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Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
With $110 million raised, Shaw Festival two-thirds of way to fundraising goal
Shaw Festival organizers announced last week that the once more quiet effort to raise $150 million is now an open campaign — something for the world to know about. The organization announced the creation of the campaign, which is the newest phase of their long-standing fundraising efforts with the goal of building numerous brand new arts facilities in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The slogan refers to a common refrain in theatre to encourage everyone in the room to join in the play or the song. The idea of the campaign is to promote the idea that the theatre brings people together and doesn't isolate them. Tim Carroll, the artistic director of the Shaw Festival, said that he hopes this idea inspires people to support the organization in what Shaw Festival executive director Tim Jennings said was the 'most significant cultural investment in Niagara in the last 100 years.' 'This fundraising effort has been going on since I was here (in 2017),' said Carroll. 'We had been raising money quietly but we hadn't launched the campaign until now. …We will be raising money from everyone and not just the people who knew about it.' The efforts to raise money through government and private fundraising before the campaign started has resulted in $110 million already having been raised. This leaves $40 million to go. The Government of Ontario said they were giving $35 million to help rebuild the Royal George Theatre back in April. The federal government has also given $15 million for the development of the Artists' Village. The Shaw Festival is also waiting to hear from the federal government about funding for the Royal George Theatre. The rest came from private donations. These include larger donors like the James A. Burton and Family Foundation and Tim and Frances Price, as well as members of the public who wish to donate to the Shaw Festival. The Shaw Festival's efforts centre around two main projects. The first is to take down and restore the Royal George Theatre, a 110-year-old theatre in the Historic Old Town which is set demolished due to age and disrepair. The second is to create a new campus called the Artists' Village, which is an expansion of the Festival Theatre. They will renovate five decommissioned buildings in the Old Upper Canada Lodge that will be used for seasonal housing for Shaw actors, classrooms, performance spaces, and studios. The feature of the Artists' Village particularly singled out for mention by the Shaw Festival is the Burton Centre for Lifelong Creativity, which is meant to be a place where people from all walks of life are encouraged to come to be creative. As per the theme of the campaign, one of the major aims for the centre is for it to be a place that can reduce isolation for more than one million seniors by 2030. The Artists' Village will open to the public in May 2026, though Jennings said some outdoor work will continue throughout 2026. The festival's aim is to demolish the Royal George Theatre in 2026 with the new theatre to open in Fall 2028. The Shaw Festival also has an offshoot idea from called the Movement for Real Human Connection. Carroll says this phrase 'tells you what we're really about,' which is using drama to bring people together. The Shaw Festival is the organization that runs an internationally known summer-long festival, named after famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. It puts on plays in Niagara-on-the-Lake from spring until winter each year. The festival's website says 10 or more productions are shown in three theatres to an audience of around 250,000 people each year. The festival was founded in 1962. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Shaw Festival has raised 70 per cent of $150M goal to reinvent theatre institution
An artist rendering design of a replacement for the Royal George Theatre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., is shown in this handout image. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Shaw Festival, Unity Design Studio **MANDATORY CREDIT** The Shaw Festival says it's raised 70 per cent of the $150 million it needs to reinvent the theatre institution's role in southern Ontario. Artistic director Tim Carroll says the $110 million the festival has raised so far comes from a combination of the province, the federal government and private donations. He says they're now soliciting donations more broadly because they see the finish line in sight. The Shaw Festival in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., plans to expand its footprint with an artists' village beside the current Festival Theatre that will include performance and classroom spaces. The organization also plans to create a new downtown campus, including a new theatre to replace the crumbling Royal George Theatre. The Shaw says it wants to create a community hub that brings people together and encourages deeper engagement with the theatre. Carroll says theatregoers are already inspired by what they see on stage, and the Shaw plans to foster that inspiration. 'In future you will come to 'Anything Goes,' and then you can go and take a tap dance class, or you can come to a comedy show and you can then go and take an improv class or a comedy class,' he said Monday. He said it will go beyond performance — there will also be classes for technical theatre skills such as scene design. 'We want everyone to be able to find where their joy is and to be able to release their own artist,' Carroll said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025. Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press
Winnipeg Free Press
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Shaw Festival has raised 70 per cent of $150M goal to reinvent theatre institution
The Shaw Festival says it's raised 70 per cent of the $150 million it needs to reinvent the theatre institution's role in southern Ontario. Artistic director Tim Carroll says the $110 million the festival has raised so far comes from a combination of the province, the federal government and private donations. He says they're now soliciting donations more broadly because they see the finish line in sight. The Shaw Festival in Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont., plans to expand its footprint with an artists' village beside the current Festival Theatre that will include performance and classroom spaces. The organization also plans to create a new downtown campus, including a new theatre to replace the crumbling Royal George Theatre. The Shaw says it wants to create a community hub that brings people together and encourages deeper engagement with the theatre. Carroll says theatregoers are already inspired by what they see on stage, and the Shaw plans to foster that inspiration. 'In future you will come to 'Anything Goes,' and then you can go and take a tap dance class, or you can come to a comedy show and you can then go and take an improv class or a comedy class,' he said Monday. He said it will go beyond performance — there will also be classes for technical theatre skills such as scene design. 'We want everyone to be able to find where their joy is and to be able to release their own artist,' Carroll said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2025.
CBC
02-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Ontario to spend $35M to help rebuild Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre
Social Sharing Ontario will spend $35 million to help the Shaw Festival rebuild the Royal George Theatre. Tourism Minister Stan Cho says the funding will be used to build a larger, more modern theatre as the province looks to beef up the economy in Niagara-on-the-Lake and the surrounding region. The province says the theatre's construction will create 550 jobs and once built, the venue will have 20 per cent more seating as well as new rehearsal and work spaces. The Royal George Theatre will close permanently later this year and the rebuild is expected to be completed in 2029. Cho hopes the bigger venue will help drive more tourists to the area and keep them there longer. Cho has grand visions to turn the Niagara region into "Las Vegas of the north" with an international airport, more hotels, mass transit expansion and a new amusement park. In a news release, he said the "Shaw Festival is a cultural icon for Ontario and for Canada, and is just one of the many great reasons to visit Niagara-on-the-Lake and the broader Niagara Region throughout the year."
