Rae Announces Funding to Support the Local Arts Community

November 27, 2025

[Stratford, ON] – Matthew Rae, Member of Provincial Parliament for Perth-Wellington, announced that the Ontario government is providing Stratford’s Off the Wall (OTW) with $48,100 in funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Resilient Communities Fund.

“Our provincial government is proud to support a resilient and strong arts community in Stratford,” said MPP Rae. “Off the Wall has been a consistent training and development resource for local creatives and I’m glad to see that the $48,100 Resilient Communities Fund grant has helped support their continued efforts to provide lasting and strategic support to our local arts community.”

This critical investment supported OTW to upgrade its outreach and recruitment via modernized marketing and fundraising efforts that are attracting new participants and generating new revenue. From new graphic design and a re-configured website with fresh, fun content will encourage engagement and market OTW’s foundational programs. Enrolment in the new workshops and fall roster have already exceeded expectations.

“Whether it’s helping people learn new things, connect with their community, or simply have fun, organizations like Off the Wall provide services that make a difference,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “That’s why grant support through the Ontario Trillium Foundation is so important. This funding will help ensure it remains at the heart of the community for decades to come.”

“This OTF grant is transformative. At Off the Wall, we came to realize that we needed planned growth and more sophisticated marketing, programming and fundraising strategies,” said OTW Board Director, Michele Boniface. “Over the past 20 years our passionate volunteers have fueled our success, but we need to add professional staff and a more strategic response to changes in the marketplace so we can continue to train up the next generation of backstage professionals.”

With the assistance from the OTF, OTW has re-configured its current workshop roster to add new and shorter workshops, as a complement to core programming. Making their current programing more accessible and attractive to students and their busy schedules. The addition of a number of new board directors has also sharpened the organization’s attention on governance issues

Last year, OTF invested more than $110M into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.