City Props Up Local Arts Commnity During COVID-19

The local arts community is being given a financial boost during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The City of Windsor is offering an enhanced funding round for the Arts, Culture & Heritage Fund (ACHF) grant program. There is a total amount of $60,000 available with maximum funding per applicant capped at $1,000 and minimum funding per applicant at $500.

"Recognizing our importance by showing that we can get paid for our work and pay the people who are part of our creative work, to me that's what's important." says  Vanessa Shields,author, owner/operator of Gertrude’s Writing Room. "It helps to build confidence to continue to do our work and know that we need to get paid for that." 

Gemma Cunial is a youth filmmaker and past recipient of ACHF funding. She says past funding has helped her jumpstart her career as a film maker.

"With that, I've been able to help pay my crew, pay artists and work on better production design, which is very important for film," says Cunial. "I'm also very adamant about brining on other youth artists as well, so usually my crew contains artists under the age of 30," she says.

Several different individuals and groups can benefit from the funding including musicians, comedians, storytellers, dancers, singers, theatre artists, poets, filmmakers, visual artists, designers, and artisans.

Applications will be accepted online starting April 17th through until April 24th.