On November 19, 2010,
in
Arms length
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Assembly of BC Arts Councils
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Opinion
,
Spirit Festivals
,
Stephanie Cadieux
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Uncategorized
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by Tom Durrie
THE ASSEMBLY COZIES UP TO THE MINISTRY
Isn’t there a name for people who go to bed with others and get paid for it? Well I suppose it’s all about money after all, isn’t it? Remember the $10 million Spirit Festivals for which the Ministry would kindly instruct arts groups on how the content of their “approved” festivals could reflect the glory of the winter Olympics? The Spirit lives on! The Assembly of BC Arts Councils is making news by announcing their whole-hearted approval of Festivals Number One. Read all about it in the Globe and Mai l: “B.C. community arts groups to get $1-m for Spirit Festivals.”
If you have any doubts about who is cozy with whom, please notice the last line:
“Festival details have not yet been announced. “We are still determining what we’re going to do in the major centres,” Ms. Cadieux told the Globe.”
“What we’re going to do …”?? What ever happened to arms length?
It’s a sad day when one of our largest arts service organizations bows down to government interference in the arts.
Just to refresh your memory, here are two posts from AABC the were picked up by the Georgia Straight and elicited a lot of enthusiastic comment:
What I really think of the B.C. Spirit Festivas idea by John McLachlan.
Tom Durrie asks Assembly of B.C. Arts Councils to refuse to disperse spirit festival funding
Don’t say we didn’t tell you.
On November 10, 2010,
in
BC Place
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Casino Development
,
David Cadman
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Ellen Woodsworth
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Gambling
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Opinion
,
Uncategorized
,
by Tom Durrie
Opposing the Mega Casino in Downtown Vancouver
AABC has continued to be active on the issue of a mega casino for downtown Vancouver.
The rezoning report and application has been referred to public hearing starting on March 7rh at 7.30 p.m. in the council chambers, 3rd floor, City Hall.
The hearing continues: Saturday, April 9th, 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
For full and up-to-date information, please go to:
Vancouver Not Vegas
Meanwhile, we recommend reading our posts, from January 2010, on the issue of BC Place and the new retractable roof. We hope you’ll find these interesting:
/the-story-of-bc-place-stadium/
You might also find the following interesting. It is an article we received from Savannah Walling (Vancouver Moving Theatre) last August.
BC PLACE ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX
The New Downtown Eastside Casino
This will be the largest master planned entertainment style project ever seen in BC: the largest sports, exhibition and entertainment venue of its kind and the only legalized gambling venue in downtown Vancouver. A $450 million dollar megaresort and casino with 1000 slot machines and two hotel complexes will be added to the edge of the DTES neighbourhood to “anchor its new entertainment epicentre”, BC premiere Gordon Campbell confirmed. The facility will be run by Las Vegas based Paragon Gaming, who have a 70 year lease.
According to the Paragon Gaming Website, the complex will become Vancouver’s new entertainment epicentre, creating an overall experience that allows for sport, entertainment and culture in a dramatic waterfront setting – a must-see destination for arriving tourists and an “adult entertainment opportunity” that provides residents with a compelling destination in the heart of the city. “This (is the )first development of its kind to offer so many diverse and integrated elements in walking distance of General Motors Place Sports Arena, home to the National Hockey Leagues and Canucks”.
“ We see this (as an) opportunity to not just spruce up, but actually create a whole new vibrant area all around BC Place ,” BC Minster of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Krueger said. (BC News March 12, 2010) “During the Olympics, Winter Games, the streets of Vancouver were alive with the Olympic Spirit – and we hope the entertainment complex will capture some of that spirit”, said Premier Campbell. “This East Downtown Vancouver District needs this development to revitalize the community”, said the government officials, and increased night life venues for the downtown Vancouver on land owned by the province, not the city. With the dream to turn the area into a gambling and tourist magnet, the complex will be the final piece in creating an entertainment destination in Downtown Vancouver to increase tourism.
The entertainment centre will be located in a 700,000 square foot parking lot between BC Place Stadium and the end of the Cambie Street Bridge. The new complex will replace the Edgewater Casino (located in the old Expo 86 BC Pavilion) whose lease expires in three years (2013) – it might end up closing before the new casino opens. (The current Edgewater Casino has not been doing well, due at least in part to problems of access and parking.)
