Pacific Region IMAA Supports Art Strike! In Response to BC Funding Claw Backs
The Independent Media Arts Alliance is a national association representing 84 social-profit artist-run centres and over 15,000 artists across Canada. These days their attention is given to the Pacific region. The announcement made in BC on 28 August 2009 that Direct Access Gaming revenues were being slashed rippled through arts communities across Canada, echoing a ripple that ran across the country when earlier this year cuts of 40% were announced to the BC Arts Council.
Early last week the provincial government announced a partial–and what many expect to be temporary–reinstatment of funds to gaming clients that had pre-existing contracts. However, many organizations are still facing funding shortfalls that will impede their ability to function in the short-term, and a large number of organizations are still unclear about what the future holds for them. Artist-run centres have been hit particularly hard as many did not have multi-year contracts. Some of these centres will close their doors, as seems the fate of Vancouver’s Helen Pitt Gallery. Others will proceed with significantly reduced programming, which will then affect their ability to fulfill the terms of their grants with other funding bodies such as the Canada Council, thus jeopardizing their support from other sources.
According to Spencer Herbert, MLA for Vancouver-Burrard, 85%-92% of core provincial funding for arts and culture will be cut by 2012, from both tax-based and non tax-based [gaming] streams, including a devastating cut of 40% to the BC Arts Council’s operating budget. Herbert quotes the following figures:
Total support for arts and culture organizations in BC from 2008-2012, including all sources (Gaming, BC Arts and Culture Special Endowment, Direct taxpayer investment) are:
2008/2009–47.8 million
2009/2010–42.219 million (as of February)
2009/2010–23.075 million (suddenly, as of September)
2010/2011–3.749 million
2011/2012–3.675 million
BC’s per capita arts funding has long been near the bottom compared to other Canadian provinces, and BC is the only province to cut cultural funding as a result of the economic downturn. It is puzzling indeed to try and understand the motivation of the BC Liberals when even their own statistics show that for every government dollar spent, $1.38 is cycled back into the economy through tax revenues.
Further, during 2009’s provincial election, the BC Liberal’s official platform stated that, “In the new creative economy, art, theatre, culture, sport, design and other creative enterprises are integral components of a thriving technology industry and a vibrant society that can attract and retain highly skilled workers…Our film, visual, and musical arts communities help define a rich cultural diversity and vibrancy that always puts BC in a great light internationally.” Given the imminent arrival of the Olympics, it is bewildering why the provincial government would choose to so seriously impair their arts and cultural communities.
Regardless of these facts, the importance of the arts should be recognized beyond its contribution to the economy. Government funding for the arts is essential for nourishing artistic freedom and creativity, which in turn stimulates an understanding of diversity, inclusiveness and social awareness, all qualities that have defined our nation. The arts play a vital role in shaping and giving meaning to individual lives and culture in general, but also contribute to the imaginings of possible futures for a society. If the BC Liberals are allowed to demean the arts in the manner they have proposed, the social fabric of their province will surely fade to grey.
Please join us at Noon on Wednesday, 09 September, at the Olympic Clock at the Vancouver Art Gallery for Art Strike! Or in Victoria at Noon on Wednesday, 09 September, in front of the office of the BC Cultural Services Branch, 800 Johnson Street [corner of Johnson and Blanchard].
Wear grey because flat grey symbolizes the end of culture under the recent Liberal government cuts to cultural services, though the IMAA is hopeful that the BC government will recognize this as a major blunder and will reverse its decision to attack the heart of its people.
cheyanne turions, Pacific Region Representative of the Independent Media Arts Alliance
604.685.3841
