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50+50 Campaign
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For Immediate Release: June 9, 2008
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VANCOUVER - The Actors' Fund of Canada today launched its 50 + 50 fundraising campaign in Canadian theatres. The campaign coincides with the Fund's 50th anniversary year and kicks off with 50 Canadian theatre companies, both large and small, in all parts of the country committing to raise money for the Fund through special benefit performances or collection of donations from audience members following regularly scheduled performances. The 50 theatre companies will then invite another 50 theatre companies to do the same, resulting in 100 companies supporting the Actors' Fund during 2008. A list of companies supporting the campaign is available at www.actorsfund.ca/50Plus50/ and will be updated frequently as new companies come on board.
The Actors' Fund is the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry. Entertainment industry members in the fields of theatre, film & TV, music and dance can apply for assistance from the Fund, which provides short-term emergency financial aid to assist cultural workers in recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship. The Fund marks its 50th anniversary in 2008 with a campaign focused on raising awareness of its emergency financial aid program and uniting Canada's arts community in support of the organization. Over 10,000 performers and those working behind the scenes have been helped by the Fund, which recently set a new record for the amount of financial aid delivered to cultural workers in a single year, topping $500,000 in the 12-month period that ended on March 31.
The Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) represents 140 theatre companies and is the voice of professional theatre in Canada. Commenting on the 50 + 50 campaign, PACT Executive Director Lucy White says, "We congratulate the Actors' Fund on its 50th anniversary and on this terrific initiative. PACT member theatres have a long history of supporting the Fund and we're especially pleased that so many of them have chosen to participate in this campaign. PACT is a proud partner of the Actors' Fund. The work they do is vital to the health of theatre community and our artistic community in Canada."
Actors' Fund, Executive Director David Hope expressed his hopes for a successful campaign, saying: "We are very grateful to the 50 companies that have helped us get the campaign off to such a good start. We are working with Canadian theatres more closely than ever this year, bringing the message that, although we're called the Actors' Fund, we're really for everyone who works in entertainment industry. Having 50 companies participating in our fundraising effort thus far represents an increase in support from last year, so it seems that the message is getting through."
The Actors' Fund of Canada is a registered charity that has paid out over $3.5 million in rent payments, grocery money, utility payments and other basic living expenses in the last 10 years. Performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members can benefit from the Fund, which receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations.
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CONTACT:
David Hope, The Actors' Fund of Canada
Phone: 1-877-399-8392
E-mail: contact@actorsfund.ca
Web site: www.actorsfund.ca
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50 + 50 Campaign Participants [As at June 9, 2008]
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The Actors' Fund of Canada thanks the following theatre companies
who are participants in the 50 + 50 Campaign
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Alberta Theatre Projects
Arts Club Theatre
Bard on the Beach
Belfry Theatre
Blyth Festival
Canadian Stage
Carousel Theatre
Catalyst Theatre
Centaur Theatre
Chemainus Theatre
Citadel Theatre
Company of Fools
Drayton Entertainment
Factory Theatre
Gateway Theatre
GCTC
Globe Theatre
Green Thumb Theatre
Ground Zero Theatre
Harold Green Jewish Theatre
Kaleidoscope Theatre
Leanor and Alvin Segal Theatre
Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People
Lunchbox Theatre
Manitoba Theatre Centre
Manitoba Theatre for Young People
Mirvish Productions
Montgomery Theatre
Musical Theatreworks
National Arts Centre - English Theatre
New Stages
Northern Light Theatre
November Theatre
Pacific Theatre
Prairie Theatre Exchange
RCA Theatre Company
Shadow Theatre
Shaw Festival
Stratford Festival
Talk is Free Theatre
Tarragon Theatre
Theatre Calgary
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Theatre Network
Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador
Theatre North West
Touchstone Theatre
Vancouver Opera
Vancouver Playhouse
Vertigo Theatre
Western Canada Theatre
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