NEWS RELEASE
ARTS ORILLIA
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The James A. Burton and Family Foundation’s gift — $500,000 payable over three years from 2023 to 2025 — brings the emerging charitable organization into a new chapter of sustainability.
With the promise of paid staff to ensure the growth of core programs, Arts Orillia now has the ability to, as Mr. James Burton puts it, “take the breathing room it needs to dream.”
This support has enabled the hiring of an administrative coordinator to work hand in hand with artistic director, Kate Hilliard. In addition, a position in communications, website, and design has been expanded to ensure the organization’s branding is both consistent and effective, reaching into North Simcoe and beyond.
Next steps include hiring a development manager – a person who will assist in securing a broad range of stable revenue in the next few years, working closely with the Arts Orillia Board of Directors to build a healthy and diverse fundraising foundation.
This tremendous gift ensures foundational operations and bolsters the public funding support that Arts Orillia has consistently received since 2020 - from Canada Arts Presentation Fund, Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council for the Arts, and TD Bank - to program cultural events such as the Orillia Jazz Festival, Gathering: Festival of First Nations Stories, Theatre and Cross Creativity, a unique season of dance and music concerts, and an ongoing Arts Education Program for Youth in partnership with Simcoe County Board of Education.
Arts Orillia is enormously grateful to have the trust of the James A. Burton and Family Foundation and the mentioned list of Canadian public funders.
At home the support is equally felt: a grant from the City of Orillia for this year's season, support from the Community Fund of Orillia and Area (CFOA), and a gift from the Mariposa Folk Festival in contribution to Gathering: Festival of First Nations Stories. This particular festival has also brought about new partnerships with the Gojijing Friendship Circle, St. Paul’s Centre, and Binoojiinyag gaa bi giiwejig – Children Who Came Home. Gathering receives steadfast support from the Chippewas of Rama First Nation who are engaged with Arts Orillia in a collaborative process that has provided deep learning and made way for new friendships.
Arts Orillia is looking forward to working with young creatives in this region. Our organization will continue working closely with our established partners (Orillia Opera House, ODAC, Lakehead University, Rama First Nation and SCDSB) and we look forward to collaboration with other arts organizations in the area on initiatives that bring our community together through creative expression.
Building confidence in an arts organization on the heels of a pandemic hasn’t always been easy, but Arts Orillia will endeavour to justify this confidence through our work over the next three years and beyond.
Our focus will largely be on encouraging the youth of our community to view the arts as an area in which they can not only excel, but also find identity and passion. The undeniable connection between creativity and mental health — not to mention the bridge between culture and belonging — makes this work important to the entire Arts Orillia family.
The James A. Burton and Family Foundation welcome the opportunity for community members to join them in support of this important initiative! For more information on the company’s growth, please visit artsorillia.ca.
Join Arts Orillia for their season kick-off and fundraiser on Sept. 21, 2023 at Creative Nomad Studio. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased here.
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