4th Line Theatre, with the support of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough, is honouring their 30th Anniversary with their first ever endowment fund, entitled “30 to the Future”. With thirty years of creative excellence behind them, this fund will help them prepare for the next thirty years.
Kim Blackwell, Managing Artistic Director of 4th Line Theatre explains, “We are so happy to be partnering with the Community Foundation on this exciting initiative. The monies donated to the 30 to the Future Fund will go directly towards supporting our unique youth programs which ensure there are no financial barriers to young people being involved at the theatre.”
Over the past thirty years, around 2,000 youth were given apprenticeships through 4th Line Theatre. This fund will assist in providing scholarships, apprenticeships and honorariums, as well as theatre and public speaking training for regional young people. Support of this endowment program would mean that 50% of the yearly costs associated with youth training will be covered for the next three decades. 4th Line Theatre plans to raise and invest at least $50,000 to support future generations.
Donations to 30 to the Future Fund are invested by the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough to grow the funds. Established in 2009, the Community Foundation has attracted more than $13 million in endowed and long-term funds and invested more than $5.5 million in projects that build community vitality. Grants are made yearly to 4th Line Theatre from the earnings.
“The Community Foundation is thrilled to partner with 4th Line Theatre,” says Jennifer DeBues, Executive Director of the Community Foundation. “We believe the theatre plays an essential role in our region in training the next generation of theatre technicians and artists and we’re happy to help with that by steering this fund for years to come.”
In the past thirty years, 4th Line Theatre put on 63 productions, hired over 10,000 artists and technicians, and provided opportunities for more than 5,000 volunteers. 4th Line has been home to hundreds of professional artists, creatives and volunteers. New plays have been created and produced; careers have been launched; and history has been made. Every donation builds the future of the arts in the Kawarthas, as 4th Line Theatre continues to produce new, epic, live productions for the next thirty years.