Sudbury arts groups get $250K in Ontario grants

Some in Sudbury's arts community are breathing a sigh of relief this month after getting word they will receive major grants from the Ontario Arts Council, totalling more than $250,000.

La Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, which displays contemporary art, will receive a $55,000 grant this year.

Director Danielle Tremblay said the OAC funding has become essential to staying in business.

"There is so much involved from the space itself to paying the artists to doing brochures for everything to paying the salaries, she said.

Without that money, the gallery would not be able to offer what it's offering right now."

Tremblay said her organization has received OAC grants for years, and they depend on the money for up to a fifth of their annual budget.

The Theatre du Nouvel-Ontario and the arts education group Myths and Mirrors will also receive grants this fall.

Martin Lajeunesse, executive director of Theatre du Nouvel-Ontario, said the group will receive $170,000 funding he said is critical to keeping French language theatre alive in Ontario.

"There's a strong tradition in our region of artistic creation and production, he said.

We are only doing what we do following in the footsteps of a tradition that spans over 40 years."

The OAC distributed $52 million in arts grants across the province last year.