Underneath the vibrant, diverse surface of a thriving arts and culture scene, Vancouver faces a loss of its brightest painters, dancers, designers, makers and performers to greener pastures. VO investigates how rising real estate prices are crunching our city’s artists.

Remember the hype about “The Creative City”? Not much creativity happening with disappearing spaces and high rents. Read the complete article:

http://bit.ly/IDlwRg

We would like to hear about your experience.

Arts funding awarded without formal requests
Victoria Times Colonist

“It was very nice of them to provide that money and we’re going to put together some legacy projects.” While there were more requests made for funding than money available, Ida Chong, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, …

Mission receives $75000 from province for 120th anniversary
Mission City Record

“The funds arrived in the form of a letter dated March 13 from the Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Ida Chong, congratulating Mission on its 120th anniversary and stipulating celebration details be provided by May 16.

2010 Sport and Arts Legacy funding details remain under wraps
Georgia Straight

“Community, Sport, and Cultural Development Minister Ida Chong remains under fire for the way she distributed $3.25 million earmarked for the arts from the 2010 Sport and Arts Legacy fund.

 Don’t miss this interesting exchange between Minister Ida Chong and NDP Arts Critic Spencer Chandra Herbert:

Minister Chong “answers” questions about the $3.2 million giveaway.

We have received this letter (below) from Francis Xavier Edwards of the Mission Folk Music Festival. We wonder how many municipalities and organization have been treated to a similar surprise. As you can see from Minster Chong’s letter to us, she’s revealing no secrets. In spite of the Minister’s earlier statement that there are always more applications than money, it seems that there were no applications for the $3.25 million fund that she has dispersed. This was Olympic Legacy Money that, in our opinion, should have gone to the BC Arts Council. As far as we can see, the Minister’s decisions are arbitrary, based upon who-knows-what. On the other had, we couldn’t help but notice that in the last election Liberal Marc Dalton (Maple Ridge-Mission) won his seat with 8802 votes over NDP candidate Mike Bocking’s 8734 votes, a difference of only 68 votes! Not that $75,000 is going to influence any voters come next May, but …

AABC

Hello Tom, John, Arts Advocacy BC,

At a meeting to discuss the 25^th anniversary of the Mission Folk Music Festival last Friday, I was stunned to learn that the District of Mission just received $75,000 from Ida Chong’s office to be used for “cultural” purposes, apparently to celebrate a milestone civic anniversary.

The money is from the $3.25 million discretionary fund held by Ida Chong for Arts and Culture. It appears it has been used at the last minute, with seemingly no process and little thought about where and how the money is used. I was told that no one in the District of Mission applied for the money!

So, why Mission? Apparently, it has something to do with the 120th anniversary of the city. Who decided this and on whose behalf? It is not really a milestone year (100 years, or 125, but 120?) and is certainly odd in a time when culture is under such funding pressure. It is even more than odd when the District didn’t even apply for the money. The cheque just showed up in the mail!

The Mission Folk Music Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. In the past three years it has seen the BC Arts Council chopped to pieces, grants to arts organizations slashed, and a drain of arts professionals from this Province. The festival struggles to find adequate funds to operate. It received $16,000 from the BC Arts Council this year for Operating Assistance. The application process is rigorous, the reporting and accounting strenuous. Then, money just pops up for “cultural purposes” in the District’s mail without any application process. This is plain chaos! It makes no sense. It undermines the work of the festival and other arts groups. It is an inappropriate use of funds, of taxpayers’ money, and a callous slap in the face to arts and cultural groups, the communities they work in, and the many volunteers who contribute hours, skills and resources to these groups.

This is very, very disturbing. It is wrong.

I have read quotes from the minister saying the funds were for contingency, for emergency. Certainly, the plight of the BC Touring Council losing its funding from Canadian Heritage is an emergency. Instead of seeing the obvious and providing genuine support where needed, we are getting a bunch of birthday parties for which there is no application and adjudication process. The money is just being given away.

I would like to see the money go directly to the BC Arts Councils where it can be administered in an appropriate way and where an accountable process is in place.

I would also like to know where the balance of the 3.2 million has gone.

