$16,000 OTF Supports Music Festival in Huron County

March 15, 2022

On Monday, members of the Huron Waves Music Festival visited the Blyth office of Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson to thank the MPP for receiving a $16,000 Community Building Fund operating grant from the province and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The grant has been helping the festival to remain viable during COVID-19 by supporting a key leadership position and, by extension, artistic growth and enhanced social and economic sustainability.

“We are so fortunate to have the Huron Waves Music Festival in Huron-Bruce,” Thompson said. “I appreciate how the dedicated volunteers work so hard to bring amazing concert opportunities to us so we can enjoy the diverse talent we have in Ontario and across this nation. Their showcasing of various talented musicians right here at home, is invaluable and it is important that people from the region support their efforts.”

During the pandemic, the Festival pivoted to create musical travelogues highlighting exceptional musical talents from the County. It’s now looking forward to presenting its first live concert events in June. The season’s programming will be announced in April.  

“The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant cannot be understated,” said Paul Ciufo, Chair of the Board of Huron Waves Music Festival. “Building an engaged and loyal audience through powerful programming requires a wealth of knowledge, experience, and professional connections. This grant has allowed the Festival to retain the services of our gifted Artistic Director, John Miller, who is integral to creating and implementing the long-term vision of the organization. HWMF is alive and well thanks to the OTF.” 

The Festival also last year received $42,500 through Ontario’s Reconnect Festival and Event Program, which was developed to help festival and event organizers adapt to new public health measures with virtual, drive-through and other safe offerings. The program directs support to events with innovative and safe experiences, while creating opportunities that encourage Ontarians to reconnect with the beauty and diversity of their communities in new ways.

HWMF aspires to produce a dynamic, live, annual spring music Festival, bringing major Canadian and international talent from a variety of genres to this region to offer expression for public, social and cultural interactions; to bring public awareness and potential action through music and music-related programming for significant public issues such as the environment, First Nations and community well-being; and to attract visitors to Ontario’s West Coast through the Festival’s distinctive presentations.   For more information on Huron Waves Music Festival please visit the website at: www.huronwavesmusicfestival.ca

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.