2024 NFCDF Fund Recipients

The City of Niagara Falls Culture Committee has selected eleven new recipients to receive funding from the Niagara Falls Cultural Development Fund, created in 2016. The cultural initiatives, innovative programs, and projects have been selected based on their high-quality community engagement and accessible, cultural, and heritage-related ideas, celebrating Niagara Falls' history, people, and identity. They will be delivered throughout the year at various locations and events around the City.

Congratulations to the following 2024 recipients: 
 

Full Grants

The level of funding allocated to one project may be up to $10,000. 

Carry Me Home   

• What: A collaborative community recording project and live concert album release event celebrating and featuring Niagara songwriters, musicians, and venues.
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

Halloween on Queen

• What: A Niagara Falls event featuring inflatables, a witchcraft market, drumming, psychic readings, kids' activities, a movie, pumpkin carving, live music and more.
• When: Downtown, October 2024
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

Lucky's Lens Documentary

• What: To share Niagara's Culture and Historic events from the archives of local filmmaker and businessman Fortunato "Lucky" Stracuzzi since his immigration in 1968.
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

Niagara Fiesta Extravaganza  

• What: Niagara Fiesta Extravaganza is the biggest cultural festival in Niagara Falls, attended by thousands during the two-day free public event.  
• When: Firemen's Park, August 3 & 4
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

Nikola Tesla Day International Festival

• What: Festival dedicated to honoring the life and contributions of Nikola Tesla. The primary goal of this festival is to commemorate Tesla's extraordinary legacy and inspire the next generation of inventors, scientists, and innovators.
• When: Queen Victoria Park, July 2024
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

Songs Of The Heart

• What: Live concert supporting wellness focused on showcasing adolescent, adult, and young adult entertainers and songwriters with lived experience and expertise within the 2SLGBTQI+ community.
• When: Firehall Theatre, Summer 2024
• Amount Funded: $9,260.25

#FunklecticAV featuring Cut Chemist (LA) DJ Macualte (San Fran), DJ Tanner (Niagara, Canada)

• What: FunklecticAV: Bringing in world-class DJs to help elevate the local DJ culture and provide a fun event where everyone can enjoy the love, dancing, singing, unique video edits and visuals.
• When: Niagara Falls Exchange, May 11
• Amount Funded: $8,438.50

Forest Captain

• What: A comedy mini-series following the trials and tribulations of the Heartland Forest Rangers as they work to conserve and protect their habitat.
• Amount Funded: $3,000.00
   

Micro Grants

$1,000 "micro-grants" offer a simplified and introductory possibility for individuals or groups looking to complete smaller projects.

2SLGBTQIA+ Newcomer Improv

• What: Connecting 2SLGBTQIA+ Newcomers to each other and Niagara through sharing improv skills to reduce isolation, build social & cultural capacity, and foster a sense of belonging.
• When: Niagara Falls Public Library Victoria Avenue Branch, April through to July
• Amount Funded: $1,000

Music Videos by Marinko Jareb

• What: Creating a series of 5 music videos in Niagara Falls to be published and shared on a wide variety of social media platforms.
• Amount Funded: $1,000

Throwback! A Totally 90s Experience!

• What: This will be a night of iconic music from the 90s. Featuring two huge albums from the 90s in their entirety. Weezer's Blue album and Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill but it's not just a bland representation of these great albums. We will add depth to the experience by using theatrical elements such as costumes, props, and dramatic flair to really bring the nostalgic elements of this music. Our goal is to create a fun and memorable night but also an experience.
• Amount Funded: $1,000
   

About the Niagara Falls Cultural Development Fund (NFCDF)
The NFCDF is an annual fund for local projects between March and February. Project proposals can range from exhibitions to events, walking tours, workshops, panel discussions, lectures, public programs, art installations, project or concept development, heritage-related ideas, community celebrations, interactive experiences and performances. Participatory and co-created projects and collaborative partnerships between organizations, collectives and individuals are encouraged.