December 23rd 2023

$60,200 OTF Grant Gives Youth Theatre Company a Big Boost

Kitchener, ON – On Saturday, local MPP Catherine Fife joined members of ActOUT! KW Children’s Drama Workshop at one of their fall performances to learn more about the $60,200 Resilient Communities Fund from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) that was used to purchase and implement technology, such as video and sound equipment, that will improve the experience of youth and audiences engaged in theatre arts programs and modernize the organizations operations to improve resiliency and capacity to share their productions to new channels. The project will be rolled out through the organization’s 2023-2024 season and will give people in the community improved access to our youth programs for years to come.

“KW Children’s Drama Workshop has been providing inclusive and engaging drama programming to Waterloo Region youth for nearly 30 years,” said Catherine Fife, MPP for Waterloo. “It’s an honour to be here today to celebrate this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant which will help to ensure that youth in our communities continue to have access to drama programming that can help them grow both on and off stage for years to come.”

In addition to the deployment of new sound and video equipment, the grant funding was also used to purchase additional air filtering equipment and further digitize operations, improving the organizations ability to provide safe and accessible programs and performances both in person and virtually. Thanks to the $60,200 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, youth participants, staff and volunteers will be able to deliver higher quality, safer, and more accessible programs and performances "

The impact of this Ontario Trillium Foundation grant will transform our operations for years to come” said Breanna MacLeod, Chair of KW Children’s Drama Workshop. “This grant has allowed us to improve the experience of our youth participants, and the ability of our staff and volunteers to support them in reaching their full potential, respond to changing conditions and open new possibilities for program delivery and reach into new audiences. We also want to congratulate the Ontario Trillium Foundation on 40 years of granting and building healthy and vibrant communities across the province.” KW Children’s Drama Workshop was founded in 1995 and is committed to providing accessible drama programs for youth 5-17 throughout the Waterloo Region. To date the organization has staged over 60 productions. If you wish to learn more about upcoming programs or productions, please visit the website at: www.actoutkw.com The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more. Organization

Contact for Media Inquiries:

Courtney Zinn, Board member 519-841-8677 czinn@actoutkw.com

March 2nd, 2022

$43,700 OTF Grant Gives actOUT! youth virtual opportunities

Waterloo – In 2021, actOUT! Kitchener-Waterloo Children’s Drama Workshop received a $43,700 Community Building Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation to support the development of our virtual programs. This project began in Fall 2021, giving children and youth in the community improved access to arts programs in a safe manner through Winter 2022.

Our programs, previously live performances, have been adapted to allow our participants to create new online productions using at home filming techniques with new equipment. From a comedic adaption of Frankenstein to musical short films, our kids have been able to connect and continue to grow creatively.

"We are grateful and appreciative for this grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,” said Breanna MacLeod, Chair of actOUT. “This support has allowed us to greatly improve our virtual programming so that we can continue to provide a safe way for children and youth to experience theatre arts.”

The actOUT! Board recognized this valued support at their Annual General Meeting on Sunday, February 27th, 2022.

ActOUT! Board Chair Thanks the OTF and KWCF

actOUT is committed to providing Waterloo Region with opportunities for children and youth to explore their creativity in a non-competitive, welcoming way. If you wish to learn more about the productions they run or the programs they offer, please visit the website at: www.actoutkw.com

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

actOUT Kitchener-Waterloo Children’s Drama Workshop Contacts for Media Inquiries:

Todd Vercoe, Artistic Director (226) 476-1731 todd@actoutkw.com