Recommended Action: I am convinced the arts community needs to speak out strongly with a statement to the media condemning the actions of Minister Ida Chong in doling out millions of dollars of Arts and Culture money without consultation or communication with the arts community and doing so at a time of restraint, cutbacks, and difficult challenges; when arts and cultural organizations are struggling to operate and some ceasing operations. There is no place for private funds for the minister to dole out to community birthday parties.

I would love to hear from you about this, with any suggestions on how to proceed, who to talk to, and how to get this media statement together.

Yours, Francis Xavier Edwards

Mission Folk Music Festival
Box 3125
Mission, British Columbia
Canada, V2V 4J3
604 820 0088
mfmfs@look.ca
604 820-0088

Thank you for your recent correspondence enquiring about a reported “$3 million in unallocated arts funding.”

In 2011/12, the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development was able to meet its commitments to support artists and arts organizations through the BC Arts Council (BCAC) by providing funding of $16.831 million.  After meeting those commitments, the Ministry was given access to approximately $3 million remaining to support arts and culture projects that are not generally funded by BCAC.  As is often the case, the Ministry receives funding requests throughout the year and they always exceed the total amount available.

After careful review and consideration, all available 2011/12 funds have now been committed for expenditure by the end of the fiscal year, March 31, 2012.  With the support of Ministry staff, we have allocated the available funds to projects throughout the province.

A complete list of the funded projects will be found in the Public Accounts of the British Columbia Legislature at:  www.leg.bc.ca/cmt/39thparl/session-4/pac/index.htm.  This information should be available online in early July.

The Province of British Columbia is proud to have demonstrated our commitment to the arts by providing artists, and arts and culture organizations, with more than $53 million in 2011/12, including maintaining the Council’s funding at $16.831 million.  Since 2001, the Province has invested $2.6 billion in arts and culture infrastructure programs, grants to artists and arts organizations, tax credits and other supports.  Recently, despite the global economic turmoil of the past few years, the Province has continued to support the arts at near historic levels, including adding $15 million to the base funding for gaming grants to raise the total to $135 million per year.

Thank you again for writing to express your interest in arts and culture in British Columbia.

Sincerely,

Ida Chong, FCGA
Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development

According to the Vancouver Courier (April 6, 2012) the city is prepared to spend more than $1 million on policing costs on the National Hockey League’s playoffs, depending upon whether or not the Vancouver Canucks are involved. Justifiably nervous after last year’s Stanley Cup riot, the city plans a measurable increase in police presence.

Policing for the first game, which happens on Friday, April 13th, is estimated to cost $67,472. Costs for subsequent games, including the Stanley Cup Final, are set at $86,488; $163, 744; and $752,963 respectively.  The grand total, billed to Vancouver taxpayers, comes to $1,070, 667.

VANCOUVER’S CULTURAL GRANTS

Meanwhile, the city allocated $2,852,600 in 2011 operating grants to local cultural organizations.

Policing costs: $0.00

While we applaud the City’s total allocation of $7,275,600 in all grant programs—including $3,959,400 to major organizations like the Vancouver Art Gallery ($2,181,00)—we note that grant requests totalled $8,501,779, more likely reflecting actual need.

CULTURAL TOURISM

A more substantial investment in the arts could make a real difference. We believe that cultural tourism has the potential of bringing vast social and economic benefits to Vancouver—without any increase in police costs. This would call for a change in our vision (Vision?) of what makes a city a desirable destination for travellers. Progressive cities (Frankfurt, Valencia, Miami Beach, Seattle, San Francisco, Oslo, e.g.) are promoting arts and culture as reasons for visiting. An ad in The New Yorker (March 26, 2012) says: Explore Oslo, Capital of Culture—Experience a unique combination of art, culture, and the great outdoors in Norway’s celebrated capital.

Enough said.

 YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED

For full details on the city’s 2011 cultural grants, see Administrative Report, 2011 Cultural Grants Allocations.

Dear Minister Chong:

We have recently received a press release   http://bit.ly/HIN2Px    from Arts & Culture Critic MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert noting that the fund of over $3 million appears to have been distributed through your ministry without explanation. According to Mister Herbert “The government announced a portion of the fund for community anniversary celebrations last month. However, most of the money remains unaccounted for.”

