Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation and Canoe FM Forge Sponsorship Agreement

Press Release
Thursday, July 22, 2021

The Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation is very excited to announce the Media Sponsorship and donation of funding by Canoe FM (canoefm.com) to the HHACF!

Canoe FM has offered to provide public service announcements over the air for the next 12 months in order to promote the Foundation and to publicize the fund-raising campaign for the initial Feasibility Study.

Additionally, Canoe FM is donating $15,000 from their Radio Bingo proceeds towards the project. Canoe FM listeners can play Radio Bingo weekly and win prizes of $100, $200 and $500. Tune in every Tuesday at 6:00 PM to play, and card fees will support many worthwhile causes in Haliburton County.

Canoe FM believes that Haliburton County needs a Performing Arts Centre that will meet the needs of the entire community and is inclusive to all. We need a space that will offer support to local talent, allow us to bring in big-name performers so that fund-raisers are more lucrative, offer rehearsal and storage space, have a stage big enough for orchestras and allow opportunities for food and beverages to be served. Haliburton County needs an arts centre with all of these components under one roof.

Dan Manley, HHACF President, expressed his gratitude to Canoe FM for their media support and $15,000 donation from the Radio Bingo funds. “We are very fortunate to have the support of Haliburton’s community radio station, Canoe FM, for the HHACF. This commitment will enable us to generate community awareness, and to raise the necessary funding for our Feasibility Study in 2021. Stay tuned to Canoe FM for updates and interviews as we continue on our mission to bring a world-class performing arts centre to the Haliburton Highlands!”

We are asking all residents and businesses for their support in the current fund-raising campaign. Donations can be made online at hhartscentrefoundation.ca/donate. Cheques can be made out to HHACF and mailed to: 1855 Blairhampton Rd. Min den, ON, K0M 2K0. A charitable tax receipt will be mailed to you for your donation amount.

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The full press release can be downloaded here.

Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation Solicits Input on Candidate Site Locations

Press Release
Sunday, June 20, 2021

A major goal in 2021 for the Haliburton Highlands Arts Centre Foundation (HHACF) is to commission a feasibility study.  The research will include economic impact, operating models, business plan, studies of comparable arts centres, capital funding sources, space/layout program and more.  Additionally, the study will examine candidate locations for an arts centre in Haliburton County.  Influential criteria will include year-round accessibility to the location by vehicle, traffic flow to and from the location, proximity to shopping, dining, attractions and amenities.  In addition, potential mutually beneficial partnerships that could provide a reliable and predictable revenue for the arts centre in the long term will be considered.

The Foundation’s board has developed a shortlist of four candidate locations and is investigating their suitability in order to eliminate any should they not be found viable.  While each has their advantages, there is no doubt that challenges exist for these sites including bylaws, zoning, available space, environmental impact, land use designations, etc.  Each of those critical issues will be investigated in detail.

The Foundation has brainstormed various potential sites in Haliburton County with attention paid to central geographic placement, low-or-no land costs, showcasing the natural beauty of the Haliburton Highlands and revenue-generating partnerships.  But there is always the chance of missing a hidden gem or not knowing of a landowner who might be open to donating land, therefore, the HHACF is seeking general input on candidate locations.  With the sheer scope of this project, the opportunity to select the right location for all of the right reasons can only happen once.  Please send your suggestions for locations with details and reasoning to info@hhartscentrefoundation.ca. Please limit your submissions to 500 words.

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The full press release can be downloaded here.

An important aspect of a project of the scale of building an arts centre is garnering support from stakeholders and organizations in the community. To this end, in February and March of 2021, the HHACF requested delegations at Haliburton County council and at the four municipal councils - Algonquin Highlands, Dysart et al, Minden Hills and Highlands East. Board president Dan Manley presented the history of the foundation, made the case for the creation of an arts centre in the county and outlined recent and upcoming activities. The HHACF requested letters of support from the various councils to bolster applications for grants and funding at the provincial and federal level.

Reactions from councilor members, mayors and deputy mayors were very positive. Comments echoed the need for an arts centre in the county and that the time is right for our project. All five councils moved and voted in favour of declaring support for the HHACF. We’re very thankful for this support and look forward to reporting back to the municipalities and county with our funding and project progress.

The Foundation’s activities for 2021 include more introductions to local organizations, including the dozens of lake associations that make up the Haliburton Highlands. These are currently underway and we’re confident support for a new arts centre will keep growing.