Toronto, Canada (April 17, 2014)—For the past 25 years, the Beaches International Jazz Festival (BIJF) in Toronto has welcomed more than 500,000 people free of charge to enjoy a weekend of jazz. The festival is scheduled for July 18 to 27 this year.
However, this year, government funding for the festival was reduced, and promoters are asking for the public’s help to restore funding to the festival so it can remain free to the public.
“The organization responsible, Celebrate Ontario, has decided that the funds requested – earmarked for paying the hundreds of local musicians to perform – could be better spent funding other non-public events (events that require the purchase of tickets or admission fees),” reported Joanna Katchutas on the site Change.org, where a petition is currently posted asking to restore funding to the festival. “This reduction in funding will likely cause a number of important programs to be cut, including the Youth, Latin and Big Band stages, the ever-popular Streetfest, and the Multi-Arts and Photography Program, all of which have come to be some of the most popular and loved programs offered each and every year.”
Katchutas also reported that the BIJF contributed to more than $65 million in revenue to the city, adding to the incentive to keep funding the festival.
“The Beaches International Jazz Festival is an important part of Toronto’s culture and tradition. We ask that you show your support by signing the petition below to affirm that you believe that Celebrate Ontario should restore the funding to the festival to allow it to continue to represent, encourage and entertain the public by showcasing the world-class talent that calls Toronto home,” wrote Katchutas.
Full petition
https://www.change.org/en-CA/petitions/kathleen-wynne-restore-the-funding-to-the-beaches-international-jazz-festival
Beaches International Jazz Festival
www.beachesjazz.com
