Three-year donation commitment helps confirm additional Artstrek Exploration week
Theatre Alberta is proud to announce that Cenovus Energy has become a major funding partner for our flagship education program, Artstrek: A Summer Theatre School for Teens. The Canadian oil company has committed to an annual $25,000 donation to Theatre Alberta until 2015, for a total of $75,000 over the next three years. Theatre Alberta will apply those funds to support the addition of a third Exploration week to Artstrek, beginning in July 2013.
“Cenovus is pleased to be supporting Theatre Alberta in adding a third week to the Artstrek program,” said Jennifer Pendura, Group Lead Community Relations & Investment. “The track record of Artstrek is unmistakable: being able to help fill Theatre Alberta’s vision of reaching out to more kids means that Cenovus will contribute to the strength and sustainability of the program for years to come. At Cenovus we strive to be innovative in all that we do, including the way that we support the communities where we live and work.”
Artstrek is an opportunity for teens from across Alberta to spend a week in residence at Red Deer College exploring the art and craft of making theatre with professional artists and educators. For the past eight years, Theatre Alberta has had to operate waiting lists for Artstrek as there have consistently been more students wanting to participate than spaces to accommodate them. For Artstrek 2013, Theatre Alberta has added an additional Exploration week to increase our capacity by 30%.
“There was never any question about the need to expand our Artstrek program,” notes Keri Mitchell, Theatre Alberta’s Executive Director. “However, our subsidized funding model for the program, which is supported by the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, is based on the number of students that have attended Artstrek for the past three years. In order for us to provide space for nearly 100 more teens and maintain student fees at an affordable level for Alberta families, we needed to find additional program partners. We are thrilled to welcome Cenovus Energy as a key player in ensuring Alberta’s youth have access to top quality theatre education.”
This new relationship builds upon a partnership established for Artstrek 2012, in which Theatre Alberta applied a $5,000 donation from Cenovus to its Artstrek Scholarship program. Theatre Alberta Artstrek Scholarships are provided to students in financial need and cover 25-75% of the Artstrek program fee. Click here to learn more.
Cenovus Energy is a Canadian oil company. It is committed to applying fresh progressive thinking to safely and responsibly unlock energy resources the world needs. The company looks to create shared value by collaborating with community organizations through its community investment program. Cenovus concentrates its community investment in three core areas: learning; safety and well-being; and sustainable communities.
Download as a PDF: News Release-Cenovus Energy supports Theatre Alberta’s Artstrek
We’re not finished yet! If you would like to join Theatre Alberta, Cenovus Energy, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and Red Deer College in ensuring Artstrek can welcome all Alberta teens with a passion for theatre, please donate or contact Keri Mitchell, Executive Director, at keri@theatrealberta.com.
