The Manitoulin Conservatory for Creation and Performance (MCCP) is no more. We have voluntarily dissolved the corporation, we have closed the doors for good.
The MCCP, in all its manifestations, has been a tremendous success in spite of the traditional struggle to survive in the arts. We’ve had over 800 student participants, so many of them repeat attendees over the course of the 19 years our doors were open, and dozens more have worked on professional performance pieces at varying stages of creative development.
It’s a glorious miracle that we lasted that long but not a miracle accomplished by an unseen deity, although the Clown Gods did play a vital part. The real miracle was accomplished by an enormous number of dedicated creative individual students, teachers, assistants, and volunteers. Scholarships and bursaries to the amount of well over $100,000 through the years were facilitated through the generosity of individual donations and waved fees. Donated administrative and facility services also helped to keep costs down and our wonderful teachers often accepted renumeration far below their regular rates because of their devotion to the fine work being done in an amazing and fertile location.
Also, the undying support and encouragement of the most wonderful people of the Township of Burpee and Mills and the Manitoulin community at large should be recognized. We owe a great debt of gratitude to all our community neighbours.
However, in the end the property tax and insurance hikes, the lack of any government funding, the overwhelming administrative load, and the continuing pandemic forced our hands. Regrettably we have shut down the business and sold the farm.
We have decided to keep the website up for the time being as an archival record only.
John Turner is continuing to teach and coach clown and creativity online for now, and will be returning to “in-person” work when the world allows. In the meanwhile you can reach him at jturner@theclownfarm.com or through Facebook and Instagram.
Gordanach and the Clown Greeter waving goodbye to someone they love.