SURREY — MPs, city councillors, art directors and players from the upcoming Sleeping Beautypantomime were at Surrey Arts Centre on Tuesday afternoon for a funding announcement for the Surrey International Children’s Festival.
The festival has been happening in the City of Parks since the year 2000, and over the next two years, it will receive $98,000 from the Government of Canada, announced Fleetwood-Port Kells MP Nina Grewal.
Beside Grewal were Surrey councillors Judy Villeneuve and newly elected Vera LeFranc, who was sworn into council on Dec. 1.
"Exposure to the arts inspires critical thinking and imagination. The Surrey International Children's Festival gives children from our community the opportunity to experience engaging, fun, high-quality performances from all over the world that instill an appreciation for the performing arts,†said Villeneuve.
The $98,000 comes from the Canada Arts Presentation fund and will support the 2015 and 2016 installments of the SICF, which puts on stage performances, music, literary arts, dance, puppetry, circus and visual arts. The festival typically draws 18,000 participants.
The Festival contributes greatly to Surrey's quality of life by bringing artists and children together for high-calibre performing arts and cultural programming,†Grewal said.
The 2015 children’s festival runs from May 21 to 23 at Bear Creek Park and the Surrey Arts Centre.