2023 Mid-year Update - Partnership talks and Communications Strategy
Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation
Media Release
June 26, 2023
Contact: Dan Manley, President
info@hhartscentrefoundation.ca
The Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation (HHACF) is a not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to serving the performing artists and audiences of the Haliburton Highlands. The vision of the HHACF is to program a full range of performing arts and film, independently and with community partners, and to provide purpose-built, professional facilities for shared experiences of the arts and a range of community gatherings.
As a growing arts community, Haliburton has outgrown the current available performing arts venues in terms of capacity and use. A project feasibility study and a fundraising Community Assessment and Planning Study were conducted in 2022 to provide the groundwork, including community input, for the development of a purpose-built performing arts centre. The studies showed a need for a facility with increased seating, orchestral space, dressing rooms and rehearsal spaces, as well as a box office, lobby, better lighting and sound equipment and more.
Interviewees and survey participants included a diverse scope of stakeholders including (but not limited to) local, provincial and federal government, performers, patrons and local businesses.
The Community Assessment and Planning Study identified key areas of importance to our community and provided recommendations that the HHACF Board of Directors is moving forward with, including:
Developing a communications plan to clarify the role of HHACF and the value and impact of this project to the residents within the catchment area.
Exploring potential partnerships with projects that hope to address key issues in the region that were identified through the assessment (i.e., shortage of housing, food insecurity, healthcare, as well as opportunities to provide economic stimulus).
In the spring of 2023, the HHACF Board of Directors began exploring collaboration opportunities with multiple organizations and community leaders, as well as a variety of potential partners with a goal to identify creative options for the project and provide sustainability and community impact.
Dan Manley, President HHACF shares, “The HHACF’s vision for a performing arts centre will have a significant impact on Haliburton County by providing an enhanced facility to support our growing performing arts community and providing a boost to the local economy through increased tourism and job creation. We feel it is also important to address the fuller needs of our community, and so we are exploring collaboration opportunities to reimagine the possibilities of this project.”
With the summer season, the HHACF Board of Directors looks forward to advancing conversations with community members, leaders, potential partners and visitors. They welcome community input to find the best way forward for both the project and Haliburton County.
For more information on the Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation, visit their website (https://hhartscentrefoundation.ca/) or email (info@hhartscentrefoundation.ca).
A PDF of this press release can be downloaded here.