Orchestras Canada’s National Meeting Task Force and the OC staff team have been hard at work, finalizing plans for this year’s National Orchestras Meeting, scheduled to take place in Winnipeg June 20-23.  We are happy to let you know that:

• Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life have agreed to sponsor simultaneous interpretation at this year’s conference.  Thank you!
• We’ve submitted many, many applications to foundations, corporations and our favourite arms-length federal arts agency for travel scholarships that we can re-grant to individuals who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend the meetings.  Our fingers (and toes) are crossed, and we will let you know as soon as we know the fate of these requests.
• To facilitate your travel, we’ve negotiated group travel discounts with both Air Canada and WestJet.  You can find the OC discount codes here.
• To ensure that you’re comfortably housed during your time in Winnipeg, we’ve negotiated a great room rate ($129/night, single or double) at the historic and lovely Fort Garry Hotel – and the rate includes a sumptuous breakfast.  For information on how to book your room, please click here.
• OC has established a partnership with Arts and Cultural Industries Manitoba, through which students at the UWinnipeg Arts & Cultural Management program will be volunteering at the meetings.  As well, ACI clients will be able to register to attend certain learning sessions – helping to build our earned revenue!
• To maximize your learning and networking experience, we continue to fine-tune the meeting program.  There will be lots of time for peer-to-peer exchange, and a concert or two, along with expert (and interactive) presentations on such topics as Working Better With Your Data, Collaborations with First Nations Communities, Turning First Timers into Life Timers, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Strengthening Board-CEO Relationships.  Check out presenter biographies and session descriptions here.
• We have uploaded a google map of Winnipeg onto the Winnipeg 2010 section of our website, highlighting key meeting locations.  You can find it here.
• On-line registration will open the first week of March.