Subject to city approval of a re-zoning application, construction will start in 2011 (with a potential completion date of 2013). The goal is to move through the rezoning process with public hearings over the next few months. The city has limited power as the land in question in owned by the province, not by the city. The city wants a “green urban casino” with high quality design.
The 70 year lease by Paragon for the casino land in addition to the $6 million annual lease will pay part of the retractable roof project. In addition, PavCo has a 40 year taxpayer funded loan that is supposed to be defrayed by lease revenue, advertising and events.
As part of the development, the province is remodelling BC Place at $458 million. The retractable roof will allow 40 more nights of BC Place use, mainly in the summer, reduce energy costs by ¼ and extend life of stadium by 40 years. It’s the largest cable-supported retractable roof of its kind in the world.
This is what it the 680,000 square foot entertainment complex will contain:
- 100,000 square feet of gaming facilities (3 x size of Edgewater) with 24-hour gambling options and space for 1000-1500 slot machines and 150 table games;
- 2 international hotels (620 hotel rooms);
- 5 restaurants (from a signature chef restaurant to new age organic boutique)
- A 25,000 square foot rooftop linking the two hotels (providing a swimming pool, rooftop deck and meeting place);
- The casino’s high-limit gaming area will connect to a separate concourse for the stadium’s planned luxury boxes;
- Conference rooms, meeting rooms and retail stores;
- A salon, sap and exercise gym
- Street level access for casino, hotel and restaurants
- A new mini-plaza at Expo and New Smith Street;
- There are plans for a 22 foot office building next to GM place
Campbell views the project as a job generator for Vancouver and the Province. The project is expected to generate 8400 direct and indirect jobs (including 3200 construction jobs). The province expects to earn up to $130 million per year from the casino operations. The city’s share of the earnings is unclear. (The city gets 10% of the profits from Edgewater Casino and a second casino at Hastings Park (both roughly half of what was originally projected) – earning a total of $5 million per year. Currently Edgewater provides $250,000 in inner city funding,
Canada recently loosened visa policies with China to boost tourism and expects to increase its Chinese visitation by 50% next year, which could create a custom market for Paragon’s casinos.
BC Place Entertainment Complex is a joint effort between the government owned and operated PavCo Development Team and Paragon Gaming Co., who operate the Edgewater Casino at the Plaza of Nations. PavCo is the crown corporation that operates BC Place Stadium.
Paragon Development Ltd. Is one of North America’s leading destination developers, with a special emphasis on gaming-based destinations. They operate casinos in Western Canada including River Cree Resort outside Edmonton. Paragon is headed by Diane Bennett, who worked as an executive in her father’s Circus Circus Enterprises. He father first began marketing casino destinations to families and built Excalibur and Luxor, creating the foundation of what became the Mandalay Resort Group.
FYI
BC is the first jurisdiction in North America to legalize and regulate online casino games. Richard Coleman, the Minister of Housing and Social Development, is responsible for the BC Lottery Commission. He is also in charge of the Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch. Mr. Coleman is a former member of the RCMP and a security specialist.
In July 2010, at a cost of over $7.3 million, the BC Lottery Commission re-launched an expanded and high-profile version of the gambling website, offering over 75 new online games to BC residents including bingo, lotteries, betting and casino games. (The platform was provided by the UK gambling soft wear provider OpenBet.) Within 24 hours, the site was shut down because of privacy glitches that allowed some gamers to bet with other people’s money. These seem to have been addressed.
Just before the launch, the weekly betting limit was raised from $120 per week to $9,999 per week. (All transactions of over $10,000 must be reported to the federal government because of concerns about money laundering.) The BC Lottery Corporation said they decided to raise the limits after their experts in responsible gaming indicated that allowing people to set their own limits allows them to take responsibility for their choices.
In 2009, the provincial government cut the funding for problem gaming programs by 34%.
There is a general problem of casinos not complying promptly on reporting large or suspicious transactions. BC Lottery Commission is the only provincial gambling commission to be fined for failing to report suspicious or large scale transactions at casinos. The same week their online gaming site crashed, BC Lottery Commission was penalized by FINTRAC with $670,000 in fines for over 1000 breaches of regulations on reporting suspicious financial activity. FINTRAC (the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada) is the federal agency that tracks criminal laundering. They require casinos to report all transactions of $10,000 within 24 hours, even if a customer makes several transactions up to the limit.
