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Hot off the presses, approved by city council yesterday:

VANCOUVER FESTIVALS PARTNER WITH
CBC/RADIO-CANADA AND THE CITY OF VANCOUVER
TO CREATE THE VANCOUVER FESTIVAL CENTRE

Vancouver’s arts & culture community received a tremendous boost this week.

For three years the producers of three of the city’s most prestigious, popular and long-standing festivals—Vancouver International Jazz
Festival, Vancouver International Children’s Festival and Vancouver Folk Music Festival—have worked together towards the goal of a
shared facility to anchor their collective operations and deliver a host of benefits to the community at large, including festival fans and
artists.

We are thrilled to announce that our collective proposal for a Vancouver Festival Centre has been selected by CBC/Radio-Canada (we
have an agreement in principle and are now finalizing details) and approved by Vancouver City Council. This successfully
accomplishes CBC/Radio-Canada’s search for a community partner to occupy 8,500 square feet of Community Use Space in the
redevelopment of their Vancouver Production Centre at 700 Hamilton Street. Redevelopment plans also call for a 4,000 square foot
performance studio with an outdoor stage fronting Hamilton Street Plaza. This terrific space will contribute to Vancouver’s
entertainment district attracting diverse audiences for performances hosted not only by the three festivals and CBC/Radio-Canada, but
also by many of Vancouver’s renowned cultural and non-profit community organizations.

“The redevelopment of CBC/Radio-Canada’s facilities in Vancouver gives us the unique opportunity to make even stronger
connections with the community and to interact with the public on an ongoing basis,” said Ken Golemba, Project Manager for the
CBC/Radio-Canada Redevelopment Project. “The three festivals involved in this project are important members of our community.
Our partnership is very exciting because together we can reach out to the community in dynamic, new ways and really kick up the
animation of our block. We look forward to sharing our building.” For further redevelopment details go to
www.cbc.ca/bc/redevelopment

CBC/Radio-Canada’s renovated facilities will provide tremendous benefits for the citizens of Vancouver through the creation of a new
outdoor performance plaza, a multipurpose performance studio theatre and a festival centre. The Vancouver Festival Centre will create
a central festival box office, library, resource and information centre accessible to the community at large, provide a meeting place and
focal point for the local festival community, and deliver reliable and sustainable production facilities for Vancouver’s internationally
renowned Jazz, Children’s and Folk Music festivals.

The Coastal Jazz & Blues Society is very pleased to be part of this exciting project,” stated James Coverdale, Board President. “Along
with the other two festival societies and CBC/Radio-Canada, we are committed to the fulfillment of this project’s tremendous potential
for animating the downtown area with indoor and outdoor performances, public events, and educational programs that will greatly
enhance Vancouver’s urban environment as a part of the City’s Cultural Precinct. We appreciate the support of Vancouver City Council
and staff for this initiative and look forward to making it a vibrant reality.”

“The staff and Board at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival could not be more thrilled with the opportunity to join forces
with the Vancouver International Jazz Festival and the Vancouver Folk Music Festival as partners in this new facility,” said Board
Chair Connie Linder. Being chosen by CBC/Radio-Canada to be the community component in their redevelopment will provide our
three organizations with the ability to provide the community with expanded services and increased access to our collective expertise
and programming.”

“We believe there is great potential for animating a part of the downtown area with indoor and outdoor performances and public events,
and for synergy between our organizations that will arise with co-location of ancillary production and public participation facilities,”
remarked John Kidder, Board Chair, Vancouver Folk Music Festival.

All three festivals are not-for-profit professional arts organizations with strong, grassroots connections in the Lower Mainland. A
perfect example of this enduring bond is the overwhelming volunteer support each festival attracts. In excess of 3500 volunteers will
access the festival centre throughout the year. Building on an expanding cultural dynamic in the city, the Vancouver Festival Centre
will share benefits and add value to our community. This facility will provide a strong focus and stability for all three non-profit
societies. Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, the Canadian Institute of Arts for Young Audiences and the Vancouver Folk Music Society are
delighted that our vision for a shared festivals facility has been realized through the CBC/Radio-Canada Production Centre
redevelopment. The Festival Centre will enhance our ties to the community and strengthen the collective contribution of three great
festivals for many years to come.

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