This spring the Huntsville Festival of the Arts (HfA) received news their application to the Province’s Experience Ontario Program for their summer festival was not successful.
“It’s extremely disappointing.” says Executive Director Dan Watson. “We have had support from this program for over a decade, and it’s been a huge catalyst in our growth and success. It will have a big impact on our activities and on our community.”
One of the events in jeopardy is Nuit Blanche North. Now entering its 12th year, the event is a free multi-arts street festival that welcomes between 4,000-6,000 visitors to downtown Huntsville each summer generating hundreds of thousands in economic benefits for the one night.
“Without funding from programs like Experience Ontario, free events like Nuit Blanche North just aren’t possible for a small not for profit charity like us.”
Experience Ontario is a yearly program administered through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS). The program provides support for festivals and events with a tourism economic impact to motivate visitors to discover Ontario, connect people with local experiences, and increase tourism spending. In 2024, the program is awarding $19.5 million in support to organizations across the province. Applications are reviewed and assessed by ministry staff according to a set of criteria.
“Since the end of the pandemic, the program has become increasingly competitive, and there are a lot more large corporate weekend festivals and for-profit events that apply.” says Watson. “HfA is a small not for profit that works not only to increase tourism over a single weekend, but all year round, and to offer unique events and programming that represent the unique nature of our region and culture. While we aren’t as big as other events, we are a huge contributor to the local community.”
Founded in 1993, the Huntsville Festival of the Arts is a charitable not-for-profit organization that presents artistic programming to enhance the quality of life for residents of and visitors to Huntsville.
In its 2022-23 fiscal year, HfA welcomed over 40,000 guests to its concerts and events, generating 5.3 million dollars in economic benefits annually.
One of its signature events is Nuit Blanche North. Despite the lack of funding, and after careful financial analysis, HfA has been able to reallocate funds so that it can present the event at least one more time this summer. While the budget for the event will be smaller than normal, organizers believe they will still be able to offer the kind of exciting event that visitors have come to expect from Nuit Blanche North.
“We owe it to our community,” says Watson. “We’re so thankful that sponsors like TD Bank have remained committed to this event, and thankful for all the local businesses and supporters that continue to believe in the importance of our work. If the HFA is unable to secure adequate funding in the future, we will be forced to cancel this wonderful community event.”
Nuit Blanche North will take place on July 20,2024. The event is one of many events taking place this summer as part of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts summer program running from June to September. Those who are interested in supporting or getting involved can visit huntsvillefestival.ca or call 705-788-2787 to learn more.
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