Sergeant David Grey of the RCMP’s Integrated Proceeds Crime Unit says police are hearing more and more about casinos as money laundering venues. The November 2009 report from FINTRAC says 20% of money laundering and terrorist financing cases happen in casinos: 50% are drug trade profits; 1/5 is by organized criminals (bike gangs, street gangs, and international gangs). 70% of casino money launderers used cash from crime to purchase chips. After minimal play, they turned the chips in for a casino cheque – providing an air of legitimacy to source of funds.
Casino online gambling abuses also include complex computer plots to shut down gaming sites and special computer soft-wear that calculates odds against unsuspecting competitors. (BC Lottery online play does not include games where players compete directly against other players.)
Last year, 8 BC gamblers gambled away more than one million dollars each. The average loss for BC Lotteries core customers was $800 a year.
Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces are planning to launch online gaming sites.
Asia has become heart of global gambling. In Macau, the average bet is $40 and VP guests average $10,000 per bet. In an effort to reduce gambling problems for locals, Singapore charges its citizens and permanent residents $73 per day to enter a casino.
Assembled by Savannah
On October 6, 2010,
in
Arts Advocacy
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Opinion
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by John McLachlan
Submission from BILL HORNE, Wells, BC
Read below or download the full presentation here: Bill Horne Finance Cttee Oct 2010 – PDF (used by permission)
October 2010
Dear Committee Members:
I am writing as an artist and small business owner with 15 years’ experience in small town BC. I am also a Director of our Local Chamber of Commerce and the Vice-President of CARFAC BC, the provincial affiliate of Canadian Artists’ Representation/le front des artistes canadiens.
The two main things I would like you to consider are the restoration of all Gaming monies to the non-profit sector, without any strings attached, and a tripling of the province’s investment in the cultural sector.
The seasonal tourism economy in the north central interior is fragile enough as it is, especially in the wake of the recession, the pine beetle epidemic and this summer’s forest fires. I know that the gallery my wife and I operate brought in just 60% of the sales we had in 2009, and we are doing better than many people.
The decline in tourist numbers and sales makes us acutely aware of the impact of things like drastic cuts to the arts budget, the dissolution of Tourism BC, the siphoning of Gaming monies from non-profits, the unpredictable and unstable application of policy and funding in the arts sector, and the introduction of the HST.
Those of us who operate businesses in small communities are dependent on each other’s successes for our individual survival. Although it might be simpler to process HST remittances for our own particular business, its negative effect on local restaurants is causing less of their customers to circulate or stay in our town. The effect on outdoor tourism operators is another negative that will impact us, too.
My wife and I moved to Wells in part because of the existence of Island Mountain Arts, a non-profit which has been offering arts programs and operating a gallery for over 30 years. In recent years it has also organized the ArtsWells Festival.
There is no question of its significant role in the culture and economy of our region. The relatively small investments of public funding this organization has received have a ripple effect that is estimated to bring $500K each summer to the north Cariboo, and easily twice that when the Festival is included.
When the government cuts arts funding, changes gaming fund rules, changes them again, changes rules retroactively, it wreaks havoc in the arts sector. It makes it extremely difficult for volunteer boards and staff to carry out a sound business plan. It creates uncertainty among businesses such as ours, as well as accommodations and restaurants, and it weakens our already fragile market.
Imagine the outcry from industry if the government were to slash funding to the school of forestry at UBC, or from mining if geology programs were cut. From this point of view, I believe that the reckless, disproportionate cuts to the arts — without consultation with the sector’s stakeholders — has threatened to undermine the potential of our province’s creative economy. And because the arts are not as separate from the majority of British Columbians as the government may like to think, these ill-advised policies are undermining other parts of our economy as well.
Last fall I began creating a series of portraits of people in various trades and occupations who support a strong arts sector. Their participation and enthusiasm underlines our connectivity and contradicts the myth that the arts are elitist and somehow separate. The response to my online “Solidarity Series” has been very positive, both from artists and from non-artists. I hope you enjoy the samples on the following pages. The complete text can be found at www.claireart.ca .
Bill Horne.
On October 3, 2010,
in
Arts Advocacy
,
Opinion
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by John McLachlan
These are the personal opinions of John McLachlan, citizen, arts advocate and volunteer at AABC.
What would happen if… everyone involved in the arts spoke up instead of hiding behind soft, carefully hidden words?
