Foster Festival in the Community
We are deeply invested in our community here in St Catharines and Niagara. Find out more about the Foster Festival community outreach programs below.
We believe that everyone deserves to have access to the arts and feel welcome at The Foster Festival – this is our Commitment to Community.
Local Hero Program
The Foster Festival believes that through the communal experience of live arts we can offer not only an afternoon or evening’s entertainment but also a great sense of wellbeing, uplifting the spirits of all who attend. Shared laughter is a balm for the soul.
The Foster Festival has joined with Bethlehem Housing and Support Services, Walker Family Cancer Centre, Pelham Cares, Community Living St. Catharines, and Project Share to make seats available to their clients for all our productions. A donation or sponsorship to our Local Hero Program ensures complimentary tickets are made available to our partner agencies to distribute to their clientele. With increasing support, we plan to expand our program to include transportation to and from our partner agencies to our shows.
We want to thank our current 2023 Local Hero Sponsors including Lead Local Hero Sponsor Meridian Credit Union, plus program sponsors Protomanni and Associates (St. Catharines), Hypnotic Hair Lounge (NOTL), Jane Elliot and Ballet Etc (Fonthill and St. Catharines) and the Old Firehall Restaurant (St Davids).
To make a donation to the program, or for more information on how to become a sponsor, click the button below.
Emerging Arts Worker Program
Emerging Arts Workers and Post-Secondary Dramatic Arts Students are given the opportunity to be mentored by one of The Foster Festival’s Senior Artists or Technicians, giving program participants their first professional experience in theatre. These experiential learning opportunities and skills gained through the program, help the emerging artists find the confidence to advance their careers in theatre. Program participants have often secured full-time, technical positions within the Festival itself or in other professional theatres upon program completion.
In 2023, the Festival will be seeking funding opportunities to expand this program to include mentorship opportunities for emerging directors, playwrights, and designers.
Arts Educational Series
NEW in 2023! The Foster Festival is developing a year-round arts educational series where students and youth will be able to participate in free arts educational workshops and talkbacks covering a variety of artistic disciplines and topics. Workshops will be presented by professional artists within The Foster Festival Company. The goal of the program is to introduce youth to all facets of theatre and demonstrate that a career in the theatre is attainable and sustainable. There are a myriad of arts positions to choose from including positions that are onstage, behind-the-scenes, in the construction shop, and in the administrative office.
