My name is Teagan and I'm a theatre artist born and raised in Saint John. I know I'm not the only one upset about VoltaGrid, the company behind the unwanted Lorneville data center, being a major sponsor for this year's Moonlight Bazaar. My plan is to boycott the festival and support the vendors and artists elsewhere, especially those who have dropped from the Bazaar out of protest.

My understanding is that at least 2 vendors have dropped from the Bazaar so far. I'm setting an initial goal of $300 to cover their vendor fees. I understand that by dropping, these vendors are giving up much more than this fee so my hope is if the fund grows I can distribute the money appropriately. This fund will also be available for any additional vendors who drop, alongside any others (technicians, artists, staff, etc) who can demonstrate lost wages from dropping.

I plan on setting up a simple application the week following the Bazaar where folks can apply to receive funding. This is all new to me but ultimately I'm just trying to put my money where my mouth is and try my best to support local!

My ask is this: if you plan on boycotting and have the funds, I encourage you to donate the money you otherwise would've spent at the Bazaar.

Thanks :)