I know, I’m being naive but just imagine for a moment if the Minister of Culture spoke his mind all the time in all its glory. At least we’d know really where he stands. He made outlandish remarks about “being threatened” but at least he had the guts to say it (some would say he was foolish to say it).
What about others?
I know, I know, it’s “just the way things are done” but maybe that’s the problem.
Can we all not just speak up and say the truth and maybe just once, try doing things in a different way than they’ve been done before?
Dream with me for a moment…
- Imagine that the Minister always spoke what was on his mind. Everyone would know where he stood on issues. No second guessing.
- Imagine if the leaders of ALL arts organizations in BC spoke up instead of working behind closed doors in clever ways and telling us that “it’s better this way.”
- Imagine if staff at the BC Arts Council could speak really freely knowing they’d not lose their jobs?
- Imagine if the BC Arts Council board said “damn the torpedoes, we’re going to say what we think is needed” despite being told to be polite and work behind the scenes.
- Imagine if all artists spoke up at every chance they got to say how they thought things could be different.
- Imagine if the head of Gaming and all the bureaucrats around him were to suddenly say what they really thought so that everyone would know what the heck that place is thinking in making “policy”?
Imagine.
You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.
Am I?
Join us with a free membership and add your name to the dream of making a difference in the way the arts are seen in BC
I administer the BC Arts Council’s Community Presenters Assistance program. It is a program to fund arts presenters who do a series in communities throughout BC.
Though the program funding was reduced, it was only reduced slightly thanks to the strong support for it within the Arts Council.
I have just sent out all the letters informing applicants of the results. Here is what Crystal Lorette said from the Lester Centre of the Performing Arts in Prince Rupert about her funding:
Thank you so much for this news, you have no idea how much this means for our programming. Things are so economically tough up here right now. It makes me so happy to be able to culturally enhance the lives of the beautiful people that live up here.
I am sending along a great big hug complete with a gigantic smile on my face
She identified ALL the reasons why arts funding is so worthwhile.
Take that Minister Krueger!
On August 30, 2010,
in
Arts Advocacy
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BC Arts Council
,
Leadership
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Opinion
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Spirit Festivals
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by John McLachlan
Last week I wrote a blog post that was picked up by the Georgia Straight where I shared my views of the Spirit Festival grant program.
Thanks to all who responded, commented (60+), Retweeted (60+) and “liked” on Facebook (700+).
Here is a sample of some of the comments people made. The positive comments far out numbered the negative comments. In fact, there was really only one negative commenter who left a few comments.
POSITIVE COMMENTS
Bravo! You’ve said what surely everyone is thinking.
Hear hear!
Thanks for speaking up. I agree with you completely.
Starting a festival just to access a grant is the same as buying a rope to hang yourself with.
Another brilliant, articulate and bang on assessment from John McLachlan.
Brilliant & great incite from the voice of experience. Thank You John.
Thank you John. You said it.
Few festivals thrive in February (other than maybe the Push Festival — which is brilliant) — but BC spirit festivals?? They’re kidding, right? They aren’t? Oh my freaking god.
Thanks you John! we don’t need spirit festivals, or retractable roofs or whatever. Its just a little too ‘art for the state’ flavoured for this jew…..
Thanks, John. Too bad we can’t draft you onto the BC Arts Council. The gagged silence from those who are supposed to be the custodians of culture in BC is deafening.
Amen, John. This is without doubt the worst example of incompetent mismanagement of the cultural sector in Canadian history. The BC Arts Council does need to take a very strong public stand now, but the real villains are Minister Krueger and Premier Campbell whose unprecedented political interference in the cultural life of this province makes us the laughingstock of the whole country. The only artistic production in this province that needs its funding cut is Liberals du Soleil.
Well said and thank you, John McLachlan. These Spirit of BC festivals grants for artistic propaganda promoting the BC so-called So-Cred-Liberal government on the backs of struggling arts organizations sound suspiciously like Leni Riefenstahl’s work for Hitler’s Germany. Let’s remember that artists like Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, George Grosz, Kurt Schwitters, Otto Dix and others left Nazi Germany. Can BC afford this kind of exodus because it’s already begun – Crystal Pite, Kika Thorne, Cheyanne Turions and others. Elaine Carol, Artistic Director, MISCELLANEOUS Productions
This has Campbell written all over it. He’s just looking for another expensive party for his rich friends and a chance to wave his fucking red mitts in the air. There’s sea of drunks on Granville street already and it’s free! Give the money BACK to the real arts.