 As advocates for the arts, we represent hundreds of British Columbians—artists, audiences, patrons, and subscribers—who are keen to know how funding for arts and culture is distributed, especially when that distribution takes place outside of the BC Arts Council, the provincially recognized agency for arms-length funding.

With this in mind, we respectfully request an explanation and accounting for how and where this substantial amount of money was allocated.

Please reply.

Yours truly,
Arts Advocacy British Columba

For Immediate Release
April 3, 2012

Minister won’t say where arts funding went

VANCOUVER– With the deadline for the remainder of the $3.2 million Sport and Arts Legacy Fundallocation come and gone, the B.C. Liberals are refusing to release details and have left the arts community out of the process, says New Democrat arts and culture critic Spencer Chandra Herbert.

“’The Liberals are awarding over 3 million of British Columbians’ dollars meant to support arts with no application process, no criteria, and no consultation with the arts community,” said Chandra Herbert, the MLA for Vancouver – West End.

The government announced a portion of the fund for community anniversary celebrations last month. However, most of the money remains unaccounted for.

The Minister for Arts and Culture has stated publicly that while all of the remaining funds have been distributed to various organizations, there will be no announcement of where the money went or what the process was for choosing the recipients.

“The money is being awarded completely at Minister Chong’s whim, and now the full list of recipients is hidden until June when government is forced to be transparent through public accounts documents,” said Chandra Herbert. “B.C.’s arts community deserves better.”

“Christy Clark and the Liberals run forward to take credit for everything, but now when they are spending money meant for arts they refuse to say where. What’s the big secret?”

Traditionally, arts funds are given out in an arms-length fashion to ensure integrity in the process.

Chandra Herbert said this money was not only awarded quietly at the minister’s discretion, but also without input and participation from experts like the B.C. Arts Council.

Adrian Dix and the New Democrats believe that the creative economy is vital for our future, and are committed to working with the community to ensure its success.

Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA

One of the main issues here in small rural BC is that we have not affordable programmes for performing arts anymore.  There used to be series that we could plug into years ago and programmes through the Arts and Culture but they are just not affordable for small communities.  The Olympics spirit festival or some damn thing was a joke up here in the Cariboo.

Of course, the schools are still in need of arts coordination and support.  The current testing programme leaves the arts out entirely so what we test and value is having and effect, mostly negative.  We are graduating kids that do not have the faintest background in artistic literacy and that will catch up to us eventually.

Then to have schools rated by the likes of the Fraser Institute and then published in the press, according to Dr. Paul Shaker is an outgrowth of the push behind the scenes to totally privatize education, and do away with public education.  The Private Schools are listed in the top 10 as the best schools when in fact they are sorted by a population who has money and we know that the rich tend to have children who do better anyway.

This is the society that we are evolving to, a quasi meritocracy only based on money.  First Nations,  handicapped and special needs students do not rate.  I have trouble with this kind of meritocracy.

Answer to this? Keep trumpeting what the Coalition for Music Education in Canada and others (AABC) are advocating.  Something else:  de-politicize education from the degree it has become in Canada to the degree that makes it stand out negatively in Canada.  The Provinces in my estimation to look to now are Manitoba and Newfoundland , who still have some valuing of the arts and do not pull off the Ida Chung kind of bafflegab.  Thanks for drawing my attention to the meeting when Herhert Spencer roasts her quietly and effectively.  What utter nonsense!

We need an arts and cuture initiative such as the Newfoundland Labrador Government has in education and community arts.

Start lobbying the NDP who if I am not mistaken will have the next majority.  Spencer is great.  He is on side.

There is more to my rant but I will have a drink, calm down and go about my business of humbly trying to bring people in our little area along with other humble and dedicated folks to the arts and culture here.

Dennis Tupman (Green Lake, BC Cariboo)

Entire performing arts industry is to blame for the demise of the Vancouver Playhouse

March 17, 2012 00:03:00
Matthew Jocelyn

The Vancouver Playhouse announced on March 9 that, crippled by chronic deficit-related issues, it was closing its doors the very next day, a few months shy of its 50th anniversary. This was and is a day of mourning for Canadian theatre.

More significantly, it is a sign of the collective failure of all of us directly or indirectly involved in the performing arts industry in Canada, a failure to defend the indisputable need for strong, publicly funded theatrical institutions in our country.

