|
|
|
Media Release
|
$15,000 ACTRA National contribution honours 50 years of service to entertainment industry
|
|
| |
|
For Immediate Release: August 25, 2008
|
TORONTO - Citing its vital role in enabling many thousands of artists to pursue their creative work over the past 50 years, ACTRA National President Richard Hardacre has hailed the Actors' Fund of Canada as one of Canada's cultural treasures.
His remarks came as ACTRA National announced its $15,000 contribution to the Fund for 2008. In making the announcement, President Richard Hardacre stated: "Today we are announcing ACTRA National's contribution to the Actors' Fund of Canada in celebration of its 50 years of service to Canadian artists and their professional colleagues in the entertainment industry. On every film and TV set, each theatre stage, there are thousands of Canadian artists who are working today because the Fund threw them a lifeline when they most needed it. Thanks to the Actors' Fund of Canada, many of our artists have made distinguished contributions to our culture. The Fund is one of Canada's cultural treasures that we honour and support so it can continue its important work for artists."
The Actors' Fund is the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry. Performers and people working behind the scenes in film and television, theatre, music and dance can apply for emergency financial aid from the Fund, which recently set a new record for the amount of financial aid delivered to industry members in a single year, topping $500,000 in the 12-month period that ended on March 31, 2008. The Fund has helped over 10,000 entertainment industry workers recover from illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship since it was founded in 1958. The Fund marks its 50th anniversary in 2008 with an effort to raise its national profile and unite entertainment industry members in support of its financial aid program.
Commenting on the ACTRA funding announcement, Actors' Fund Executive Director David Hope said, "Like ACTRA, the Actors' Fund has been facing some serious demands on its resources in the last year. ACTRA's support couldn't have come at a better time. We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with them and we look forward to continuing to build the Fund in cooperation with ACTRA and all of the entertainment industry unions and guilds whose members we serve."
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.
|
--30--
|
CONTACT:
David Hope, The Actors' Fund of Canada
Phone: 1-877-399-8392
E-mail: contact@actorsfund.ca
Web site: www.actorsfund.ca
|
| |
|
|
|
|
©2010 The Actors' Fund of Canada - 1000 Yonge Street, Suite 301 Toronto, ON M4W 2K2
contact@actorsfund.ca / Tel: 416.975.0304 / Toll-Free: 1.877.399.8392 / Fax: 416.975.0306
|
|
|
