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Actor's Fund of Canada

Gateway Theatre Hosts Special Performance to Support the Fund

Dec 27, 2007 Coral Andrews

Wouldn't It Be Loverly if actors and other theatre professions always knew the show would go on? The Actor's Fund of Canada helps creative professionals in need.

Many believe that working in the arts industry is fun and prosperous. But that’s not always the case. It's often an uphill struggle, many artists living from pay cheque to pay cheque. To quote William Shakespeare, “All that glitters is not gold.” The Gateway Theatre presented a special performance of My Fair Lady to benefit the Actors’ Fund of Canada on Thursday December 27, 2007.

A career in the entertainment industry may seem like a dream come true. The truth is that many people who are working today may have to wait weeks – or months – before landing their next job. For entertainment workers and their families whose finances are already stretched to the limit, an illness, injury or other setback can have devastating consequences.

The Actors’ Fund is Canada’s entertainment industry emergency fund that provides short-term financial aid to professionals performing or working behind the scenes in theatre,film and television, music or dance.

Since 1958, The Actors’ Fund of Canada has provided emergency financial aid to over 10,000 actors, playwrights, directors, technicians, dancers, musicians and other entertainment industry workers. The Fund can intervene with a rent cheque, grocery money, a utility payment or other aid that can make the difference between survival and destitution. The Fund provides a lifeline for artists who need it now so that they may continue to produce work for audiences to enjoy in the future.

Gateway Theatre Artistic and Executive Director Simon Johnston says, "Gateway is proud to participate in the Actors' Fund. We have built our successes on the shoulders of so many talented artists who have come before. We see our donation as part of our ongoing responsibility to honour and support our colleagues."

Says Actors’ Fund Executive Director David Hope, “The Actors’ Fund of Canada celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2008, and will take its place among the most connected, respected and supported charities serving members of Canada’s entertainment industry with a year-long awareness and fundraising campaign. We applaud Gateway Theatre for its terrific participation in this community effort.”

The Actors' Fund is a registered charity, receives no government funding and is wholly sustained by support from individuals and entertainment industry organizations. Performers, creators, technical staff and other production team members can apply for help from the Fund, which delivers over $400,000 in assistance to clients annually and has provided over $3 million in emergency financial aid in the last 10 years.

The copyright of the article Actor's Fund of Canada in Playwrights & Stage Actors is owned by Coral Andrews. Permission to republish Actor's Fund of Canada in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.