Officials with a popular festival that has been entertaining children for decades have cancelled the 2019, and all future, editions of the event.
On Thursday, the Calgary International Children’s Festival announced the event’s demise as well as the decision to dissolve the society.
According to organizers, the decision to end the festival that had run for 32 years was in response to economic challenges that left them unable to organize an event ‘that meets the high artistic standards and quality of community outreach that audiences and funders expect and deserve’.
“We would especially like to thank our audience – the thousands of children, parents, grandparents, caregivers and teachers – who have seen our shows and visited our outdoor site over the years,” said Board Chair Carri Clarke in a statement released July 26. “The arts will always be an important part of all children’s education and we hope that the cancellation of the festival will prompt other current and future arts presenters to provide these experiences to children in Calgary.”
“Thank you Calgary for 32 wonderful years.”
Ticket sales account for only 10 per cent of the festival’s total revenues and the board of directors had no desire to raise prices to the detriment of schools and young families.
