The Chatham-Kent Arts and Culture Network (CKACN) will receive significant funding from the municipality for the next three years.
"We are grateful to Mayor Darrin Canniff and the Municipality of Chatham-Kent for their demonstrated support of the arts in our community," CKACN Board Chair Dan White said.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the non-profit organization will get $25,000 annually for three years at no cost to taxpayers, as the funding is being drawn from the Hydro One Reserve.
The Hydro One Reserve is a partnership between the utility and the municipality, which grants $10M to CK over ten years to fund arts, culture, and recreation in the area. A portion of the money from Hydro One is also being used to build the tennis dome and other features at Bear Line Park.
According to White, it's an exciting time for the arts in Chatham-Kent.
"This funding represents a significant step forward. We intend to maximize its impact through the creation of innovative programs benefiting the arts community and citizens of Chatham-Kent," he stated.
White shared that initiatives such as the CK Arts and Culture Heroes event have depended entirely on sponsorships from community partners and that while they are successful, these events were restricted by funds.
"This marquis event has, over the past two years, recognized 24 artists from CK who have made a significant impact on local arts and beyond. This funding will enable us to build on this project over the coming years," he said. " The first step in that direction is the creation of a $1,000 Emerging Youth Artist Scholarship which CKACN has both created and will sponsor."
Other plans for the funding include moving ahead with an arts podcast called ArtFusion, supporting a mural festival this summer, creating and hosting an arts symposium, and joining a potential collaborative project with local businesses similar to an event held in the past.
"We have spoken to the ED of Mississauga Arts Council about a project called ArtsCare that uses arts to assist with mental health," White added. "This project will require a great deal of support, effort and development. However, we have the contact and hope to piggyback on the MAC program to create something similar here."
White said that CKACN wants to "benefit the entire county with programs, projects and events that inspire artists and lovers of arts" and will still need to work with sponsors to do so.
"Our board is meeting in June to brainstorm ideas to benefit the entire community by continuing to develop programs that support and celebrate arts and artists," he explained.
The money would also allow the completely volunteer-run organization to hire help to develop and run any of their ambitious ideas.
"This funding gives this team of volunteers the capacity to continue to realize dreams of a connected, growing, and thriving arts community and the stability to plan for the future," White concluded.
The Chatham-Kent Arts and Culture Network was formed in 2021.