Owen Sound council is going to consider including funding for cultural events during its 2023 budget deliberations, following a request for funding from the SweetWater Music Festival.
During a meeting on Jan. 16, council received a presentation from SweetWater Music Festival Board Chair Vivian McCaffrey. The event sought monetary and service support, including city marketing and promotion.
McCaffrey says the music festival showcases musical artists from across Canada and around the world, and attracts an audience both locally and from the Greater Toronto Area.
This four-day festival will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year when it goes in September.
McCaffrey says the event provides more than just music, as it also promotes aspiring young artists through its Next Wave program, as well as education, and also stages a string instrument showcase. Additionally, it also supports local venues and businesses.
The festival is looking for a one-time payment of $3,500 from the city to support the production of a documentary of the festival’s 20th anniversary, and the story of the “Little Festival That Could.”
“If the city would help us in a financial way, together we can extend the reach of the music we bring to town to a larger community,” says McCaffrey.
The documentary would cover the origins of the festival, profile the first artistic director of the event, and promote the region and its connection to the arts.
Over a four-year period, the festival has received $7,400 from Meaford, but has not received funding from Owen Sound, despite most performances occurring in the city.
“The video we think would probably cost at least $20,000 to produce, so we are going to be doing a lot of fundraising beyond just coming to the city,” says McCaffrey. “Of course if the city provides any funding for the video, we would give it credit on the video.”
Director of Corporate Services Kate Allen says there is currently not a line item in the budget to fund these types of requests, but council could include it in the budget in the future.
Council will be considering awarding grant funding for the event and inserting a line about providing funding for cultural events during its 2023 budget deliberations.
