Last week, the Chair of the BC Arts Council, Jane Danzo, resigned stating that it was her best way of advocating for change and to show her displeasure with the way the BC Arts Council is required to operate by the Government.

See letter here

I don’t know Jane and I don’t know all the machinery at the BC Arts Council so I could be completely “off” on what I am about to say, but here goes.

Many in the arts community seems to be applauding Ms. Danzo for her bold and courageous move (see Alliance for Arts and Culture’s response ) and I join them in saying it’s great to hear her reasons and frustrations but…

It seems to me that if she’d spoken her mind while she still held the position and made the Government very uncomfortable, they would have fired her which would have had a much bigger impact than the footnote articles the story is now getting in the media.

The move would have made the Government look bad (which they are). We are left now with one more person (soldier in the battle for arts funding) like the rest of us, on the outside but with no explosive impact.

My challenge to the rest of the BC Arts Council board? SPEAK OUT NOW before your term is up or you decide to resign.

Make the Government very uncomfortable.

Get removed.

At least it will have some impact.