Provincial Funding Supported Local Arts Event with $20,000 Grant

October 28, 2025

Experience Ontario Grant Helped Creemore Arts Festival Shine

October 28, 2025 – For Immediate Release

Creemore, ON – Brian Saunderson, Member of Provincial Parliament for Simcoe-Grey, is pleased to highlight that a 2025 Experience Ontario grant was awarded to the Purple Hills Arts and Heritage Society to support their Creemore Arts Festival.

This was part of a nearly $20-million investment in festivals and events across Ontario to help organizers expand programming and draw visitors to stay longer in local accommodations, eat in restaurants, shop at local retailers and support main street businesses.

“The Creemore Arts Festival was a wonderful celebration of creativity and community,” said MPP Saunderson. “This provincial support helped the festival highlight the incredible talent in our region and welcomed visitors to experience all that Clearview and Simcoe-Grey have to offer.”

“Festivals and events showcase the best of Ontario – its people and its culture – while inviting people near and far to experience and enjoy our province,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “They help create local jobs, provide economic benefits, and bring communities together. Now more than ever, it is important that we come together to take part in made-in-Ontario experiences that celebrate our collective identity and support local communities.”

In total, Experience Ontario 2025 supported more than 350 festivals and events across the province.

QUICK FACTS

Tourism plays a critical role in the Ontario economy, in 2023 visitors to Ontario spent $33 billion and supported more than 325,000 jobs.
Since 2021, the Ministry’s Experience Ontario program (formerly known as Reconnect Ontario and Celebrate Ontario) has supported over 2,000 Ontario festivals and events.
In 2024-25, the ministry invested more than $20 million to support more than 250 festivals and events around the province.
Festivals and events supported by Experience Ontario benefit communities by drawing more visitors who stay longer in local accommodations, eat in restaurants, shop at local retailers and support main street businesses.
The Experience Ontario 2025 application period launched on November 28, 2024, with direct outreach to over 4,000 stakeholders and closed on December 30, 2024. To get your festival or event on the contact list for Experience Ontario 2026, email experienceontario@ontario.ca
In 2024-25, our government invested over $192 million in the tourism sector through funding programs, Regional Tourism Organization grants, Destination Ontario, ministry attractions, and tourism agencies.