Potential Funding Cuts a Concern for Okanagan Arts Groups
You likely have heard about the issue of potential cuts to arts funding in BC over the past few weeks. These double-barrelled cuts are centered currently on BC Arts Council annual grants, and Direct Access Funding from the Gaming Branch. No formal announcements have been made by BC Arts or Gaming: it is anticipated that the September 2nd provincial budget may contain information.
This letter is coming to you from a task force drawn from concerned central Okanagan arts groups, a list of which is at the end of this email. We are getting in touch to ensure everyone is aware of these potential cuts and funding freezes and we encourage you and your organization to discuss this issue with your supporters, sponsors, donors, board members, artists and members of your local community.
We hope that you will choose to advocate for the arts at this critical time. Let your concerns be heard in a positive fashion, bringing a message of the strong economic and cultural impact the arts have on our communities and the province.
Many provincial arts groups have already expressed their concerns to their MLAs and to other government officials. Good, up-to-date information is available online at www.allianceforarts.com.
We ask your support in taking the message of your organization to your local MLA - if at all possible, in a face-to-face meeting, before the House sits again August 25th. Clearly these funding issues affect many arts organizations in the province. To get more information on your local MLA, you can visit www.leg.bc.ca/MLA.
We feel it is vital to make the business case for continuation of funding - how many dollars does your organization contribute to your local economy; and what the impact is, both financial and cultural on your audiences and artists. The Alliance for Arts and Culture quantifies the provincial impact of the arts at 80,000 jobs and $5.2 billion annually. You need to tell your financial and job story.
You can also encourage your organization to send a letter, and keep sending letters, talking about the impact of proposed funding cuts on your community by writing to pertinent elected officials. Office addresses are on each elected official's web pages. Arts - Minister Kevin Krueger - Kevin.kruegermla@leg.bc.ca / Gaming - Minister Rich Coleman - rich.colemanmla!@leg.bc.ca / Premier Gordon Campbell - premier@gov.bc.ca
Please forward this email, perhaps with a covering note, to your in-house email list. We know the government needs to hear from the groups and organizations impacted and they especially need to hear from the community itself, including individuals and businesses, that the arts matter to them.
We also ask you to respond to this email - either to the organization which sent it to you - or to ArtsResponseOkanagan@shaw.ca, so that we can measure the reaction to this information and tell all MLAs and others about the ongoing awareness of this issue among BC Arts groups.
Thank you - please react within the next two weeks. This letter has been sent to you from PAK - Professional Performing Arts Alliance of Kelowna, Ballet Kelowna, Chamber Music Kelowna, Community Concerts Kelowna, Okanagan Symphony, Arts Council of the Central Okanagan, Rotary Centre for the Arts and Okanagan Institute.
About the Rotary Centre for the Arts
Located in the heart of Kelowna's Cultural District, the Rotary Centre for the Arts is a unique multi-disciplinary arts centre that offers a wide array of events and activities. At the RCA, the community can experience artists and performers in action, while sharing in the excitement of strengthening art and culture in the Okanagan.
