Region votes ‘no’ to emergency funding for THEMUSEUM; passes money to other arts organizations
Posted Jun 20, 2024 05:35:55 AM.
Last Updated Jun 20, 2024 09:53:39 AM.
Regional Council approved some big cash for local arts and culture organizations Wednesday night, but THEMUSEUM in downtown Kitchener, was not one of them.
Already getting a one time emergency grant of $300,000 from the City of Kitchener, THEMUSEUM won’t be able to count on the Region for financial help.
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic brought a motion forward, looking to secure an additional $150,000 for the downtown staple, and councillors voted the motion down in a tight 9-6 vote.
Vrbanovic prefaced the vote by saying he hoped THEMUSEUM wouldn’t go the same way as the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, which had to declare bankruptcy.
“I think we saw, with the symphony, there was a request for support as they were grappling with their situation, and we decided as a council not to proceed with that, and we know what the end result has been. I for one hope we don’t see that happen.”
Also on Wednesday night, $306,000 was approved for ten arts and culture organizations in the region.
That money comes from the Major Arts and Culture Organizations grant program.
Those groups include:
- Neruda Arts
- Homer Watson Gallery
- Registry Theatre
- CAFKA (Contemporary Art Forum Kitchener and Area)
- Interarts Matrix
- MT Space
- Fashion History Museum
- Button Factory Arts
- Grand Philharmonic Choir
- Green Light Arts
