Province Announces Support to Celtic Colours

Celtic Colours is celebrating 20 years of music and culture this year, and government continues to invest in the festival’s success.

Nova Scotia committed $160,000 in 2016-17, bringing the total provincial investment in the festival to $880,800 over the past five years.

Celtic Colours is a significant success story in Nova Scotia’s culture sector.

Beginning in 1997 as a fall music festival, it is now one of Canada’s premiere tourism events, drawing tens of thousands of visitors from more than two dozen countries.

The celebration of culture brings economic benefits to Cape Breton through artist fees, accommodations, transportation, equipment and vehicle rentals, food and beverages, purchases from artisans, other retail purchases, gasoline and more. Between 2012 and 2015, Celtic Colours audiences spent $38 million in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotia’s cultural funding supports the growth of the cultural economy, which brings $949 million and 14,000 jobs to the province. Three Nova Scotians out of 100 work in the culture field.

Celtic Colours runs Oct. 7 to 15. Audiences will enjoy music, art, and Cape Breton culture and food in traditional community halls and performance and exhibition venues across the island. Many visitors also hike or cycle through Cape Breton’s spectacular scenery.

Details are available at celtic-colours.com.