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Upon receiving a $150,000 Capital grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2019, the Shaw Festival immediately put it to good use. Many of The Shaw's amenities have benefitted from this infusion of funds. The support the Festival received from OTF ensures its theatres and spaces are ready for the anticipated return of audiences and company members.
"During this pandemic we have been clear, support for The Shaw is supporting not only our Town but our entire Province's arts sector," said Wayne Gates, MPP for Niagara Falls, Fort Erie and Niagara-on-the-Lake. "The Shaw is the crown jewel of our theatres in this province and I am so happy to see funding go to the incredible efforts there. This provincial funding will help us ensure that even more people can enjoy their incredible work for years to come. This is a welcomed investment in Niagara-on-the-Lake."
The funding The Shaw received from the OTF supported a number of capital improvement projects including site enhancements to the East Lawn and Linden Allée, a charming tree-lined walkway behind the Festival Theatre; and upgrades to kitchen equipment in the Christopher Newton Green Room, which now allows the company cafeteria to expand their pre-show and intermission menu for patrons at the Festival Theatre's lobby café. Additionally, new equipment was purchased to extend Wi-Fi coverage, enabling the use of GalaPro in the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre; and the installation of new furnishings in the Festival Theatre lobby and Marilyn and Charles Baillie Courtyard lets more patrons experience The Shaw's expanded programming in comfortable indoor or picturesque outdoor areas.
"Thanks to the generosity of the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Shaw Festival has been able to enhance the accessibility, safety and comfort for our company members and patrons. However, the enhancements are not only visual. Our public address system can now be heard in the gardens and courtyard, which is extremely helpful when emergency or safety information need to be relayed," remarked Tim Jennings, Executive Director of the Shaw Festival.
"I'm also thrilled that through this grant we were able to extend the use of GalaPro to the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre," added Jennings. "This system, the first of its kind in Canada, is now available in two of our three theatres - the other being the Festival Theatre. With this addition, our programming becomes more inclusive with broadened accessibility for audience members who have English as their second language or are part of the Deaf community."
