News Release Archive
EDUCATION/CULTURE--ACADIAN ARTS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
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Funding for the Acadian Community Arts Development Program
was announced today by Education and Culture Minister John
MacEachern. The aim of the program is to encourage and
enable Acadians to explore the arts as a way of expressing
their culture and heritage.
"This program is about developing the arts at the community
level," said Education and Culture Minister John MacEachern.
"By encouraging Acadians to express themselves through the
arts, we hope to foster a better appreciation for the arts
and cultural heritage of this community in Nova Scotia and
beyond."
The funding will be used to enable established Acadian
artists to share their talents and technical skills with the
community through workshops, cultural exchanges and other
activities. These artists may also receive funding to
further develop their talents and to promote Acadian arts
and culture.
The initiative is the first major funding for the
development of Acadian arts and culture in the province. The
program, funded through a federal/provincial agreement, will
receive $100,000 in the first year and up to $400,000 over
the remaining four years of the program. Rather than fund
one major project, the program aims to support numerous
smaller initiatives. Artists and communities may receive up
to $2,000 to develop new initiatives at the regional level
and up to $3,000 for provincial events. Existing cultural
groups or events may apply to the program to receive up to
$1,000 for regional activities and $2,000 for province-wide
events.
For many years, Acadian artists felt they had to perform in
English or present their work in Anglophone centres in order
to be recognized, the minister said. The program addresses
this, as well as the fact that Acadians have not had the
same opportunities as their Anglophone colleagues to develop
their culture and heritage, he said.
"This is a major boost for the Acadian community ... we hope
this program will build confidence and inspire Acadians to
share their rich cultural heritage through the arts."
The program is a joint effort of the provincial Department
of Education and Culture and the federal Department of
Canadian Heritage.
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Contact: Alain Comeau 902-424-3422
trp Nov. 17, 1995