REGINA, August 8, 2007 - On behalf of the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women, Tom Lukiwski, Member of Parliament (Regina-Lumsden-Lake Centre), today presented a cheque for $498,900 to the University of Regina for its ARTSask.ca project.
"I would like to congratulate the University of Regina and its partners on the recent launch of ARTSask.ca," said Minister Oda. "Our contribution to this project will support the digitization of Saskatchewan and Canadian visual art from the collections of the Mackenzie Art Gallery in Regina and the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon. This project is not only a wonderful educational resource for students and teachers, but an example of how government, educators, and the arts community can work together to bring Saskatchewan's rich visual arts heritage to a wider audience."
"Canada's New Government is firmly committed to supporting the advancement of arts and culture" said Mr. Lukiwski. "New media initiatives like ARTSask showcase our country's innovative spirit and culture to the world and promote the development of new audiences with an appreciation for Canadian art."
ARTSask is a collaboration led by the University of Regina in partnership with the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon, and SaskLearning. The new website is designed to showcase Saskatchewan and Canadian visual art, drawing from existing collections of the MacKenzie and Mendel Art Galleries. It aims to actively engage elementary, secondary, and post-secondary students in a way that promotes a lifelong appreciation of learning and visual arts.
Canada's New Government provided ARTSask with $297,563 in 2006-2007. The funding announced today supports the completion of the final phase of the project. Both installments have been provided through the Partnerships Fund component of the Canadian Culture Online Strategy of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program, which is committed to fostering a uniquely Canadian presence on the Internet, works with creators, cultural industries, communities, and institutions to produce Canadian cultural content and make it available on the Internet in order to promote our country's rich culture, history, arts, and heritage.
Information:
Véronique Bruneau
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
and Status of Women
819 997-7788
Donald Boulanger
A/Chief, Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819 994-9101
