Winnipeg gives grants to local organizations in honour of city’s 150 years

Local organizations in the City of Winnipeg are getting an extra cash boost in honour of the city turning 150.

On Thursday, the city said it would be divvying up $50,000 between 12 festivals, events, and other organizations as a part of the Winnipeg 150 Community Celebration Grant program. It said there were 250 applicants.

Councillor for Fort Rouge-East Fort Gary, Sherri Rollins, said “this funding is intended to help groups highlight the history and future of Winnipeg in their programing this year through music performances, festivals or exhibits, while incorporating the Winnipeg 150 theme, our shared stories are shared future.”

Mayor Scott Gillingham said the recipients “have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to our city over the years, and we’re excited to partner with them to mark this important milestone.”

The Children’s Hospital Foundation is among the recipients, receiving $5,000 for its Teddy Bear Picnic program. Priyanka Singh, vice-president of development for the hospital, said a new campaign will bring the picnic program in line with Winnipeg’s theme.

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“Through engaging activities, educational exhibits, and collaborative community projects, we will emphasize that investing in the health and happiness of our children is an investment in a better, brighter Winnipeg for generations to come,” she said.

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Likewise, Kurt Tittlemier, the general manager for Culture Days, said “we’ve received $5,000 and we will be putting out an open invitation to Winnipeg’s creative community to present a unique installation.”

“We will put it to our entire creative community. From musicians to multimedia artists, to architects (and) designers.”

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He said the call will be seen through a Nuit Blanche lens, “Which is really about contemporary art. It’s about urban culture. It’s about having art in our beautiful downtown, (and) in unusual spaces. Not just in concert halls or in galleries, but right on the streets.”

Derrek Bentley, the general manager of Conseil jeunesse provincial, said the organization would use its grant money “to add a Winnipeg 150 flair to our annual youth rally that brings together 1,300 high school students from immersion and French schools for a day of activities in the fall.”

He said, “It is so important that youth who learn French know that it is a language that they can live in here in Winnipeg. That La Francophonie can be a part of their identity.”

Other recipients of the grant include well-known organizations like Folklorama, and smaller ones like the Soca Reggae Festival.

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Winnipeg said funding for the grants was subject to council’s approval of the 2024-2027 multi-year budget.

Click to play video: 'City of Winnipeg marks 150 years since first council meeting'

City of Winnipeg marks 150 years since first council meeting

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