Province awards Arts Grants
Twelve Island artists receive funding from
A number of Island artists have received grants from the provincial government from their Arts Grant program. Singer/songwriter Jenni Roberge, one of the 12 recipients, will use her $5,000 grant to produce three live-performance music videos with Atlantic String Machine. The grants totaled $50,000 with 47 artists vying for funding from the recent spring application process. “This funding will help me reach wider audiences by bringing my music to life on film and allowing me to use different media channels to share it with the world. I’m honoured that a jury of my peers chose my project for this funding.” The successful applicants were selected by a six-member jury of the arts community and follows the same model of used by the Canada Council for the Arts. “For a small place, Prince Edward Island has an exceptionally large number of talented artists who shape our identity and contribute to our economy – one of the things that makes us a mighty Island,” Economic Development and Tourism Minister Chris Palmer said. “We are proud to provide this support twice a year through our Arts Grants program and we look forward to seeing these excellent projects come to life.” Past Arts Grants have helped Island artists produce work and advance their careers. Hans Wendt, a 2017 Arts Grant recipient, recently sold three of his paintings to the National Gallery of Canada. Since 2016, the provincial government has provided about $250,000 to Island artists through the grant program. “These grants are encouraging artists to learn and grow while contributing to the vitality of our cultural sector.” The full list of 2018 Arts Grants recipients is included in a final report at www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/publication/ artist-grants-program-reportsummer-2018.