TO BE OR NOT TO BE
SAVE FREEWILL
We will be blunt: Freewill’s future is at risk.
The COVID shutdown and a three-year relocation from the Heritage Amphitheatre have severely impacted our budget. Despite our best efforts to adapt, we face reduced government grants, lost corporate sponsorships, and shrinking audience attendance as we’ve been out of our home at Hawrelak Park.
Since its founding in 1989, Freewill has been nurturing emerging artists, providing high-quality theatre, and making classical theatre more accessible. Our summer programming has been a cornerstone of Edmonton’s cultural scene and we couldn’t have made it to last year’s 35th anniversary without the support of our community! We’ve seen reductions in programming at festivals such as Vancouver’s Bard on the Beach and the cancellation of Calgary’s Shakespeare in the Park, and we don't want Freewill to face the same fate.
We are launching a fundraising campaign to raise $150,000 by the end of this year’s festival. This amount, about 20% of our annual budget, is crucial to our return to Hawrelak Park in 2026. Without this funding, we cannot continue to provide the performances that have been a staple of Edmonton's summer festivals.
Please don’t let this venerable summer festival fade away. Your donation, no matter the size, makes a real difference.
Help pave our way back to the Park!
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I don’t have much money. What can I do?We know times are incredibly tough for many! The best (and cheapest) option is to spread the word about this fundraiser! Share with others why you like Freewill. Re-share social posts or create your own. The more people who know about us, the better. If you were planning to purchase a ticket to see As You Like It this summer, consider donating the cost of what you would have paid for the ticket, and join us on one of our many Pay-What-You-Will shows running Tuesdays-Thursdays and Saturday matinees. If you donate $20 and give a couple of cents at our PWYW show, the overall cost would be cheaper than a regular adult ticket.
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Why are you trying to raise $150,000?We know how significant that number is, but it only covers about 20% of our annual budget. With the renovations at Hawrelak Park, reduction of government grants across the arts industry, COVID closures, and smaller audiences, despite our best efforts to adapt, we are struggling. This fundraising goal provides Freewill with a crucial reserve of funding to confidently move forward in 2026 at Hawrelak Park with two shows, a larger cast, and a Freewill Shakespeare Festival like many know and love from years past. Arts industries across Edmonton and the world are hurting. Many companies, like Calgary’s Shakespeare in the Park, have closed, and some festivals, like ours, have had to reduce programming. The community built this festival, and we’re hoping the community can join us in helping Freewill continue to exist.
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Are there any perks for donating?Other than our everlasting thanks and praise, and the knowledge that you helped save Freewill, all donations through the Crowdfunding Alberta link will receive a tax receipt.
