In the News

The 9^th Annual Oakville film festival is fast approaching, and OFFA is  thrilled to be back in theatres for 2022 with a hybrid event that includes both live and virtual screenings from June 22nd-28th, 2022. Oakville Film Festival of Arts (OFFA)  will present 113 films over the course of 7 days, as well as  a two-day Industry Summit.  

Live and virtual programming, including events will be held at the two primary venues: Film.ca cinemas in Oakville, and The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts.  Patrons can choose either a virtual or live screening if they are available, for the same price.  Virtual screenings will be available from the date of screening to the end of the festival on Wednesday June 23rd at midnight.

Just a spoonful of music will help the medicine go down…at least it will for this year’s MUSIC MONDAY, taking place Monday May 2nd, 2022. Launched in 2005 by The Coalition for Music Education in Canada, Music Monday is one of the world’s largest single events dedicated to raising awareness for music education.

The 2022 Song of Celebration “Music is our Medicine” was written by youth musicians Mimi O’Bonsawin, a French-Canadian Indigenous lyricist, and Nicholas Ma, an award-winning composer from Oakville, ON currently attending Schulich School of Music at McGill University. This new work will be used in classrooms and celebrations across Canada for Music Monday 2022 and 2023. At 12:30 pm ET on May 2nd, the nation will join together to sing this song of celebration.

The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative (CPMHC) is holding its first national fundraiser walkathon – Flora’s Walk for Perinatal Mental Health – on May 4th, 2022, to coincide with World Maternal Mental Health Day. Unlike the UK, Australia and the US, Canada does not have a National Perinatal Mental Health Strategy.

Moms, partners, babies, family and friends are all invited to join for a stroller walk to discuss, promote and support perinatal mental health.

The Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA) presents the screening of “Back Home Again” in partnership with Bell Let’s Talk, Sheridan College, and Sheridan Alumna and Executive Producer Charmaine Hammond. The film has traveled the country’s film festival circuit and is making a special appearance in Oakville.

OFFA has chosen May 6th to hold the screening to coincide with Canadian Mental Health Week, and Emergency Preparedness week, both taking place the first week of May. It’s also the anniversary of the 2016 wildfires (while based on the Fort McMurray wildfires the film is really a story about community, hope and resilience).

2022 RevolutionHER Awards Kick-Off

From now through to May 29th 2022, you can nominate yourself or someone else for one of five categories being recognized at the 2022 RevolutionHer Awards, with winners set to be announced LIVE at The 2022 RevolutionHER Summit on September 23-24th, 2022, in Toronto.

The globally-recognized distinction celebrates and recognizes innovative, dedicated, and impactful female and youth leaders who have persevered and are making a difference in the world today. Public voting will be open online for one week only, from May 30th-June 5th 2022, and finalists will be announced LIVE on Facebook at 1:00pmEST on June 17th, 2022. Prizes are valued at over $45,000.

(Toronto, January 5, 2022) – The Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative (CPMHC) is urging the federal government to keep its promise to ensure timely access to perinatal mental health services as it develops its response to the Omicron variant.

“At a time when everyone is feeling a loss of hope from yet another lockdown, we cannot forget our most vulnerable families: pregnant and postpartum women and birthing people who are already struggling with a mood or anxiety disorder,” CPMHC co executive director, Patricia Tomasi said. “This population needs timely access to perinatal mental health services, as the federal government promised to provide in its platform and recent mandate letter.”

February 2022 – Oakville, ON – The Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA) is proud to announce the launch of their 2nd annual International Women’s Day Screening Series. Organizers have carefully curated an impressive line-up of exceptional films. Helmed by four talented female directors, from Canada, Malta, the USA, and the UK, these films highlight the official themes for IWD 2022: #BreaktheBias, and gender equality. In partnership with United Way Halton/Hamilton – Women United, OFFA selected movies whose themes advocated for the mental health and well-being, education, and financial stability of every person in every community. The event is sponsored by Capstick McCollum & Associates.

Deti was listed as “one to know in 2022” and recognized for her tenacious journey as a newly landed Canadian immigrant from Albania, with no English and some pocket change, to becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist, founder and CEO of DentalX dental clinic, Ambassador for the ODHA (Ontario Dental Hygiene Association), and and Entrepreneur.

“This recognition is very humbling for me. I came to Canada with nothing but a dream and a lot of determination and proved the naysayers wrong by not only making my dream come true, but becoming more successful than I ever imagined. I hope to inspire other female new-comers to work hard and never give up.”

The advocate and champion for women and female entrepreneurs is recognized as an influential leader for the magazine’s annual list of individuals impacting others in a positive way

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE–TORONTO, ON–Success Magazine has revealed their final list for their #SUCCESS125 and Milton, Ontario native Maria Locker has been named a finalist!

Locker was listed as “one to know in 2022” and recognized for advocating and championing the advancement of women and female entrepreneurs throughout North America. As Founder & CEO of RevolutionHER™, Locker brings women together for education, support, inspiration and empowerment, with a mission to amplify women’s voices globally. Through RevolutionHER™, Locker and her team have supported more than 50,000 women and youth worldwide since 2010. In 2015, Locker created Momentum, a nonprofit organization that provides women worldwide with barrier-free access to educational resources, mentorship and programming to help further their success.

The Coalition for Music Education in Canada will be hosting a virtual event on February 24th, 2022 to discuss the findings, opportunities, and to celebrate the increased interest in music education in schools.

February, 2022 – Toronto, ON – The Coalition for Music Education in Canada will be hosting a virtual launch event and discussion panel on Thursday, February 24th at 7pm EST, to review the findings of a National Study three years in development. 

The report, Everything is Connected: A Landscape of Music Education, was led by the Coalition for Music Education in Canada in partnership with other organizations, including MusiCounts, Music Canada, Canadian Music Educators Association, People for Education, and the Canadian Network for Arts and Learning.