Charity group in funding crisis

[attach]1667[/attach]The Peace Theatre in Crescent Town is marking its 10th anniversary with the prospect of its closure.

The charity, which provides summer camps, arts, leadership and anti-violence programs for youth, relies on government grants for 90 percent of its annual $200,000 budget and when $75,000 was pulled the theatre’s future was threatened.

To offset that loss, the Dawes Road facility, formerly known as the Children’s Peace Theatre, has raised about $40,000 so far.

“We are in risk of closing,” said Artist Director Karen Emerson May 11. “We have been sitting in that danger zone for several months.

We had to suspend a youth (leadership) program this year. It’s a crucial program for youth in this neighbourhood.

“In December, we were at risk of losing everything,” she said. “We have been really reliant on the public sector … We haven’t had a lot of private donations.”

The funding shortfall comes down to unexpected changes in both federal and city grants, she explained.

The Peace Theatre had applied and was told it was approved for a $50,000 heritage grant, but then the rules changed so they didn’t receive any funding.

“The whole program changed,” said Emerson. “The criteria changed mid-stream.”

This year, the theatre can apply for federal funds under a citizenship and immigration grant.

The remaining $25,000 loss occurred when the City of Toronto decided not to fund the theatre through the community safety investment program. The theatre had been receiving money though that program, which is focused on Toronto’s 13 priority neighbourhoods that have high needs and are underserved.

Peace Theatre was rejected because the charity already received some Toronto Arts Council funding, said Emerson.

She said the city has been very supportive of the theatre and that part of the problem is the not-for-profit organization doesn’t have a stable funding base and relies on money on a project basis.

Beaches-East York Councillor Davis is pursuing more arts funding for the theatre including additional money from the Toronto Arts
Council, through the city’s culture plan and possibly arts funding sourced through the new billboard tax.

While they are classified as an arts organization the core of the theatre’s work is anti-violence programs such as Drew’s Group. The theatre was approached in 2005 by Cheryl Stewart, mother of murdered 16-year-old Drew, to create a memorial arts performance with some of the teen’s friends.

“They do terrific programs and we need to find money to ensure their on-going success,” said Davis. “Young people involved in the programs have made personal statements about how these programs have changed their lives.”