JazzFest in Victoria is the only festival on Vancouver Island with a national sponsor.
TD Bank Financial Group announced today that it will be assuming the role of title sponsor for the Victoria jazz festival, beginning in 2010 and running through to 2014. This sponsorship will elevate Victoria to the same league as the other major TD sponsored jazz festivals celebrated every summer in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Halifax, Saskatoon and the newly TD titled jazz festival in Winnipeg.
“This is a huge milestone for our jazz festival in Victoria. What was formerly known as JazzFest International will now be called the TD Victoria International JazzFest,” said Darryl Mar, Executive and Artistic Director of the Victoria Jazz Society. “TD is the leading sponsor of jazz festivals in Canada, and one of the biggest supporters of jazz music in the world,” Mar continued. “Their generous support today, I think, recognizes the quality of festival we’ve presented in Victoria over the last 25 years.”
Mar also said, “In this economic climate, funding for the arts has come under a great deal of pressure. TD’s title sponsorship today will help ensure our continued success. It means we can still afford to present large numbers of free concerts and workshop/clinics, utilize more venues and bring more major artists to Victoria. The next five years of our festival just received a fantastic boost! And, I would also like to announce that ten time Grammy winner, guitarist and vocalist George Benson will open the 2010 TD Victoria International JazzFest on Friday, June 25. Tickets for his performance at the Royal Theatre will go on sale on Friday, December 4, 2009”.
“We are thrilled to be playing a bigger role in Victoria beginning next year,” said Tara-Lynn Hughes, District Vice President, South Central Vancouver Island, TD Canada Trust. “TD has been supporting jazz across Canada for several years now and we have seen what music means to Canadians. It’s about culture, community and coming together to celebrate jazz. With an increased level of involvement beginning next year we will be able to bring even more to our local communities and audiences year after year.”
The TD Victoria International JazzFest will be celebrating its 26th anniversary June 25 – July 4, 2010. Last year over 40,000 music fans attended 91 performances by 582 regional, national and international artists across 13 different venues in downtown Victoria.