BEHIND EVERY PERFORMANCE STANDS A COMMUNITY. (PART 1)
Hello Stratford Summer Music Fans,
2025 was quite a year! Did you know that Stratford Summer Music was officially incorporated as The Stratford Arts Foundation on November 14, 2000? That means our 25th birthday is right around the corner!
Being an established arts organization with such a history is quite an achievement. It takes support, dedication, passion, and drive on so many levels. I said it last year, and I’ll say it again: I consider myself extremely lucky to live in a country where I can work and earn a living in the arts. Every day I have the privilege of collaborating with people who share a deep belief in the power of the arts to bring people together and to showcase the best of humanity.
The critical support we receive from government agencies and foundations is essential in helping us continue to bring the very best of the world’s music to Stratford.
We would like to extend a huge thank you to the following government agencies and foundations for their generous support and for all they do to contribute to not only Stratford Summer Music’s ongoing success, but the success of the arts in our country, province, region, and city.
Did you know that we’re much more than just a music festival? At Stratford Summer Music, we believe deeply in the value that music brings to people’s lives. Education is one of our core beliefs, and we’re committed to creating meaningful learning opportunities right here in our community.
Each summer we offer both a Jazz Academy and a Vocal Academy— and this coming season, we’re thrilled to be adding a third academy. Stay tuned for that exciting announcement!
We’ve also made a strong commitment to expanding our family programming. Last summer, we introduced three Saturday morning performances at 10 a.m. (scheduled to avoid the midday heat, lunchtime, and nap time) offering FREE opportunities for families and audiences of all ages to enjoy world-class music together. These performances are designed especially for our youngest listeners, who will become the audiences of tomorrow. We’re delighted to share that this series is set to continue into the summer of 2026.
In order to keep these and all our favourite programs thriving, last week our Artistic Director, Mark Fewer generously announced that he is contributing $12,500 of his own salary to Stratford Summer Music to create a Fall Fundraising Match Campaign.
Since then, we’ve already raised 46% of our goal! Your support can help us reach the finish line. Every dollar donated this fall will be matched, up to $12,500, doubling the impact of your gift. This helps us continue to bring exceptional music, inspiring educational opportunities, and meaningful community programs to Stratford.
Please consider donating to Stratford Summer Music today and help us keep the music playing all year long.
Donations to this year’s matching campaign can be made by:
Donate online using our new donation software at: www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/making-the-music-happen
Call our office at 519-271-2101 Ext. 2
Mail a cheque to:
Stratford Summer Music
PO Box 1013
Stratford, Ontario N5A 6W4Send an e-transfer to our Executive Director, Crystal L. Spicer at cspicer@stratfordsummermusic.ca
Donate securities and mutual funds through CanadaHelps at www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/stratford-summer-music
Look forward to next week’s E-blast as we continue to celebrate the community that makes it possible for us to bring our programming to life. Every performance needs a community, and we’re so grateful to call you ours.
Crystal and the SSM Team
