Calgary Hotel Association wins Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Award
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
October 8, 2013
Innovative arts partnership with Calgary Arts Development fuelled CIFF, Sled Island, Calgary Opera
(Calgary, AB) – The Calgary Hotel Association (CHA) has been awarded the Best Entrepreneurial Award in the 2013 Globe and Mail’s Business for the Arts Partnership Awards. This prestigious award recognizes the CHA’s innovative partnership with Calgary Arts Development in creating the Remarkable Experience Accelerator (REA), an arts investment initiative that funded the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF), Sled Island, and Calgary Opera.
The Globe and Mail Business for the Arts Partnership Awards recognize companies that show outstanding commitment to the arts in Canada. They recognize businesses that have sparked on a creative idea and made it happen through an entrepreneurial approach to partnering with the arts.
The REA was developed to enhance the emerging story of Calgary as a cultural hotbed, giving people even more reasons to visit Calgary as leisure travelers. In partnership with Calgary Arts Development, the REA identifies and invests in cultural organizations whose activities are high-quality, remarkable cultural experiences that will enhance Calgary’s reputation. In practical terms, it invests $825,000 over three years into medium- to long-term arts development plans in downtown Calgary.
“The Calgary Hotel Association has shown great vision and leadership in the establishment of the Remarkable Experience Accelerator,” said Marilyn Milavsky, Chair of Calgary Opera. “Their invaluable contribution made it possible to have Canada’s first outdoor summer opera festival in our city. I’m thrilled that their outstanding show of support for culture and innovative strategy to attract visitors to our city is being recognized.”
“The Remarkable Experience Accelerator exemplifies how business and the arts can work together to enhance Calgary’s cultural vibrancy,” said Patti Pon, President & CEO of Calgary Arts Development. “We are already seeing the results of this innovative program in festivals like Opera in the Village, and we congratulate the Calgary Hotel Association on winning this award.”
“We are very excited about winning this award. It recognizes a great partnership and showcases the importance of developing Calgary’s cultural diversity and ensuring a thriving arts scene,” said CHA Executive Director Jon Jackson. “Organizations like CIFF, Sled Island, and the Calgary Opera have incredible product. The REA is about helping them grow the international appeal of those products to increase visitation to Calgary.”
The CHA was nominated by Calgary Arts Development, CIFF, Sled Island, and Calgary Opera. The CHA and other Business for the Arts winners will make their official acceptances on November 15th at the 2013 Awards gala at the Carlu in Toronto.
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About the Calgary Hotel Association
Comprising 62 hotel properties across the city, the Calgary Hotel Association is a voluntary association that serves its member properties and other tourism industry stakeholders by promoting the common economic, political, community and environmental interests of the membership.
About Calgary Arts Development
Calgary Arts Development plays a leadership role to promote, foster and direct investments that develop the capacity of Calgary’s arts sector to achieve public and artistic impact. As the city’s designated arts development authority, we are a central hub that learns about, promotes, connects, advocates for, and leads strategic initiatives in the arts to animate Calgary as a vibrant cultural centre. Calgary Arts Development allocates municipal funding for the arts provided by The City of Calgary through granting programs that support operations and innovation for more than 190 arts organizations in Calgary.
Media Contact Information:
Cadence Mandybura
Community Manager, Calgary Arts Development
Phone: 403.264.5330 ext. 201 Cell: 403.585.5390
Email: cadence.mandybura@calgaryartsdevelopment.com
Jon Jackson
Executive Director, Calgary Hotel Association
Phone: 587.777.2814
Email: jon@calgaryhotelassociation.com
