Spotlight on RBC & Opera on the Avalon

Sheri Pardy, Tian Liao and Deborah Bowering from RBC present a cheque to Cheryl Hickman, General and Artistic Director of Opera on the Avalon, and Robin Whiffen, Manager of Artistic Operations.

Even though its only been around for the past eight years, the mark that Opera on the Avalon (OOTA) has made on the province's artistic and cultural community is indelible.

Committed to exposing audiences to world-class musical theatre, and honouring the province’s history and heritage through compelling and critically-acclaimed productions such as “Ours” (which commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel), the organization has helped reinforce the province’s position as a creative hub and artistic force to be reckoned with.

Of course, making up every artistic institution is a dedicated group of artists whose talent and skill lays the very foundation for its success - and OOTA is no exception. Since 2009, the organization has been providing opportunities to artists throughout the province, country and beyond, at all stages of their career. And thanks to a recent donation from RBC, more artists will have the chance to step up and into the spotlight.

The $5,000 donation was gifted under the RBC Foundation’s Emerging Artists Project and was made during a presentation on Signal Hill in St. John’s.

"The support from the RBC Emerging Artists Project allows Opera on the Avalon to provide unique opportunities to nurture and develop the early careers of some of Canada’s finest operatic talent, enabling them to develop into professional artists of the highest caliber,” says Cheryl Hickman, General and Artistic Director of OOTA.

In 2013, the RBC Foundation committed $6.7-million to arts and cultural organizations to support local, national and international initiatives. And in 2015, the Emerging Artists Project supported 3,249 artists via 169 organizations. This recent donation follows upon their commitment to invest in the places in which they live and work, making it not only an investment in OOTA, but in the business and the community at large.

"Supporting the arts is a long-standing priority of RBC - we recognize the important role they play in building vibrant communities and strong economies,” says Colin Krulicki, Regional Vice-President, RBC.

"We also recognize the struggle many artists go through to gain the recognition they need to become successful in their practice. This is the reason why the majority of our funding to the arts is through the RBC Emerging Artists Project, which helps artists bridge the gap from emerging to established, and supports organizations that provide the best opportunities to advance artists’ careers.”

Krulicki says while most of RBC’s funding is directed toward emerging artists, they also lend support to those projects that fall outside that category.

"Opera on the Avalon was a perfect example of this. We were proud to lend our name to their commemoration of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel and specifically through the Garden of Tears (the flowers for which were designed/produced by a local artist); the RBC School Tour, which helped educate students on this important part of Newfoundland and Labrador history and culture; and the Forget Me Not Gala.”