For Immediate Release
The Pacific Association of Artist-Run Centres (PAARC) welcomes the announcement that the remainder of the $10 million from the “Sports and Arts Legacy Fund”, announced in the March 2010 provincial budget, has now been released to the BC Arts Council.
It is gratifying that seven tenths of the fund will be administrated through the capable and trusted peer-jury process of the B.C. Arts Council. Barring any further impediments or restrictions on the spending of these funds, this announcement could be a first step toward repairing some of the damage that has been done to public funding of the arts and culture in B.C.
However, the announcement also raises several important issues to be addressed:
1. As stated before, the $7 million announced recently is not “new” money: it is simply a fulfillment of commitments made by the Government of British Columbia in March of this year. It is regretful that it has it taken until now, and after a great deal of public protest and work behind the scenes for the government to follow through on its own commitment. In the context of limited financial and human resources, this communication shortfall can only be seen as improvident.
2. The release of these funds still leaves funding for the B.C. Arts Council painfully below the level recommended by the legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services, and does little to bring B.C.‘s per-capita support of the arts and culture in line with that of other provinces and territories. What must happen in order for the B.C. Government to address the historically inadequate level of investment in the arts and culture sector in our province?
3. The premise and effectiveness of the new “Sports and Arts Legacy Fund” is severely undermined by the continued absence of adequate and stable arts funding. Cuts to the B.C. Arts Council, and unannounced restrictions on Gaming funding, are continuing to affect British Columbians’ access to culture; the impact of those cuts will become more obvious during the year to come as programs at the community level are reduced. When it was clear to informed observers that the best remedy for these problems was stable, adequate funding for the B.C. Arts Council, we question why the government chose to put money into an entirely new budget line, and let months go by before announcing how these funds would be used.
4. Most importantly, we hope the Government of British Columbia will show a clear commitment to making the B.C. Arts Council a truly arms-length agency. The controversy surrounding the politically directed Spirit Festivals is itself an excellent argument in favour of arts funding that is at arms-length from electoral politics. Measures along these lines should include employing staff directly by the council, rather than the ministry, and drafting a clear policy limiting political direction to the council’s board.
We hope these points will be received as constructive criticism and look forward to opportunities for a closer dialogue with Government so that we can work collectively towards a healthy environment that supports the diverse and exciting culture for British Columbians to enjoy.
