Minister Copps Announces Spark Initiative
OTTAWA, June 27, 2003 -- On the occasion of Canadian Multiculturalism Day, Minister of Canadian Heritage Sheila Copps today announced the launch of the Spark Initiative. It will help youth from Canada's ethnocultural and Aboriginal communities to build careers in the audiovisual sector.With funding of $3.6 million over three years, Spark is the outcome of a partnership between the Department of Canadian Heritage and three of its agencies: Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts. Spark was created following the Forum on Diversity and Culture last April.
"I am pleased to announce the Spark Initiative," said Minister Copps. "In Canada, one young person in five belongs to an ethnocultural or Aboriginal community. Spark will help them improve their job skills and knowledge, and it will give them better access to the programs offered by the three agencies. This is an investment in equal opportunity for all Canadians."
The Spark Initiative seeks to ensure that programs, policies, and services of the three participating agencies take into account the needs and circumstances of ethnocultural or Aboriginal communities to aid their integration into the audiovisual sector. It will promote participation by members of various ethnocultural or Aboriginal communities in the audiovisual field, including creation and production. It will also raise public awareness and develop new audiences for their works.
"Spark is a wonderful example of a federal government initiative that provides a springboard into a career in the audiovisual sector for the up-and-coming generation from ethnocultural or Aboriginal communities," added Minister Copps.
Of the $3.6 million budget, $1.8 million will be distributed by Canadian Heritage and $600,000 by each of the three agencies.
Funding for this project was provided for in the February 2003 federal Budget.
Information:
Sonya-Kim St-Julien
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
(819) 997-7788
BACKGROUNDER
The Spark Initiative
A partnership between Canadian Heritage and agencies
The Spark Initiative is a partnership between the Department of Canadian Heritage and Telefilm Canada, the National Film Board of Canada, and the Canada Council for the Arts to accelerate the integration of culturally diverse filmmakers and producers in Canada's audiovisual landscape.
Objective of the initiative
While each agency has in place its own measures to support and nurture cultural diversity in the audiovisual field, the coordinated approach of the Spark Initiative offers the opportunity to provide leadership to the audiovisual sector for the development and expression of voices which reflect the diversity of Canada. It seeks to open doors and remove real and perceived barriers to entry for culturally diverse professionals in Canada's audiovisual sector, thereby ensuring equitable access to programs and opportunities.
Target groups, eligibility, and anticipated results
Young and mid-career professionals in the audiovisual sector, including media artists, will be eligible to apply for a variety of programs offered across the three agencies.
Through the Spark Initiative, each agency will focus its activities on building capacity within culturally diverse communities by increasing opportunities to develop skills and gain valuable on-set experience by participating in productions. The Spark Initiative will also be an important factor in the development of audiences within culturally diverse and broader communities by increasing the number of films produced by culturally diverse filmmakers, and by increasing support to film festivals that showcase such work.
Spark Initiative activities
National Film Board of Canada
Development funds - to help young and mid-career professionals develop their projects;
Funds for audience development - to enable festivals organized by and for culturally diverse communities to present work by culturally diverse filmmakers, to these and to broader communities. Specific audience development activities will take place in those cities with the highest populations of culturally diverse communities, i.e., Halifax, Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver;
Funds for line positions - to help emerging filmmakers gain valuable on-set experience on Reel Diversity* productions; and
Funds for the Banff Diversity Fellowships** - to enable emerging culturally diverse filmmakers and Aboriginal producers to participate in an array of activities at the Banff Television Festival.
For more information:
Laurie Jones
(613) 992-3615
E-mail: l.jones@nfb.ca
Web site: www.nfb.ca
Telefilm Canada
Funds for Banff Diversity Fellowships** - to enable mid-career producers from Aboriginal and culturally diverse communities to participate in an array of activities at the Banff Television Festival;
Funds for professional development activities - to enable mid-career culturally diverse producers to participate in Immersions, and receive fellowships (such as Banff) and scholarships;
Funds earmarked for development funding - to enable mid-career professionals to fully develop projects that will reach a mass audience; and
Support to film festivals - to increase the inclusion of Canadian content in culturally diverse festivals.
For more information:
Danielle Dansereau
(514) 283-6363
E-mail: dansereaud@telefilm.gc.ca
Web site: www.telefilm.gc.ca
Canada Council for the Arts
Grants to film, video, and new media artists - funds to augment the value, and increase the number, of grants awarded to Aboriginal and culturally diverse professionals for researching, writing, and producing independent media artworks; and
Funds to increase project support to organizations that provide culturally diverse and Aboriginal artists with production opportunities and opportunities to ensure that the work of these artists is seen by the public.
For more information:
Donna Balkan
(613) 566-4414 ext. 4134
E-mail: donna.balkan@canadacouncil.ca
Web site: www.canadacouncil.ca
* Winning productions of the Reel Diversity Competition for Emerging Filmmakers of Colour.
** The first recipients of Banff Diversity Fellowships attended Banff 2003.
[ Media Room ]
