by Brianna Chatwin, B Channel Reporter
On October 7th, 2009 Victoria’s art community took to the legislature, in support of ProArt Alliance’s presentation to the BC Budget Consultation Committee. Each year, the Alliance, stacked with representatives from professional arts organizations, makes a recommendation to the committee for a larger arts funding. And this year, with consideration to the severe funding cuts, they encouraged the public tocome out and show their support.
“What we’ve found in the past is that by showing that the public cares what the presentation is and that they want to have a say in how the budget is put together, that our message is better heard,” Ian Case, manager of Intrepid Theatre and ProArt member, says. “Today I think that certainly is the case, we had a full house up in the committee room, we had a full houseout in the hallway, and we had a full house down in the foyer of the legislature.”
Members from the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria, Intrepid Theatre, and the Canadian College of Performing Arts, among others and all of whom will be greatly affected by the cuts, conglomerated in the lobby to listen to the presentation, sing the national anthem, and support the cause.
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“Neither sports nor arts, be it visual or performing arts, can exist without support from the government. Once the government puts in that support they actually earn money back on top of what they have given to support. So therefore, it is productive for the government to give that initial upstart to the arts,” states Janis Duning, Co-Founding Director of the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Indeed, a B.C. government-commissioned study showed that every $1 invested in the arts makes up to $1.36 back in revenue.
By 2011, the BC Liberals plan to cut arts funding by more than 88%, down from $19.5 million (in 2008-’09) to $2.25 million. This according to according to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture service plan. The fall provincial budget showed a significant downfall in revenue and an increased deficit, more so than was tabled in the spring. The last few budgets have reduced spending significantly, and reduced many ministries’ funding. Tourism, sports and the arts saw the biggest impacts, resulting in reduced funding to artists, many who rely on government funds.
The solution here is simple and previously proven across Canada to be feasible, according to Case. “What we’ve seen across the country is provincial governments making ongoing commitments to arts, and while that might mean a little bit of deficit financing, the reality is in order to keep an industry that is strong and making a contribution to the economy of our province stable, it is important to make that investment. It is a tiny, tiny investment when you think about the entire budget of the government, so it would make a minor dent in the deficit situation but make a huge change to the sector as a whole. And this is a sector that performed very well in the last few years during an economic crisis. We saw as much as 60% growth in our sector.”
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Related Media Links
Local Arts Groups rally for Funding
CFAX – October 19, 2009
Culture spending a wise investment in jobs: report
Xtra West – ?October 19, 2009
BC arts groups fight funding cuts
Globe and Mail -October 14, 2009
BC publishers rally against funding ‘clearcut’
TheTyee.ca – October 12, 2009
Arts supporters, parents protest at the legislature
Times Colonist – October 8, 2009
‘Budget Cut Blues’ Played for Politicians
TheTyee.ca – October 7, 2009
BC Arts Cuts ‘Devastating’ Says Tory Minister
TheTyee.ca – September 29, 2009
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