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!
Consider: ‘the best place on earth’ has the worst record in Canada.
Under the Liberals, we make the lowest per capita investment in the arts of any jurisdiction. Liberals may be proud of this. Canadians are not.
The arts give us identity, tradition, and voice. The arts distinguish us from the mediocre and the mercantile. The arts are remembered long after we are gone.
We will remember writers, singers, composers, actors and dancers long after we have forgotten our misrulers.
Meantime, let’s not forget who broke trust. It wasn’t just Gordon Campbell. It was his entire caucus. It wasn’t just Gordon Campbell. It was the entire Liberal Party. They are equally culpable.
A year before the next election, Gordon Campbell will step down. He hopes that his successor will wipe clean his galaxy of errors. She cannot. It’s too late for the Liberals.
Let’s not forget that EVERY Liberal helped destroy the structure of support for the arts in BC. As with the HST, EVERY Liberal must be held to account. Gordon Campbell couldn’t wreak such havoc alone.