Folk festival gets a boost
Grants will help young immigrants get into the music industry
After a summer that played havoc with its usual events, the Niagara Folk Arts Festival has received a pleasant October surprise.
The multicultural event based in St. Catharines received two grants totalling $13,000.
For its music program, the Folk Arts Festival got $5,000 from Canadian music education charity MusiCounts.
The twofold program offers music lessons and intercultural experiences for free to between 50 and 600 students per year. It also helps young immigrants from ages 13 to 24 get integrated into the Canadian music industry.
The MusiCounts program provides instruments and musical equipment to community centres, afterschool programs and other non-profit groups, offering up to $25,000 in grants. To date, it has supported more than 214 organizations — totalling $3.2 million — across Canada.
CAA Niagara is also sending a gift to Folk Arts to the tune of $8,000.
The money comes from CAA Niagara’s Big Boost program to support newcomer programs for Niagara adults and youth through community connections, mental health, settlement, employment support and more.
“Newcomer well-being is essential in fostering a healthy and positive environment for newcomers and their families,” said CAA Niagara in a statement. “As a result, this leads to greater integration and interaction in the community.”
The pandemic wiped out the 52nd annual Folk Arts Festival before it could even begin in early May. Organizers are instead offering a curbside cuisine program running Oct. 16 to 30