MagsCan projects among 14 cluster fund recipients

Fourteen Recipients of a total of $1.8 million in the first round of grants under Ontario's Entertainment and Creative Cluster Partnerships Fund were announced today.

Among them were two projects in which Magazines Canada is a partner:

• Web Weekend -- in which Magazines Canada is the lead partner, with Centennial College as the secondary partner in developing a series of two-day itensive digital training programs across Canada, specifically for magazine publishing professionals
• Ontario Cultural Portal Blueprint -- in which Magazines Canada is a secondary partner with the lead taken by the Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario to explore the feasibility of a web portal through which users could sample and shop for Canadian cultural content
  

For full details of the projects approved and the partners involved, go to the OMDC website.

The announcement was made by Hon. Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture and Kevin Shea, Chair of Ontario Media Development Corporation (OMDC).

"This fund demonstrates Ontario's commitment to supporting our vital entertainment and creative industries, which contribute over $6.7 billion annually to the province's economy and support 36,000 jobs," said Di Cocco. "These projects will help further establish Ontario's creative and entertainment industries as world leaders."

"The investment in Ontario's cultural industries is geared to creating growth in this important economic sector," said Shea. "These 14 initiatives represent more than 55 companies, institutions and organizations from Ontario's book and magazine, film and television, music and interactive digital media cluster." OMDC administers the fund on behalf of the Ministry of
Culture.

The three-year $7.5 million fund was launched in September 2006 to stimulate growth in Ontario's entertainment and creative industries by promoting capacity building, marketing innovation and skills development.