Originally published on May 31, 2021.
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Orangeville, Ontario — On Friday May 21, 2021, Theatre Orangeville hosted a virtual Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) Recognition event. Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon region and Ontario Trillium Foundation volunteer Edward Bleaney were on hand to congratulate Theatre Orangeville on being awarded a $146,200 grant, over 6 months, to help in the recovery from the impacts of the pandemic. The Resilient Communities Fund was developed to help non-profit organizations recover and rebuild from the impacts of COVID-19 to continue meeting the needs of Ontario communities.
"Theatre Orangeville has shown great creativity during this pandemic by finding new ways to reach out to our community and connect performers with their audience," said Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones. "Through the generous Ontario Trillium Foundation Resiliency grant, they will be able to recover and rebuild in the aftermath of COVID-19."
Live theatre is who Theatre Orangeville is! Telling stories, transforming lives, engaging with, and connecting to community. Yet, like so many others, 2020 brought unprecedented challenges for Theatre Orangeville.
The forced cancellation of all the programming – leaving thousands of patrons and program participants with no venue or outlet for engagement or self-expression. Also, from actors and directors, to set designers and crew, the ripple effect on loss of employment and economic impact has been significant. Despite these challenges, Theatre Orangeville is continuing to preserve by adapting and finding ways to pivot practices to re-engage with our community.
With the help of the Resilient Communities Fund grant, Theatre Orangeville will continue to recover by investing in a digital infrastructure that will facilitate a hybrid artistic approach that unites all the diverse wonders of the live in-theatre experience with the accessibility and inclusion benefits of viewing online. This hybrid approach will launch during a Summer Series event starting in July 2021 (details to be available at a later date).
“The Summer Series event, will enable us to continue to move forward, creatively engage and entertain our patrons, attract visitors to the area and support our local businesses. It will allow us to remain vital as we present artistic creations that provide an outlet for creative expression and support theatre and local creative artists while remaining fully adaptable to any changes in public health restrictions” says David Nairn, Artistic Director, Theatre Orangeville
Watch the recorded event on YouTube.
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Theatre Orangeville is a non-profit professional theatre company whose artistic vision guides every aspect of what we do: to enrich the community with a high quality, professional theatre experience, that showcases the development of new Canadian works; to provide youth with unique opportunities to transform their lives through the performing arts; to provide vibrant, engaging and creative opportunities that grows the cultural experience through community partnerships; and nurture diversity, promote acceptance and celebrate all abilities.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. OTF awarded $115 million to 644 projects last year to build healthy and vibrant communities.
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