With a loan and a new partnership, the Ottawa Folk Festival may be setting their sights on new venues in Centretown for their 2011 festival and beyond, said Bob Ledrew, a spokesman from the OFF.
“This arrangement puts us in a position, thanks to this loan, in which we can be bold in our approach to programming and to staging the event while we move forward,” said Ledrew in a news release.
The OFF has been struggling financially for some time now, and organizers announced Thursday that they’ve accepted a loan that will bail them out of debt, and help them move forward.
No final decision has been made on the new venue for the festival, but Ledrew said locations such as Confederation Park and Festival Plazaf are likely to be considered.
The OFF plans to use the loan to pay its entertainers and maintain its traditional programming principles. This includes money daytime shows and family activities.
The festival has also partnered with the Ottawa Blues Festival.
“Several new directors, who bring years of expertise from Bluesfest and other organizations, have been invited onto the Board,” Ledrew said in the release.
“Their contacts and knowledge of how to run a crowd-pleasing, successful festival will be invaluable.”
Ledrew said the OFF hopes to combine old principles with new musical acts to attract old and new members, while keeping its artistic integrity.