The Miser of Middlegate featuring Shannon Guile, Nick Rice and Ryan Miller. Photo courtesy of Theatre Projects Manitoba.
Theatre Projects of Manitoba plans to grow – dramatically, of course – its Agency Endowment Fund at The Winnipeg Foundation this year.
An Agency Fund is a pool of money that is invested and the interest earned goes back to the charitable organization annually to provide financial stability. There are over 160 Agency Funds at the Foundation.
TPM’s $40,000 goal is ambitious, says Rea Kavanagh, General Manager, but also very achievable, thanks to some generous incentives.
A private donor, who was instrumental in establishing the fund in 2009, has offered to match contributions; further matching dollars are available through both the Foundation and Canadian Heritage’s Canada Cultural Investment Fund.
The fund-raising initiative coincides with the company’s 25th anniversary season and the endowment will help ensure TPM brings homegrown theatre to Winnipeg stages 25 years from now and beyond.
“The endowment will help us to plan for the future, meet unanticipated costs, and overcome challenging times when support from funders and donors fluctuates,” says Kavanagh.
When the fund reaches its goal, it will generate enough revenue to offset some of TPM’s programming.
“If we hit our target, we could generate enough interest through our endowment to fund our Salons, which are free, community-oriented, and a development forum for young artists to work with theatre professionals. We think it is a very direct benefit that our patrons will appreciate,” says Kavanagh.
About Theatre Projects of Manitoba
“Theatre Projects Manitoba is committed to the cultivation of Manitoba plays and artists. We develop the voices of our region, choosing stories that have a connection to our community, our history and culture and we grow new creations with passionate support.
A small and intimate company, we are the risk taker in our theatre community – we often take on challenging plays without large commercial appeal, unhampered by the same costs associated with venue-based companies.
We seek ways to reconnect this art form with the community, particularly young people who are searching for meaningful ways to reflect upon and articulate the current state of the world, to explore their humanity.”
– Rea Kavanagh, General Manager, Theatre Projects of Manitoba
