Manitoba 150

histoire ustboniface.ca Une histoire riche et passionnante. Un avenir lumineux. A rich and passionate history. A bright future. avenir Most geo-political anniver- saries are punctuated by cake and fireworks. Manitoba 150 is not most anniversaries. O f course, there will be fire- works to celebrate Mani- toba becoming a province 150 years ago in 1870, but orga- nizers want to leave a legacy that lasts longer than a few — albeit exciting — minutes. Through Build 150, the Manitoba 150 Host Committee's idea of cel- ebration is to leave a lasting legacy for future Manitobans. Build 150 will fund brick-and-mortar projects throughout Manitoba. To have a truly province-wide impact, the program runs in con- junction with 55 community foun- dations across the province. Manitoba 150 has made up to $1.22 million in grant-matching funds available to those founda- tions. Endow Manitoba, an initia- tive of The Winnipeg Foundation, is matching that money to bring the total amount of funding invest- ment to $2.5 million. Here's how it works: Applicants can submit their ideas for infra- structure or brick-and-mortar projects to their local community foundation. Each foundation will decide which projects to fund and set their own application dead- lines. For each successful appli- cation, foundations will receive matching grants from Build 150 ranging from $5,000 to $300,000. Most of the community founda- tions are already accepting appli- cations and are expected to make funding announcements within the next three to six months. It's only fitting that James Richardson & Sons, Limited and Affiliated Companies (JRSL), is a major donor to Build 150 — it has provided $500,000 to the cause — considering the family-owned business has had operations in Manitoba since the late 1800s. "More than anything, we're hope- ful and we anticipate the program will have a lasting impact in Manito- ba and leave a lasting legacy in the province," said Dan Hursh, a direc- tor of JRSL and a sixth-generation member of the team. "Our family business has long be- lieved in giving back and support- ing the communities in which we live and do business. We've seen the benefit that doing so can have on the community and its residents. Helping provide infrastructure and amenities and tying it to something tangible that's left behind in com- munities, that's where we feel it can have a real impact." JRSL was founded by James Richardson in 1857. The compa- ny started out in grain mer- chandising and has grown its operations to encompass oil and gas, real estate, agri- culture and financial ser- vices. It employs more than 2,500 employees throughout Canada and the U.S., many of them in Manitoba. Endow Manitoba is co-ordinating and managing the com- munity applications. Director Alan Goddard said the goal is to cre- ate lasting legacy proj- ects that recognize the province's anniversary in a way that leverages the good work that's being done on a regular basis by the 55 foundations. Every year, they provide more than $55 million in grants and other support to the province's chari- table sector. "It was critical for us to keep the decision-making power within the community foundations. Ultimately, they represent and understand their community's in- terests far better than we could," he said. Manitoba 150 and The Winnipeg Foundation agreed to make the funding available across Manitoba in as equitable and fair a way as possible. For ex- ample, The Winnipeg Foundation took less than one-quarter of the total while the remaining funds were distributed across the 54 community foundations outside of Winnipeg. To avoid creating extra bureaucracy, the Build 150 funds are being integrated into the ex- isting granting process. Larger centres, such as Bran- don, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk and Dauphin, which have been building up foundation resources for many years, are expected to be able to grant more than $100,000 back into their communities as part of the anniversary celebrations. So, what's going to get built? Decisions still have to be made but Goddard said he has heard everything from beautification projects for small parks and build- ing playgrounds to support for mountain bike trails and Indig- enous art projects. LASTING LEGACY Building a BY GEOFF KIRBYSON James Armstrong Richardson (left, c.1925) is one of many generations of the family and company (James Richardson & Sons, Limited and Affiliated Companies) dedi- cated to our community in Manitoba. Build 150 will support a wide range of projects involving art, culture and recreation. Build 150 will fund brick-and-mortar projects throughout Manitoba. 10 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2019 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES; GABRIELLE TOUCHETTE; RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES HIGHLIGHT YOUR COMMUNITY'S BEAUTY Whether it's an entire building wrapped in a Star Blanket in Brandon or a life-sized mural of a rustic scene on a wall in Boissevain, our province is home to a variety of vibrant murals that connect commu- nity members through acces- sible, public art. I t seems no matter where you travel in Manitoba, there is more than just natural beauty to drink in. Now, thanks to Mural 150, an initia- tive supported by CWB National Leasing, and in partnership with Wall- to-Wall Rural Mural Tour, communities across the province can apply for the chance to receive a $10,000 subsidy toward the creation of a contempo- rary, public-facing work of art. "My hope for Mural 150 is to provide access to public works of art in rural communities where they may not oth- erwise exist," said Michael Dubowec, President and CEO of CWB National Leasing. "Families from these towns can gaze upon the bright colours and be proud they are from Manitoba. Be inspired to engage in their communi- ties in a positive way. And years from now look back on the mural and think, 'Manitoba 150 — what a celebration!'" Community pride is a big factor be- hind CWB National Leasing's support. "Manitoba is home and being proud of where you come from is essential in living a positive life. On the eve of our anniversary, Manitobans are at our highest peak — Grey Cup champions, a competitive NHL team, vibrant arts and cultural activities year round, expanding infrastructure, award winning tourist destination, diversified economy… just to name a few! Manitoba 150 — and Mural 150 — gives everyone an outlet to celebrate," said Dubowec. Through Mural 150, up to five com- munities will be selected by a jury composed of Synonym Art Consulta- tion's team and guest curators. Synonym Art Consultation is a curatorial collective of artists that oversees the Wall-to-Wall Rural Mural Tour. They are dedicated to providing a forum for local artists to find their voice through vibrant, inspirational, socially-conscious art. Along with promoting the creation of new art, the Tour incorporates cultural program- ming elements to promote art, dance, music and other creative channels. "Through Wall-to-Wall, we strive to provide contemporary public art that is accessible and inspiring," said Andrew Eastman, co-director and co- curator of Synonym Art Consultation and Wall-to-Wall. "We're excited to see and hear the impact these mu- rals will have in each community, and uplift the youth to demonstrate that a career in the arts is achievable." This dedication to telling a commu- nity's rich and diverse story through art is part of what interested CWB Na- tional Leasing to support Mural 150. "It's so easy to be a proud Mani- toban. It revolves around our culture of caring for our community. We don't live in an easy climate for a few months in the year, so we sup- port each other during blizzards or in the spring with flooding or when our farmers are struggling with their crops. We constantly illustrate with our actions how much we care," said Dubowec, who understands that ap- preciation of public art is a sign of a strong community. Mural 150 is an exciting way for five communities across the province to be a source of inspiration to Manitoba artists and tell their story in a unique visual way. Submissions are open until Jan. 31, 2020 at manitoba150.com. Mural installations will take place over the summer of 2020! SYNONYM ART CONSULTATION RICHARDSON ARCHIVES

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