New investment supports local storytellers, artists and cultural programming
News August 27, 2026
WHITBY – The Ontario Government is investing in Whitby to support local artists and strengthen Ontario’s vibrant cultural sector. Natural Born Tellers will receive $11,460 through the Ontario Arts Council, an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. This funding is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by supporting workers, businesses, and communities in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty.
“Ontario’s arts and culture sector helps strengthen communities, preserve diverse voices and create opportunities for local talent to thrive,” said Lorne Coe, MPP for Whitby and Parliamentary Assistant to the Ministers of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security, and Children, Community and Social Services. “This investment in Natural Born Tellers will help expand storytelling opportunities, support emerging Black
storytellers and ensure Whitby continues to be a place where creativity and culture can
flourish.”
“This funding allows Natural Born Tellers to invest directly in the next generation of Black storytellers, giving them mentorship, community placements and grounding in Afrocentric storytelling methods through our OSP framework,” said Debra Baptiste Executive Director, Natural Born Tellers. “Partnering with existing cultural organizations like the Infarada Institute for Excellence, and professional storytellers like Kesha Christie, we’re able to bring storytelling programming directly into communities across Durham Region. We are deeply grateful to the Ontario Arts Council and MPP Lorne Coe for recognizing the power of story to build community and open doors for emerging voices.”
This grant is being awarded through the Ontario Arts Council’s Literary Organizations Projects program. In Whitby, this funding will enable Natural Born Tellers to develop and pilot resources for Black storytellers in Ontario through mentorship, community placements and Afrocentric storytelling methods rooted in the organization’s OSP resource framework.
Quotes
“Stories have the power to preserve history, strengthen identity, and create meaningful connections across generations. It’s an honour to work alongside Natural Born Tellers, helping community elders discover, shape, and share the stories that deserve to be heard. Every story shared today becomes a legacy for tomorrow.”
— Kesha Christie, TEDx Speaker, Story Strategist & Founder, Talkin’ Tales
Quick Facts
· The Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, provides grants to Ontario-based individual artists and arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations, supporting a range of arts activities and disciplines.
· In 2025-26, OAC invested nearly $52 million in 208 communities across all 124 Ontario ridings, providing approximately 2,000 grants to individual artists and 1,000 grants to organizations.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
Eric Hutchins
Office Manager
Lorne Coe
MPP Whitby
Lorne.coeco@pc.ola.org
905-430-1141