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“It’s a really well-structured program. You
feel like you’re going on a journey and that
you’re being very well taken care of because
they’ve thought it through from beginning to
end,” Voaklander says.
ESP provides a unique space for
participating organizations to gain a practical
understanding of endowments and legacy
giving. “You’re in a room with a bunch of
your peers, and you have a chance to ask silly
questions — but the questions aren’t silly
because they’re part of learning, and the ECF
staff is so willing to share their knowledge.”
While most Edmontonians will know of
the Fringe Festival, which occurs for 11 days in
August, the Fringe Theatre runs year-round,
providing a home for local theatre artists
and hosting 500 artistic events at the Fringe
Theatre Arts Barns annually.
With the funding received from
endowments, Fringe Theatre supports their
artist awards programs. Voaklander considers
this a practical way to connect endowment
gifts directly with the art created in Edmonton.
One such initiative is the Mowat Diversity
Award, which breaks down barriers for artists
from underrepresented communities —
including Indigenous, Black, People of Colour
and 2SLGBTQIA+ artists.
“The award recipient receives a spot in the
Fringe Festival without having to pay (the)
festival fee, plus a cash award, and creative
mentorship,” Voaklander says. “Our artist this
year is a young filmmaker who will be staging
a theatre production for the first time.”
“We work on shoestring
budgets, and we work on really
tight timelines, and we do a lot
with a little.”
— Erin Voaklander
16 Together we thrive
Christine Lesiak, a past recipient of the Westbury Family
Fringe Theatre Award, says “As an artist, one’s always a little bit
precarious,” Lesiak says. “But things like the Westbury Award
really allow people to think bigger and have bigger visions.” With
this support, Lesiak was able to hire a larger team of technical
professionals, which elevated the scope and quality of her
theatrical production.
For many arts organizations, financial planning often proves
difficult due to the immediate demands of production. “We work
on shoestring budgets, and we work on really tight timelines, and
we do a lot with a little,” Voaklander says.
But ESP has been a vital reminder that thinking about the
future is just as important as handling the present.
“The program is a friendly reminder that you should be
cultivating your sustainability through things like endowment
giving and legacy giving,” Voaklander explains. “As you’re practically
moving through serving the mission of your charity, building for the
future has to be a part of that equation. Your service is a valuable
part of the community now and it needs to continue.”
Through ongoing participation in the program, Fringe Theatre
is solidifying its endowment strategy to ensure the Edmonton
Fringe Festival will continue to amplify artists’ voices and
illuminate stages for decades to come.
“I hope that every charity and not-for-profit organization in
Edmonton can have the chance to workshop their skills through
ESP,” Voaklander says. “And if they don’t have an endowment yet,
I hope they can work with ECF and their supporters to establish
one. Endowments are just like trees, the best time to plant a tree,
or establish an endowment fund, was fifty years ago, but the next
best time is today.”