|
contents | jazz | |||||||||||||
| Government of Canada Invests in Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival On behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, the Honourable Keith Ashfield, Minister of National Revenue, Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Minister for the Atlantic Gateway, and Member of Parliament (Fredericton), today announced multi-year funding for the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. The funding will help the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival present its next three festivals, featuring a variety of well-known and emerging musicians. The annual festival brings jazz, blues, rock, folk, world beat, and, more recently, rap and urban music to downtown Fredericton. In addition to mainstage performances, the Festival also offers a children's festival, scholarships, free performances, workshops, and a successful "Blues in the Schools" program. This year's Festival will take place from September 13 to 18, 2011, and will feature more than 350 professional and new artists from Canada, the United States, and abroad. As an Atlantic destination, the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival attracts up to 80, 000 visitors annually. "Our Government is pleased to invest in the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, as it continues to provide excellent musical performances and to develop its audiences, " said Minister Moore. "This festival is a flagship event that enhances the region's cultural and tourism offerings, which contributes to the local economy." "Thanks to multi-year funding, the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival will continue to give Canadian and international artists a wonderful opportunity to showcase their talents, " said Minister Ashfield. "Congratulations to the volunteers and organizers for presenting a musical event that appeals to such a wide audience." "The Festival is appreciative of the support of the Government of Canada, which has helped us build a world-class jazz, blues, and world music festival in a relatively small city, " said Brad Wasson, Festival Chair. "Canadian Heritage funding is a stabilizing force that allows us to continue bringing this cultural highlight to our area." The Government of Canada has provided funding of $129, 000 for fiscal years 2011–2012 to 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. write your comments about the article :: © 2011 Jazz News :: home page |