AlgomaTrad Grows: Building a Year-Round Centre for Traditional Arts and Culture by Algoma Traditional Music and Dance Group

Thank you everybody. Our campaign is now over. ✕

AlgomaTrad Grows: Building a Year-Round Centre for Traditional Arts and Culture

Gallery (9)

$340,897 raised

114% of $300k goal

745 contributors

0 days left

Ended May 25, 2022

By Algoma Traditional Music and Dance Group

Verified organization Keep it all Richards Landing, ON, CA Report

OUR STORY

AlgomaTrad brings together master musicians, dancers, and craftspeople with people of all ages and abilities to experience joyful learning and sharing of traditional music, dance, and heritage arts. For 17 years, AlgomaTrad has rented venues for its dances, concerts, workshops, festivals, and annual Family Camp.

We have now secured a 50-acre site on St. Joseph Island, Ontario to create a permanent home. The infrastructure requires major upgrades, so we are raising funds to leverage conditional government funding to establish the long-envisioned, year-round AlgomaTrad Centre for traditional arts and culture.

NEXT STEPS

Raise $300k to leverage $2.5M confirmed and pending government funding
Finalize environmentally sustainable building designs
Establish a permaculture landscape
Expand educational programming and performances
Begin infrastructure construction
Provide community space for local events, weddings, and conferences

Concept sketch of four-season timber-frame performance hall

Concept Sketch of Four-Season Performance Hall

Sketch of dining hall with kitchen addition

Dining Hall with Kitchen Addition

YOUR DONATIONS

Every $1000 raised in this fundraiser will leverage about $9000 in pending government funding. The $3M infrastructure plan includes:

A new 4-season timber frame performance hall to replace the existing barn ($1.3M)
Renovation and winterization of the existing dining hall, including a new "workshop" kitchen and accessible washrooms ($1.5M)
Install a septic system, parking, and improve accessibility ($170k)
Establish a permaculture design/landscape ($80k)

Bird's eye view of current AlgomaTrad Centre

Photo of pavilion at dusk with people dancing in the pavilion

OUR HISTORY

2004 - Incorporated as a not-for-profit organization, and hosted the first AlgomaTrad Music, Dance and Heritage Arts Family camp, which continues as an annual event.

2005-2020 - Presented over 300 concerts, dances, classes, and festivals and partnered with local schools, municipalities, and arts organizations to offer diverse and accessible programs.

2016 - Acquired a 50-acre site on St. Joseph Island.

2018-2019 - Built a 30x60 pavilion with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, donations, volunteer, and in-kind support.

2020 – Initiated permaculture design and continued with environmental revitalization, including initial planting of thousands of native trees and shrubs.

FOUNDERS & ARTIST DIRECTORS

Founders and volunteer Artistic Directors, Julie Schryer and Pat O’Gorman are lifelong musicians and mentors steeped in the culture of traditional music. Supported by a Board and loyal volunteers, they are dedicated to building a multi-generational community through the celebration and sharing of music, dance, and heritage craft. The AlgomaTrad Centre will be a year-round home for this vision.

Founders and artistic directors of AlgomaTrad, Julie Schryer and Pat O'Gorman