Council approves $21K for ARTember

Airdrie City council unanimously approved a $21,000 funding request from Creative Airdrie, March 4.

The funding, which includes $14,270 and $6,730 in in-kind donations, will be used to put on the third annual ARTember, a 21-day festival of arts and culture to take place in September.

“It’s a great 21 days for the community,” said Mayor Peter Brown. “I love Creative Airdrie and ARTember and attend most of the events. It’s awesome.”

The in-kind donations include three days of Bert Church Theatre rental space, valued at $1,400; Airdrie transit bus wrap and free local transit for one day, valued at $2,130; Genesis Place field house, dance studio and box office space, valued at $1,700; additional staff for Nose Creek Park, valued at $500; and City of Airdrie permits, engineering and communications support, valued at $1,000.

The funding request was an increase of $1,000 over last year’s funding.

According to a staff report, Airdrie’s financial contribution to last year’s ARTember was primarily used to cover the expenses of providing free entertainment and activities to the public during the weekend of Alberta Arts Days, which took place Sept. 28 to 30.

Culture At The Creek took place at Nose Creek Park featured performances by local residents, dinner and dancing, family events such as the Miller’s Street Art Attack, during which youth were given the opportunity to ride bicycles through paint to make a giant masterpiece, and a local display and sale put on by artists.

It also featured a cowboy church service and cupcake-eating competition.

Council directed staff to ask Creative Airdrie for a detailed list of how the money will be used.

For more information, visit www.creativeairdrie.ca