There was no uproar this time. Drake’s Toronto-based hip-hop festival OVO Fest received $300,000 last year from Canada’s Ontario government but this year their grant application was denied, Billboard has learned.
“Celebrate Ontario is a competitive program with eligibility requirements and funding is allocated based on pre-determined criteria outlined in the Celebrate Ontario 2015 Application Guide. Based on this criteria, OVO Fest didn’t qualify this year,” Blane McPhail, press secretary to Honorable Michael Coteau, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, told Billboard in an email.
The provincial government assigned $19 million in Celebrate Ontario grants for 2015.
“Through the Celebrate Ontario 2015 program, the province is helping 270 festivals and events, the highest number in the history of the program, celebrate Ontario’s diversity, heritage and culture,” the press announcement reads. “This support will help organizers enhance programming and services, attract new audiences and create jobs in the tourism sector.”
OVO Fest — which takes place this year Aug. 2-3 at Molson Canadian Amphitheatre and quickly sold out — is welcome to apply again for 2016 and even receive feedback on where they fell short in their 2015 application. “We would encourage OVO Fest’s organizers to reach out to the ministry and apply again next year,” said McPhail.
Last year, while dozens of festivals and events from rib fests and dragon boats to a range of music genres received funding from Celebrate Ontario, the OVO Fest award raised ire. The ticketed OVO Fest — a Live Nation event that in the past has included surprise guests Kanye West, Stevie Wonder, Jay Z, Eminem, Snoop Dogg (performing as Snoop Lion) and Nicki Minaj — sells out the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre every year. So why can’t the rap star fund his own festival?
The answer Billboard discovered from former Minister Michael Chan was a community and charity component.
“According to OVO Fest, this year’s enhanced programs will lead to long-term improvements and an expected increase of over 15,000 in attendance,” Chan told Billboard. “OVO Fest anticipates that the event will grow in attendance from 16,000 in 2013 to 32,000 in 2014, to 60,000 by 2015.
“Part of OVO Fest’s enhancement proposal includes a basketball tournament — which organizers anticipate will draw 5000 people — a two-day beach party and the OVO Celebrity Panel Summit, to be held at locations other than the concert venue. The OVO Celebrity Panel Summit is partnering with The Remix Project — a Toronto based charity that provides creative educational programs, facilitators and facilities to youth from underserved communities.”
However, Drake’s label OVO Sound did receive $45,000 in provincial funding from the Ontario Music Fund, along with many other music companies, including festivals. [Billboard]
