Kitchener, ON – In response to THEMUSEUM weighing in on the global climate crisis, ALARM is set to open in January 2020 and has been financially assisted by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund a program of the Government of Ontario through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, administered by the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund Corporation.
In sync with the Region of Waterloo and City of Kitchener, ALARM comes as the City of Kitchener has declared a state of climate emergency. In addition, the Region is committed to reducing carbon emissions by eighty percent by the year 2050. The significant support in the amount of $100,000 from the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF) allows THEMUSEUMto extend the reach of this important conversation that affects not only locally but on a global level and will be used to aid in the promotion of the festival across the province.
“We are thrilled at the support from the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund.” said CEO of THEMUSEUM, David Marskell. “The significant issue of climate crisis is real and with the support of OCAF we can attract visitors from around the Region and across the province to help make transformative connections between our changing climate and the role we can all play moving forward.”
Laura Mae Lindo, MPP for Kitchener Centre, added, “I’m proud that THEMUSEUM is taking a leadership role in addressing the global climate crisis. As the Member of Provincial Parliament for Kitchener Centre, I know that meaningful action on climate change starts with education.
The festival’s anchor is a new media art show, Agents for Change | Facing the Anthropocene, co-curated by Nina Czegledy and Jane Tingley. The show features the works of 10 international and Canadian female artists. Other themes to be explored include Extinction, a family experience which includes 8 habitats of frogs; as well as Water; a photography display on the melting polar ice caps, Water and Climate Migration.
In addition to the OCAF grant, the Musagetes Fund at the Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation has also provided a grant.