WHAT IS THE KIWANIS MUSIC FESTIVAL?

The Kiwanis Music Festival is an annual competitive event that provides an opportunity for hundreds of our area's music students to hone their skills, showcase their talents and gain confidence in their abilities through performance.  This event was established to nurture, encourage and support our youth in both their personal and artistic development.  The study of music is continually proven to be a stimulating and rewarding tool in the education process.

HISTORY OF THE FESTIVAL

The festival movement has flourished in Canada for over 100 years, since the first festival took place in Edmonton, Alberta in 1908.  Windsor followed by hosting its first festival in 1947 and today there are over 200 local festivals that take place each year in different parts of Canada where participating students have the opportunity to advance to Ontario's provincial level if they are successful.  Since 1998, the Windsor festival has been an independent corporation with a Board of Directors made up of members of the Kiwanis Club of Windsor and an Executive Committee. Both groups are volunteers as are the over 150 volunteers to contribute their time and skill to keep the festival alive.

Diversity and Inclusion Statement

At Kiwanis Music Festival Windsor-Essex County, a diverse, inclusive, and equitable organization is one where all participants, whatever their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual orientation or identity, physical appearance, education, or differing abilities, feel valued and respected. We are committed to a nondiscriminatory approach and provide equal opportunity for participation in all of our events. We respect and value diverse life experiences and heritages, and ensure that all voices are valued andheard.

We are committed to maintaining an inclusive environment with equitable treatment for all.

To provide an informed, and inclusive experience for all, Kiwanis Music Festival Windsor-Essex County strives to:

• see diversity, inclusion, and equity as connected to our mission and critical to ensure the well-being of our volunteers and participants,
• explore potential underlying, unquestioned assumptions that interfere with inclusiveness and advocate for and support board-level thinking about how systemic inequities impact our organization's work,
• practice and encourage transparent communication in allinteractions,
• lead with respect and tolerance. We expect all adjudicators, volunteers, and participants to conduct themselves in a respectful and inclusive manner.