ArtsNL announces funding for ArtsSmarts and School Touring Program
Mar 6, 2025
March 6, 2025 (St. John’s, NL) – ArtsNL awarded $319,794 to support arts education through the ArtsSmarts and School Touring Programs across Newfoundland and Labrador for the 2024-25 school year. The Department of Education, through the Cultural Connections Program, provides $200,000 toward these programs annually; however, in 2024-25, it provided a one-time, additional $75,000 investment for these initiatives. A generous sum of $50,000 was also received from an anonymous donor to support arts in education for youth. This combined investment not only expanded opportunities for students to engage with professional artists and experience high-quality artistic performances in their schools but also allowed for increasing artists’ fees and paying national standards for their work. The initiatives are also supported through a partnership with Equinor through its $20,000 investment for programming and the Equinor ArtsSmarts Scholarship.
ArtsSmarts
The ArtsSmarts program funded 28 arts integration projects, totaling $163,422 across the province. This allowed artists to collaborate with teachers and students to incorporate the arts into various subject areas, enhancing creativity and engagement in the classroom.
The successful applicants for 2024-25 were:
| Acreman Elementary (Green’s Harbour) | $7,000 |
| Admiral’s Academy (Conception Bay South) | $3,278 |
| Baccalieu Collegiate (Old Perlican) | $6,000 |
| Bayside Academy (Port Hope Simpson) | $7,000 |
| Cape St. Francis Elementary (Pouch Cove) | $7,000 |
| Carbonear Academy (Carbonear) | $4,093 |
| Carbonear Collegiate (Carbonear) | $2,798 |
| Cowan Heights Elementary (St. John’s) | $6,814 |
| École l’ENVOL (Labrador City) | $6,405 |
| École des Grands-Vents (St. John’s) | $5,866 |
| Fatima Academy (St. Bride’s) | $6,913 |
| Green Bay South Academy (Robert’s Arm) | $6,954 |
| Holy Cross Elementary (Holyrood) | $4,055 |
| Holy Heart High School (St. John’s) | $6,815 |
| Lake Melville School (North West River) | $2,300 |
| Lakecrest Independent School (St. John’s) | $7,088 |
| Macdonald Drive Junior High (St. John’s) | $6,784 |
| Morris Academy (Mount Pearl) | $4,649 |
| MSB Regional Academy (Middle Arm) | $6,983 |
| Octagon Pond Elementary (Paradise) | $6,891 |
| Perlwin Elementary (Winterton) | $3,759 |
| Rennie’s River Elementary (St. John’s) | $4,027 |
| St. Anne’s Academy (Placentia) | $7,000 |
| St. Edward’s School (Conception Bay South) | $6,150 |
| St. Matthew’s Elementary (St. John’s) | $7,000 |
| St. Michael’s Regional High (Wabana) | $5,800 |
| William Gillett Academy (Charlottetown) | $7,000 |
| Xavier Junior High School (Deer Lake) | $7,000 |
School Touring Program
The School Touring Program brought artistic performances to students across the province through eight tours, totaling $156,372. As a result of the additional investment, the number of participating schools increased and access to live artistic experiences complementing the school curriculum was expanded. The additional support helped to offset the increased travel costs faced by touring artists.
The recipients for 2024-25 were:
| Silver Wolf Band (Happy Valley-Goose Bay) | $24,000 |
| White Rooster Theatre (St. John’s) | $22,489 |
| Tuckamore Festival (St. John’s) | $14,003 |
| Fergus O’Byrne and Jim Payne (St. John’s) | $19,387 |
| Catherine Wright (St. John’s) | $16,366 |
| Tara Manuel (Corner Brook) | $14,279 |
| Nickel Film Festival (St. John’s) | $21,851 |
| Soundbone Traditional Arts Foundation (Ladle Cove) | $23,997 |
“Through ArtsSmarts and the School Touring Program, schools across Newfoundland and Labrador have found innovative ways to integrate the arts into everyday learning,” said Melanie Martin, Executive Director of ArtsNL. “By connecting practicing artists with students, these initiatives provide unique opportunities for creativity, cultural exploration, and artistic engagement. Students can experience the curriculum in fresh and inspiring ways while deepening their appreciation for the arts.”
ArtsSmarts and the School Touring Program are supported through partnerships with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Department of Education and its Cultural Connections initiative, which seeks to increase cultural content in school curricula and strengthen links between the arts and school communities.
Media Enquiries:
Charlene Jackson
Communications Officer
Phone: (709) 726-2212 ext. 3
charlene@artsnl.ca
The Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council (ArtsNL) is a non-profit Crown agency created in 1980 by The Arts Council Act. Its mission is to foster and promote the creation and enjoyment of the arts for the benefit of all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The Council is governed by a volunteer board of no fewer than 9 and no more than 11 members appointed by government. At least 7 members must be artists or arts administrators, and one member is appointed to represent the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation (non-voting). ArtsNL receives an annual allocation of $5.3 million from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to support a variety of granting programs, program delivery, office administration, and communications. It also seeks support from the public and private sectors. It supports the following artistic disciplines: dance, film, multidiscipline, music, theatre, visual art, and writing.
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