Ontario Arts Council Program Receives $100,000 from Bronfman Family Foundation

Toronto, May 7, 2001 — The Ontario Arts Council today announced that The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation has contributed $100,000 to its new Consulting, Mentoring and Technical Assistance program.  The program launched earlier this year is designed to help organizations increase self-reliance by covering the costs of contracting expert help in these areas.  

“We are thrilled with the continuing support of the Bronfman Family Foundation for this important initiative,” said John Brotman, OAC’s Executive Director.  “We know many organizations throughout the province will benefit from the program.”

Funds for the program’s components – mentorship and technical assistance – cover either the honorarium for the mentoring expert and living expenses for the professional staff being mentored or the transportation and per diem costs for a company that wishes to bring in a Canadian-based specialist with management knowledge and experience. 

"Our Foundation is very pleased to continue its partnership with the OAC by assisting arts organizations throughout Ontario to address the critical need in developing their capacity to become more self-reliant.  Arts organizations which are organizationally and financially healthy are better equipped to sustain quality programs and services to their community," said John Hobday, Executive Director of The Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation.

A year and a half ago, the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation partnered with the Ontario Arts Council’s to create the arms-length Task Force on Arts in the Community.  The Consulting, Mentoring and Technical Assistance program was one of the recommendations to emerge from the Task Force report.  The program has no deadline and is designed to process applications from organizations approximately every two months.  Approximately 30 arts organizations have received funding for assistance in the first two rounds of applications to be assessed. 

OAC Media Contact: Kirsten Gunter, Manager of Communications
Tel: (416) 969-7403. Toll-free outside of Toronto: 1-800-387-0058, ext. 7403.
E-mail: kgunter@arts.on.ca