Artists, Performers and Audiences to Benefit from Improvements to LSPU Hall
News Release
Enhancements and marketing will help ensure facility’s sustainability and create opportunities for local artists
October 4, 2017 – St. John’s, NL – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Diverse, unique and high-quality cultural industries contribute to Canada’s identity and provide jobs and opportunities for middle-class Canadians. Through investments totalling close to $260,000 from the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, the iconic Resource Centre for the Arts (RCA), a mainstay of the St. John’s cultural scene, will improve its facilities and implement a development plan to enhance its sustainability and nurture the development of the province’s cultural and tourism industries.
The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veteran’s Affairs and Member of Parliament for St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister Response for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, along with the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, announced the funding today.
The RCA, which is housed in the former Longshoremen’s Protective Union (LSPU) Hall, creates, produces and provides space for a variety of artistic works. The LSPU Hall provides performance space for theatre productions, dance and film festivals, awards events, symposiums and workshops, readings and concerts, providing significant multi-disciplinary cultural programming for the benefit of diverse audiences.
Through this project, the RCA will enhance various systems and equipment in the LSPU Hall helping improve production values and operational efficiency and will also implement a professional marketing, re-branding and audience development plan. The Government of Canada is providing non-repayable investments of $100,428 through ACOA’s Business Development Program (BDP) and $90,364 through Canadian Heritage while the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is investing $69,191 in this initiative.
These investments build on the Government of Canada and the four Atlantic Provinces’ commitment to drive economic growth in Atlantic Canada through the Atlantic Growth Strategy, which involves targeted actions to stimulate Atlantic Canada's economy, including supporting projects that help position small and medium-sized businesses in the region to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Quotes
“The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in the people, places and projects which strengthen our communities, nurture opportunities for business growth and development, and create good, well-paying jobs for middle-class Canadians. These investments in the Resource Centre for the Arts will help enrich Newfoundland and Labrador’s envious cultural product offerings and provide additional opportunities for it to continue to grow and flourish.”
- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister responsible for ACOA
“Arts and culture have taken centre stage during this year of Canada 150 celebrations. Access to professional arts experiences is important to the quality of life in communities. With this new specialized equipment, the Resource Centre for the Arts will continue to provide top-quality arts experiences in a cherished cultural space, the LSPU Hall.”
- The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage
“The Resource Centre for the Arts, fondly known as the Hall, has a long and vibrant history of providing inspiration, support and guidance to many of this province’s best-loved and most well-known artists. These enhancements will further develop Newfoundland and Labrador’s rich cultural industries by helping to strengthen the acting, writing, directing, producing, technical and arts administrative capacity within the province.”
- The Honourable Seamus O’Regan, Minister of Veteran’s Affairs and Member of Parliament, St. John’s South-Mount Pearl
“This investment by the Government of Canada not just meets the immediate needs of the theatre and performing arts community, but also the broader goals of the film, television, music, and cultural tourism industries in our province. Performing arts facilities like the LSPU Hall provide the critical link that help provide unique cultural experiences and support the ongoing development of the cultural and cultural tourism industries.”
- Nick Whalen, Member of Parliament, St. John’s East
“The Resource Centre for the Arts continues to create and produce some of the most significant multi-disciplinary cultural programming in the country. Today’s announcement re-affirms our commitment to the arts, and recognizes the economic development activity generated by RCA. This investment will assist with equipment enhancements and marketing activities to generate new opportunities.”
- The Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
"Here at the Resource Centre for the Arts we are profoundly grateful for this investment into our organization. It broadens the visionary work of our professional artists, elevates our audience experience, and enhances our sustainability."
- Berni Stapleton, Chair of the Board, Resource Centre for the Arts
Contacts
Paul McGrath
Director, Public Affairs
ACOA NL
709-772-2984
paul.mcgrath@canada.ca
Eric Humber
Media Relations Manager
Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation
709-729-4819, 725-9655
erichumber@gov.nl.ca
Suzanne Mullett
General Manager
Resource Centre for the Arts
709-753-4531
generalmanager@rca.nf.ca