Mississauga, ON – August 16, 2025
On Saturday, August 16, 2025, local MPP Rudy Cuzzetto joined Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) at their members’ event, SAH: The Launch, to formally announce a $557,500 Grow grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) that it received earlier this year. This significant investment will support MAC’s impactful work to promote local artists and expand audiences through their artist-driven platform, SaugaArtsHUB.com (SAH).
”I’m proud to see the Mississauga Arts Council receive this transformational $557,500 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant,” said Rudy Cuzzetto, MPP for Mississauga-Lakeshore. “This investment will strengthen our arts community and inspire creativity across Mississauga.”
The three-year grant will fund two full-time staff positions to manage and grow SAH, Mississauga’s only free, dedicated online space for local artists to connect with local audiences. With a searchable artist directory and a comprehensive events calendar, SAH makes it easy for residents to discover and engage with the city’s vibrant creative scene. In a city with limited local media coverage, the platform offers a vital solution for artists to share their work and promote their events directly.
“I am delighted that our government, through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, is supporting Mississauga Arts Council’s vital mission to keep the arts alive in our city,” said Natalia Kusendova-Bashta, MPP for Mississauga Centre. “By broadening the reach of local talent and uplifting diverse voices, MAC continues to enrich our city as an inclusive place to live, work, and play.”
MAC has welcomed two new team members who are already actively connecting with local artists and community members. MAC’s Community Outreach and Production Manager, is leading the project by building strong relationships with key stakeholders to support the growth and success of SAH. MAC’s Arts Reporter and Content Creator, is focused on creating engaging, artist-driven content to keep the platform fresh, dynamic, and relevant.
“During the pandemic, we saw artists struggle to get online and keep up with changing trends, so we created a solution: SaugaArtsHUB.com,” said MAC’s Executive Director, Mike Douglas. “Since then, the site has grown tremendously, and a relaunch in 2025 is aimed towards growing audiences and fostering community engagement for the artist-driven web platform. This transformational three-year support from OTF is a game-changer for MAC, allowing us to reach more Mississauga residents and build lasting support for the local arts community.”
As part of MAC’s ongoing mission to build a thriving arts economy – by creating opportunities for artists, connecting them with audiences and each other, and celebrating their achievements – SAH was launched in 2021 to empower and amplify the city’s creative community. SAH is Mississauga’s go-to online platform for arts and entertainment, offering a searchable artist directory, up-to-date event listings, and rich local arts content. By connecting residents and visitors to the city’s vibrant cultural scene, SAH reflects the diversity of Mississauga while supporting the growth and visibility of its artistic talent.
SaugaArtsHUB.com (SAH) is a Mississauga arts and entertainment web platform informing the public about local events, sharing local artist stories, and identifying organizations/businesses in Mississauga that are arts supporters. SAH features a searchable directory of artist profiles, a comprehensive events calendar, and hundreds of news stories, articles, videos, and more. Founded in 2021 by MAC, SaugaArtsHUB.com aims to provide a platform for professional artists in Mississauga to engage with the community. Learn more: saugaartshub.com
Mississauga Arts Council (MAC) is dedicated to enabling the growth of the arts by creating opportunities and connections between artists and residents in Mississauga and beyond. Now in our 43rd year, MAC is a registered charity, providing service-based programming to artists, promoting artists in Mississauga, and growing awareness of the arts in our city to help build a vibrant thriving cultural community. Learn more: macarts.ca
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. 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. Learn more: otf.ca
Organization Contact for Media Inquiries:
Sherri Parliament, Communications Manager
Mississauga Arts Council
sherri@macarts.ca
Thank you to The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF)
