The Stratford Festival Archives house materials pertinent to the history of the Stratford Festival, documenting its inauguration, evolution and contribution to the theatre community at large.

Archival holdings at the Festival are wide-ranging and prolific. In addition to collecting administrative records from the day-to-day operations of the company, the Archives holds several collections relating to our productions, artists, venues and creative processes. These materials include scripts, schematics, blueprints, promotional material, photography, design artwork, musical scores, audio-visual recordings, props, costumes and much more.

A number of special collections are also housed at the Archives, chronicling the work of prominent artists such as designer Tanya Moiseiwitsch, actor and director Richard Monette, and composer Stanley Silverman.

TOURING THE ARCHIVES

Public tours of the Archives Exhibition Space and adjoining Costume and Props Warehouse are offered annually on select days from June to October. Find more information on this year’s tours.

RESEARCHING AT THE ARCHIVES

The Archives is open for in-person research by appointment, Monday through Wednesday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Location: 350 Douro Street, Stratford, Ontario, N5A 3S7 

Research Appointments: If you have a research need or inquiry that you feel can be assisted by consulting the Festival’s archival collections, please contact a member of the Archives staff to book a research appointment. There are no fees associated with in person research appointments.

Remote Research: If you are unable to visit in person, staff may conduct research on your behalf at an hourly rate. Contact us for more information.

Accessing Materials: While the Archives endeavor to make as much material available as possible, some areas of the collection are restricted, meaning permission must be obtained before access can be granted.

Due to copyright restrictions, there is no photography permitted in the Archives Reading Room. Staff may assist you in obtaining copies of material when desired. Copyright is observed on all materials and reproductions must be appropriately credited when published, referenced or publicly displayed.

PHOTOGRAPHY

The Archives holds an extensive collection of photographic material. Restrictions apply to the reproduction of images from all our seasons, as per our agreements with professional unions, associations and other theatre organizations.

Permissions for use are granted exclusively on a case-by-case basis.

To use photography from the Archives:

• Submit a detailed request in writing. Requests should be submitted well in advance of project deadlines, as arranging clearances for images can be time-consuming. Requests should include the following information:
• Await the results of the review process. The request will be reviewed for the context of intended use in order to determine if Canadian Theatre Agreement (CTA) fees apply.
• Sign and return the photo release form. After receiving your request, the Archives Department will provide a photo release form, which must be signed and returned before the process can continue.
• Obtain usage permissions. In most cases, every actor whose likeness is depicted in an image must approve the image’s use in writing; researchers may be asked to pursue these permissions.
• Receive high-resolution imagery. Once permissions are in hand and submitted to the Archives, high-resolution versions of the requested images will be supplied.
• Pay the invoice. An invoice will be issued from the Stratford Festival’s Finance Department. See our rate card for more information.
• Supply a copy of your work to the Archives. As part of our standard photo release procedure, we require a copy of any publication in which an image appears.

EXHIBITS AND LOANS

Heritage institutions and other professional organizations are welcome to submit requests for loans from our collection for use in exhibits and other installations. Proof of insurance, security and adequate environmental conditions must be met. Loan requests must be submitted at least six months in advance of the opening.