Agreed!
BC Spirit festival? The spirit of fascism, is being celebrated, attempting to thwart the spirit of artistic creation? pulling funding from that which goes against their corporate business like ideological spirit..? thats what this is about. Cant wait for these pigs to wake up to a complete rejection by the citizens of BC. sooner than their 3 year nondate. I can say I never once darkened the door of any BORELYMPIC festival during those horrible 2 weeks.
Well said. Haven’t business types always assumed that the art community lacks acumen of any kind? Are they trickling some scraps our way to appease us? Please, we must not re-elect them.
This program is worse than those stupid Millennium grants. How many arts organizations and artists were looking for ways to celebrate the Millennium? The quintessential top-down policy.
In this case, how many arts organizations in the north want to hold festivals in February? Another fine business model from the supposedly fiscally-prudent govt.
I can’t wait for winter with hordes of people driving to Wells from the Lower Mainland and Victoria in their all-season tires
How about a Spirit of BC Rail Festival? We could set up model trains all over BC and then sell them to the highest bidder – after a few insider shenanigans!
Or a Spirit of PST Festival? Set up yard sales & kiosks and charge the good ol’ pre-HST %.
No doubt there are many Spirits lurking in the wings that would make excellent themes. Otherwise, I hope every arts group boycotts this nonsense.
These ‘Spirit Festival’ organizers should have taken a look at Calgary’s desperate attempts to keep their ‘Olympic Spirt’ on life support after the 1988 Games. There’s a reason why you’ve never heard of the Calgary Winter Festival.
It’s like the people who won’t take their Xmas decorations down until well into February – give it up and move on already.
Well said, John. Thanks for the straight talk.
We need the BC government to restore arms-length funding of culture and art, and stop bleeding real artists and cultural organizations dry!
Diverting funds from real art to a blatant propaganda event is reprehensible behavior and indicates no respect or understanding of what art or culture is. Real art and culture creates a real legacy.
John, In complete agreement with your thoughts on this issue. It’s really disheartening to see the BCAC on life support and the adverse affect the radical funding cuts are having on the provincial arts sector. Spirit Festival concept is complete rubbish designed to buy votes in non urban communities and simultaneously to tell the “real cultural workers” in the community exactly what they (Liberal gov’t) think of them. The gov’t just doesn’t give a damn about culture and art. That much seems pretty clear.
Totally agree. Everyone I talk to think that the idea of ‘Spirit Festivals’ is really tacky.
Is there any chance that the government will back down on this ill-conceived and incredibly gauche idea? Is this REALLY going to happen? Maybe it’s a government conspiracy…they’re hoping that all the arts orgs will be so upset that everyone will boycott, so they can shrug ‘your loss’ and put the money back in their pockets ?
Given the unanimous opposition to the BC Spirit Festival expressed here, will artists take the next step and boycott it?
Artists and concerned citizens can complain all they want – but what does any of it mean if grant applications continue to be submitted?
If you hate what the government is doing to the arts – if you hate this festival in particular – you have to unite and, in solidarity, declare you will have nothing to do with it.
Boycott the BC Spirit Festival.
Consider this folks – the ‘Spirit Festival’ grant can only be applied for by Members of the Assembly of BC Arts Councils, or Aboriginal Friendship Centres, Band Councils or other Aboriginal cultural organizations.
Too bad they didn’t resurrect the BC Festival of the Arts. Every year a different city took it on, it supported all manner of art and artists, all at the same time. It was uplifting to be present at one whether or not you were a delegate.
And February? A bad storm and there go your participants
Right on John. I was wondering when someone would speak the truth about this ridiculous idea. 30 million thrown away while bonafide groups, like mine, the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, limp along after 100% cuts. It;s sheer insanity.These Liberals wouldn’t know art from a f-art. These are scary times for democracy and the arts, two things that go hand in hand.
Right on!!! Thanks for speaking up when so many of us feel we can’t . Millions of dollars being sucked up by/for the Olympic Games…AGAIN, instead of being used for and by the community at large. It would be laughable if not so devastating.
BRAVO!
Well put, John. And yes, shameless hussy productions will boycott this BC Spirit Festival grant crap. Why not go out in flames?!
Boycott the Spirit Festival!
