By Pepper Parr
August 11th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Does anybody know how many people attended the Sound of Music (SoM) last June?
Not a word from the SoM folks. Nothing from the city either
We now know a little bit more on what takes place on their financing.
The Mayor issued the following earlier today.
No idea why the Mayor issued the statement. No mention of whether the loan has been repaid or when repayment is due.
There is a lot more than the above when it comes to what the SoM people bring in in terms of sponsorships and revenue and what it spends for the talent that appears on the stages.
The not-for-profit sector is not required to produce financial statements.
A large part of their operational costs are things they have to pay the city to provide – they also have to pay the Police service a considerable amount.
Dealing with artistic talent is not easy – SoM has not always had the kind of talent needed to mange artists.
The graphic said more than it was supposed to.
Their relationship with Burlington Performing Arts held some promise; the Executive Director who got the two (BPAC and SoM) together had dep rooted experience she could draw on.
Her abrupt departure as Executive Director brought that to an end – nevertheless, BPAC still describes itself as the sponsor of SoM without defining just what that sponship entails.
The Performing Arts Chair is a former band player who has always been close to SoM. He has yet to make himself available for an interview.
No idea what possessed the Mayor to issue the statement.
In a recent comment, I stated that there had been no announcement about new members appointed to the Burlington Performing Arts Centre Board. I have since learned that an announcement was in fact made on June 26, 2025, introducing the new directors.
I apologize for the oversight and any confusion my earlier comment may have caused. My intention was to encourage transparency in board appointments, and I appreciate that BPAC did share this information publicly. That said, I still believe these announcements should be easier to find and more widely shared so the community can stay informed and engaged in the process.
Perhaps this is about more than the Sound of Music !!!!
The Burlington Performing Arts Centre recently held a call for applications for its Board of Directors, a governance role that also OVERSEES the Sound of Music Festival and it’s finances.
This was a significant opportunity, and I understand there were many applicants. However, the public has not been told:
How many people applied.
Whether interviews were conducted and when.
What criteria were used to choose successful candidates.
Who has been appointed to these positions.
Given the importance of this board to Burlington’s arts and cultural life — and the fact that it plays a hand in one of the city’s largest free festivals — residents deserve transparency on how these leadership roles are filled.
The City ( MMW) and BPAC should confirm the details of the process and publish the names of the new board members if some were appointed.
I understand even the applicants who apparently were not successful in this endeavour, have not been informed of the results. Is this another “entitled” group who operate immune from accountability and fly under the radar and only adheres to the MMW philosophy of DENY – DEFLECT – DEFEND – DIFFUSE ??
Apparently they do have some accountability — but mostly to themselves, their members, and to City Hall if the city chooses to enforce it. In practice, that means the public often gets only the information the board chooses to release, unless media or community pressure forces more openness.
The Gazette should dig a little deeper on this one.
Have a feeling that the Mayor’s statement has come out before the report comes from the Sound of Music as a way of letting us know that the Festival was not really successful this year.
“annual support totals $375,000- comprised of a $150,000 grant
and a $225,000 repayable loan.” Let’s not forget they came to council this year saying that they needed more money.
The sound of music could not fully pay back the loan the city gave it for the 2024 festival and I question if they will be able to pay that plus what was loaned to them for this years festival.
It is no longer the largest free music festival and hasn’t been for a few years. There were some ticket prices required to listen to some bands.
Times change, perhaps this festival has run its course.