Harper Government Supports the Centre Culturel Franco-Manitobain

January 16, 2012

SAINT BONIFACE, Manitoba, January 16, 2012 - The Centre culturel franco-manitobain (CCFM) will continue to present professional performances and showcase artists from Manitoba, other Canadian provinces, and France, thanks to an investment from the Government of Canada. This was announced today by Shelly Glover, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament (Saint Boniface), on behalf of the Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

Funding will help support the CCFM's artistic programming for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, which includes the series Jeune public and Mârdi Jazz, as well as two new series, Artistes francophones and Culture à déguster. The CCFM will also offer awareness activities and workshops in cooperation with Le 100 Nons and the Ligue d'improvisation du Manitoba.

"Our Government received a strong mandate from Canadians to invest in organizations like the Centre culturel franco-manitobain," said Minister Moore. "By supporting CCFM's artistic programming, our Government is delivering on its commitment to strengthen our economy and support our arts, culture, and heritage."

"Our Government is committed to ensuring that Canadians have access to a wide range of artistic experiences in both official languages," said Mrs. Glover. "Thanks to this investment, the CCFM will continue to offer great shows and cultural experiences to Manitobans."

"Support from the federal government is essential to our programming," said Sylviane Lanthier, Executive Director of the CCFM. "It's what allows us to continue to provide audiences of all ages with quality programming and community events that allows people to fully enjoy their culture in areas as diverse as film, song, improvisation, jazz, and visual arts."

The CCFM is a professional performing arts exhibitor that offers series of shows by professional artists from Manitoba and across Canada to the province's audiences. It encourages audience-performer discussion before and after shows, and also offers workshops open to the general public in order to broaden and solidify its audience base.

The Government of Canada has provided funding of $34,000 through the Canada Arts Presentation Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program gives Canadians increased access to the variety and richness of Canada's culture through professional arts festivals, presentations of live professional performances, and other artistic experiences.