I applaud John McLachlan and Jane Danzo for standing up and telling everyone that what the Campbell Liberals are doing to the Arts in BC is unacceptable. They give us something to cheer for but unless we stand with them and form a united artistic protest we lack a strong enough voice. If we apply for these Spirit Grants and implement the government’s vision of what artists should do, we sell out our own community and our own visions. Let’s do what artists do best – show people what is and what is possible!
This is bang on. The only art gallery in my northern B.C. town lost all it’s funding from the province and is now fundraising locally in order to keep its doors open so that local artists have a place to show their work. It’s sad times and a festival celebrating last year’s news isn’t new or innovative.
I did NOT vote for this. Stop killing the Arts.
Oh yeah, Spirit Festivals. Those are those parades Kim Jong Il throws, right?
Sorry but if you had worked in industry and business as I have for many years, you’d be well aware of the handouts given to that sector not involved in the arts (Sun-Rype, mining companies, lumber, and the list goes on and on)!
The more restrictions you put on arts-based funding, the less art that gets made…. so, are we all to assume that this province, and this country are becoming too elitist for the majority of the citizens to actually live here?!
The cultural crème de la crème are replying to you Mr. Campbell and Mr. Krueger in these comments in support of John’s position. And we are only the tip of the iceberg.
When are each and every one of us finally going to take back the power into our own hands and start demanding that this government remember that we are their employers and we pay their salary and we have the power to fire them? Now that’s a festival I could get behind!!!
We must address public mistrust of government funding of the arts. We are a province of people who don’t get the business, jobs, and value impact culture plays in our quality of life and our prosperity as a province. Perhaps it’s from too long and so recently being solely reliant on resource based industries.
Providing seed money to the arts is economic stimulus and is the lifeblood of our ability to fully join the knowledge based economy, fight the brain drain, and lure central business activity like head offices to BC
NEGATIVE COMMENT
If the arts community cannot sustain itself as opposed to perpetual reliance on the taxpayer for funding, then it has no reason to exist.
The arts community faces a huge challenge in British Columbia and its relationship to public funding. How do we change our situation from the mess we are in where the Minister feels we are “vicious” and the public doesn’t even know there’s an issue at stake.
The traditional view of where economic value comes from in this province needs to be updated. The population is still stuck thinking it’s only from resources, tourism, and good public sector jobs. Though it’s true, this accounts for a huge amount, the general public just doesn’t really get how much cultural economic activity exists and how much it adds to our economy.
Money is just one half the battle. In fact, it’s often said that making the economic argument is the weakest approach. The other half is that we need to show the value of supporting arts and how it filters through to making the lives of people better in so many ways. The general public (voters) don’t see this now.
The public’s worldview just doesn’t include the value of arts either economically or socially. Until that changes, we are stuck in our ghetto.
We have our work cut out for us. And it will be hard because we are a varied group of people working in many different areas of the arts.
We don’t have a natural way to be united as one and that is what works against us. The BC Arts Council could be the way, but in its current state, it can’t be because it has no power or authority.
Somehow, we need an organization with a strong leader to come forward and do two things: Lead and Organize. I don’t know who that is. It is not the Assembly of BC Arts Councils as its mandate is too closed and it’s now dealing with giving out grants. It could be the Alliance for Arts and Culture, but its mandate is strictly Metro Vancouver and if its mandate were to change it would make those “not in Vancouver” nervous.
We need an organization and a person who wants to lead.
We need someone who we can rally around who has the guts to stand up and be noticed and who can take the message to the people in an effective and clear way. If a person or organization showed this in any way, I’d donate time and money to help.
We need to put forward the reason for arts funding support like a marketer would by understanding who we are selling to and moving the needle of support where it’s possible to be moved and ignoring it where it’s not.
It would be a huge undertaking.
Who? Where? What? When? How?
Am I completely off-base or dreaming? What are you thoughts?
DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something different. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
Sound advice which the arts community does not seem to be heeding.
Yesterday, I asked a random dozen or so people if they knew who Jane Danzo was. No one had heard of her. So much for the dramatic resignation!
Then David Diamond (Headlines Theatre) spoke, on the CBC’s Early Edition, in definitive terms. That is, he did not appeal, in polite terms, to government generosity.
Now, I fear that will be the end of it.
David also said that his colleagues in the arts community had advised him not to speak out.
What are we afraid of?
A number of years ago, I proposed the formation of a provincial union of artists and arts groups to create a powerful lobby and an articulate and passionate public voice. The response was, “Oh, that sounds too much like biting the hand that feeds us.” You can see where the.cautious and humble approach has gotten us.
