Hundreds of people have signed the National Acadian Society’s petition asking the federal government to permanently reinstate its “Celebrate Canada” fund in support of Acadian Day events across the country.
Since 2019, Acadian Day festivals have benefitted from the fund overseen by Canadian Heritage.
It consisted of $500,000 total each year, half of which was allocated to Radio-Canada’s televised broadcast.
The remaining $250,000 was split up among community organizers of Acadian Day festivities.
It has not been officially renewed for 2024.
Éric Cormier, director of the Acadie Rock festival in Moncton, said that funding was a “gamechanger” that allowed the festival to grow.
“I think the funding is really important. It’s been helping festivals like us and a lot of festivals do extra to mark the Acadian Day celebrations,” he told Global News on Monday.
Cormier said the funding allowed the festival to employ 80 Acadian artists during the pandemic.
The Acadie Rock main stage show on Aug. 15 brings in between 7,000 and 10,000 spectators annually.
The “Celebrate Canada” funding was granted to Acadian Day festivities on two three-year terms.
In an interview, National Acadian Society executive director Véronique Mallet said that since Acadian Day has been nationally recognized since 2003, she thinks it should receive the same permanent funding other holidays do .
“There’s federal funding available for St-Jean-Baptiste day in Quebec. For Canada Day, for First Nations Day, for Canadian Multiculturalism Day which isn’t being questioned every three years. We’re hoping for the same thing,” she said.
In an emailed statement, a representative for the Minister of Official Languages told Global News the government “was exploring the possibility” of renewing the funding for 2024.
Mallet said organizers need to know if they have access to the funding as soon as possible.
“Aug. 15, starts being organized on Aug. 16 and so for next year’s celebrations, we need a confirmation quickly to be able to start planning,” she said.
She said while larger festivals like Acadie Rock and Caraquet’s Festival Acadien would be able to run regardless, smaller festivals might not be able to secure private or municipal funding without the federal funds.
The World Acadian Congress, an event held every five years, will be held from Aug. 10th to 18th in Nova Scotia in 2024.
Mallet said this meant Acadian artists would be highly solicited, meaning if smaller festivals had a delay in being able to book artists, they may come up short.
“For communities all across the country to be able to book artists and confirm, it’s going to be very hard for them if they only receive confirmation of the funding say, in the spring when the budget comes out,” Mallet said.
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