Canada and Ontario governments invest over $2.9 million into new media arts centre in Windsor

Plans for the new media art centre coming to Windsor, Ont. (source Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media & the Creative Arts)

Windsor, Ont. — The federal and provincial governments are investing more than $2.9 million into a project that will see a historic downtown church transformed into a media arts centre.

On Thursday, it was announced the government of Canada is contributing $1.1 million through the Community, Culture and Recreation Infrastructure Stream (CCRIS) of the Investing in Canada Plan, while the province is providing over $980,000 and the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts will contribute more than $790,000.

“Investing in community, culture, and recreational infrastructure is essential to creating inclusive communities where Canadians want to live, work and raise their families,” Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk says. “The new Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts announced today will contribute to the City of Windsor’s culture and diversity while offering more education and recreation opportunities for residents.”

Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Rick Nicholls says while science advances technology, art advances the creative mind and “we need these experiences to more greatly appreciate life to the max.”

“This funding opportunity will allow Windsorites and those from surrounding areas to experience local artists’ creativity, enabling the community to enjoy and push the limits of art,” he says.

The Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts will renovate a downtown church to offer space for community-based arts programming for residents of all ages in Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent and Sarnia Lambton.

“The Media Arts Community Centre will be for persons of all ages, stages and abilities, will offer opportunities for film and art workshops, continued education, networking, co-op, job training, content creation, and music and film production. We also look forward to working with the philanthropic community as we launch our capital fundraising effort: WE GROW TALENT, a building, equipment and bursary campaign,” says Amanda Gellman president of the Windsor Centre for Film, Digital Media and the Creative Arts.

Gellman says the Media Arts Community Centre has been in works for several years, starting as a kids camp with the idea to grow programming to include adults and keep local talent local.