Province supports Sault Jazz & Blues Festival

NEWS RELEASE

DAVID ORAZIETTI, MPP

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Orazietti announces $18,000 investment for local jazz festival

McGuinty government boosting tourism and culture by supporting the arts in Sault Ste. Marie

Sault Ste. Marie – The Ontario government is supporting cultural tourism in the province by providing $18,000 to the Sault Jazz & Blues Festival International organization David Orazietti, MPP announced today.

"By supporting our artists and arts organizations we are also investing in the quality of life of our community," said Orazietti.

"The Sault Jazz & Blues Festival is an excellent opportunity to showcase the talents of renowned and emerging jazz artists and I encourage everyone to explore the rich program this festival is offering," Orazietti said.

The Sault Jazz & Blues Festival International 2007 event is taking place the weekend of June 29 at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion and will feature performing groups and artists, workshops and local talents.

"It is with a great sense of pride and joy that we invite residents of Sault Ste. Marie and tourists from around the globe to join our growing arts community to participate in the Fifth Annual Sault Jazz & Blues Festival," said Wayne Cooper, managing director, Sault Jazz & Blues Festival International.

"This grant from the Ontario government will assist us in once again bringing exciting and innovative jazz and blues performers into our own back yards for the world to see," said Cooper.

The Ontario government’s investment is through the cultural attractions fund (CAF), a $20 million initiative to support the tourism potential of special events, exhibitions or performance programs mounted by the province's arts, heritage and cultural organizations.

The CAF is open to Ontario-based, not-for-profit, professional arts, cultural or heritage organizations that have been in existence for at least one year, and whose primary purpose is the presentation of arts, heritage or cultural programming or the preservation of arts, heritage or cultural resources in Ontario.

The CAF is one more way the McGuinty government is making it possible for qualifying organizations to envision and create major new cultural attraction experiences by reducing the financial risk associated with these ventures, and by providing up-front working capital to assist organizations in staging these events.

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