, every $1 million in output from live performance businesses generates about 17 direct and indirect jobs in the province.