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Media Release
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For Immediate Release: June 4, 2008
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CALGARY - In an initiative designed to promote the health and welfare of its members and strengthen the Canadian film and television industry, Directors Guild of Canada Alberta District Council has announced a $1,000 contribution to the Actors' Fund of Canada.
The Actors' Fund is the lifeline for Canada's entertainment industry. Over 10,000 professional members of the industry from all over Canada and in the fields of theatre, film & TV, music and dance have been helped by the Fund, which provides emergency financial aid to assist cultural workers in recovering from an illness, injury or other circumstances causing severe economic and personal hardship. Performers and those working behind the scenes can apply for assistance from the Fund, which recently set a new record for the amount of financial aid delivered to the performing arts community in a single year, topping $500,000 in the 12-month period that ended on March 31. 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.
Says DGC Alberta Chair Darin Wilson: "We are proud to join the Actors' Fund of Canada's growing family of supporters, especially in this 50th year when the Fund is so clearly demonstrating its value to Canada's production community. The Fund is an important part of the system that helps not only our members, but also our colleagues who work in all aspects of the industry to survive the tough times and bad luck this business can sometimes deal out. The Fund's emergency assistance program can literally save lives. It's something our small District Council is pleased to endorse."
Actors' Fund Executive Director David Hope expressed the Fund's gratitude for DGC Alberta District Council's vote of confidence, saying: "DGC Alberta coming on board this year is really gratifying. The Fund only works if those in the industry support it. The fact that so many unions and guilds in the industry have made financial contributions and other offers of assistance in our 50th anniversary year makes me very optimistic about what we can accomplish over the next 50 years."
The Directors Guild of Canada is a national labour organisation that represents over 3,800 key creative and logistical personnel in the film and television industry covering all areas of direction, design, production and editing. The Directors Guild of Canada consists of a National Office in Toronto and District Councils in Alberta, the Atlantic Region, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan, each headquartered in a major production centre of the region it represents.
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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©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
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