What are you doing that is different?
Unless we were to have an enlightened government that would take a leadership role in the arts, we will see the continued erosion of support for the arts. And I believe it’s safe to say that private and corporation philanthropy will take its cues from government. Change can only happen when the arts become an election issue. That means taking risks. That means engaging the public—all those people who never heard of Jane Danzo, or David Diamond, for that matter.
So far, there have been mild protests, extensive letter and postcard campaigns addressed to government, and two people who have spoken out. No wonder arts advocates are looked at as a “special interest group.” We’re preaching to the converted and to the unconvertible.
What are you going to do to make a difference?
What Our Members Are Saying
Here are a few comments from our new members.
Want to add your comment? Send it to us.
I am proud to be a part of a sector that is standing up for its rights as an essential component of a healthy Society.
Stop the Cuts! We don’t want to be a nation of buffoons.
Art is civilization’s oxygen.
BC’s policy—rather non-policy—on the arts is shockingly deficient. In fact it is a policy of attacking our vital culture and the remarkable contributions of the arts community. Congratulations on pushing this forward. We need a strong voice and we need to make this an important issue during the next election.
Art is not a luxury. It is a critical part of our personal and cultural heritage as human beings.
Wonderful initiative!
Artists bring beauty and balance to the world and offer their creativity and knowledge to the Art of Living.
If ever there was a need for advocacy is this province, it is now.
Commit to Arts Funding Now!
I support the voice of all British Columbians, which is kept strong through arts and culture in this province.
Thanks for your great work!
Each and every great culture supports the arts. The arts are our culture and creativity, and innovation is our future. To cut the arts funding at this stage in BC’s history is tragic and very short sighted.
I’m glad to have the opportunity to add my voice to this worthwhile cause.
How arts organizations are treated by the Government truly reflects the soul of the politics of our leaders. In this case, our leaders have failed us.
A healthy society MUST have art!
Art is civilization’s oxygen.
Superb organization to be a part of and thank you for the FREE introductory membership!
Thank you for advocating on my behalf and on behalf of artists across the province of BC. Please let me know what I can do to help! I would like to be more involved in your organization and bringing your message to the wider public.
I would like to see funding for post-secondary schools’ arts programs restored. I would also like the province to restore specialized training funding in place for young artists struggling to hone their respective crafts.
I’m currently taking a cultural arts and management program which includes a class on arts lobbying and advocacy, what a great find! Being a younger member of the vibrant culture of Victoria these cuts effect me greatly, I’m so happy to know there’s lobbying efforts out there and that people still care about the arts!
Let’s stop the down turn of our civilization by supporting the arts!
Thank you for getting this started. You have my total support.
Remind this public, over and over again, of the jobs created by arts and culture, of the tax revenue generated that pays for healthcare and education, of the community renewal and prosperity enacted through the arts that is attractive for business and investment.
Its time to take back the arts in BC away from a government that neither cares nor is capable of making budgetting decisions.
Returning funds promised to off-set societal damage from gaming and the collateral chaos it causes is essential. This governnent in the same breath as cutting arts and charities off at the knees, to save a whopping 1% of their overall budget, has upped gambling limits and dailt maximums causing even more harm to our society and encouraging those with no hope to be voluntarily taxed for the slim hope of being rich. Its time for these criminals to stand up and do what we all know is the right thing to do.
If there has to be gambling that is sanctioned by any BC Government, it should be considered a tax on those foolish enough to “play against the dealer”. The ‘revenues’ from gambling and lotteries are supposed to go to the arts, to charities and to community groups that do the work that government should be supporting. These monies should not be going to general revenue.
I’m a patron (and some times a participant) of the arts in my community. I’m a supporter of community groups that work to make life better and culture survive. This organization is one that can help to make sure the money from gambling and lotteries will be distributed as it should be, according to laws and agreements, which the current government has decided to ignore.
Paint on!
Arts Funding is vital to fulfilling a community’s potential in a modern British Columbia. By reducing arts funding it is British Columbians who suffer through reduced visibility of culture, and therefore reduced confidence and initiative.
Awareness about the need for support of the arts to be brought back up and beyond? Yes please.
I think we need to think about dedicating 1% of the provincial revenue to Arts funding so that it becomes anchored in policy rather than subjective to ignorant political interference that has no basis other that hatred of the creative and challenges to the status quo.