Recently, MPP Paul Vickers was at the SweetWater Music Festival to formally congratulate the local group on the work it’s been doing since receiving a $29,000 seed grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in 2024. Since then, the organization has been busy creating SweetStrings, a new community strings ensemble designed for adult amateur musicians who want to explore or re-discover their love of music.
“Arts and culture help bring our communities together. The Sweetwater Music Festival’s Community Strings Ensemble will give people throughout our community a chance to learn, discover and enjoy music,” said Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers. “This investment through the Ontario Trillium Foundation will help create new opportunities and will continue to make Bruce-Grey-Owen-Sound an amazing place to live.”
SweetStrings will continue to help SweetWater expand its activities beyond its annual festival and bring high-quality musical experiences to communities across the region. By presenting concerts in smaller and under-served rural areas, the project will reduce geographic barriers to participation and create new opportunities for residents to experience live classical music close to home.
The ensemble will also strengthen connections among professional artists, community musicians, and local audiences. The OTF grant enabled SweetWater to develop and test this new programming model, build partnerships with venues and community organizations, and assess opportunities for the ensemble’s long-term sustainability.
“We are grateful to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for supporting this important new initiative,” said Natasha Bood, General Manager of SweetWater Music Festival. “SweetStrings has allowed us to share the excitement and connection of live classical music with more people throughout our region, particularly in rural communities where access to professional performances can be limited.”
SweetWater Music Festival’s vision is to offer music that inspires, challenges and connects. Based in Grey-Bruce, the organization presents classical, jazz, world and contemporary music while creating opportunities for education, community participation, and meaningful connections between artists and audiences. SweetWater is grateful for the ongoing support of its private donors, corporate partners, foundations, and public funders.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. In 2025-26, OTF invested nearly $107 million into 746 community projects. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