Created in 1962, the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company was a forerunner of the boom of large regional theatre companies established countrywide throughout the 1960s, supported largely, at their inception, by the Canada Council for the Arts. Yet despite this generous support to create a network of centres for the performing arts, the intrinsic, lasting value of being an institution was never truly conferred upon them.

As with many such organizations, the Vancouver Playhouse remained a “company,” a rootless entity forced to rent its city-owned performance space and justify its existence through commercial success. The term “company,” though used widely in the theatre business, unwittingly and perversely infers a likeness to the private sector. Companies come and go, are bought and sold and in the end must turn a profit or die. Institutions, on the other hand, are part of the fabric of society, they give meaning while at the same time being engines for change, and for that reason are essential to preserve.

Which public school, which hospital, museum or university, which prison or military base, research centre or art gallery goes by the term “company” or is treated as one? Why then our country’s not-for-profit performing arts institutions, a fundamental part of our national identity, the home for the creation and transmission of our stories?

The bankruptcy of the Vancouver Playhouse is not a local problem — it is the failure of an entire system. It is a failure of the department of Canadian Heritage which, by allowing this disappearance, is depriving not only Vancouver but also the rest of Canada of a fundamental part of our national heritage. It is a failure of the Canada Council for the Arts, whose funding mechanisms are not attuned to the specific role of the country’s major performing arts institutions, forcing us to operate on an edulcorated commercial model as opposed to enabling us to fulfill the mandate of true creative licence and engaged public service that should be ours.

It is a failure of the province of British Columbia and the city of Vancouver. And it is a failure of the Playhouse’s board of directors, unwilling or unable to fulfill their charge as its guardians, or to actively rally support for its preservation.

It is also a failure of the performing arts institutional network of which I am a part, the large-scale not-for-profit theatres, each caught up in our own survival to such a degree that we have been unable to create a collective national voice. It is a failure of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), an organization representing all professional theatre in the country, yet incapable of defending a major institution at a critical moment for fear of internal criticism from a membership dominated by smaller independent companies, most of whom also struggle to survive.

It is a failure of the two principal unions in the performing arts sector: Actors’ Equity and IATSE. Both were created as defensive mechanisms against American touring productions long before not-for-profit theatre came into existence in Canada, and both continue to confuse purely commercial theatre with theatre that has a mandate for public service, exacting often crippling conditions for our productions.

It is a failure of the media because, in general, the media are uninterested in the arts, and of theatre critics in particular, too many of whom assume that venting their (often alarmingly ill-informed) opinion is more important than “mediating” the work they are writing about, that is, helping audiences understand and appreciate its nature, its successes and failings, thus helping foster the curiosity and appetite without which theatre dies.

Sadly, it is also a failure of the artists — and here again I include myself — unable to produce a body of work that makes theatre a truly necessary, truly integrated part of our modern world, and of the audiences, insufficient in number, insufficiently curious, excessively influenced by the above-mentioned critical inadequacies.

It is, in other words, the failure of an entire system. And in this failure, each of us has lost, no one gained.

As with all true tragedies however, some form of catharsis can ensue. The disappearance of the Vancouver Playhouse can and must serve a purpose, must help us attain a deeper understanding of our profession, of the work we are (or aren’t) doing, the role we play (or don’t) within today’s world. This collective failure must be seized as an opportunity to undertake an uncompromisingly critical evaluation of how not-for-profit theatre has evolved in Canada over the past 50 years, of what we are doing (or aren’t) to ensure an artistically vital, socially integrated, institutionally rooted industry for the 50 years to come.

Simply put, it is time for an audit, a detailed medical examination of our collective corps malade. And in the wake, it is time to pursue whatever measures are required, be they surgical or otherwise. Without such fearless self-analysis, our entire industry is potentially prey to the same fatal disease as that which got the better of the Vancouver Playhouse.

As the curtain closes on the Vancouver Playhouse, I can’t help myself from asking: Who’s next?

A more insidious question follows, one for which we are all responsible: Who really cares?

Matthew Jocelyn is artistic and general director of Canadian Stage.

Home | Contact © Copyright Toronto Star 1996-2012

Dear Friends of BC’s Creative Sector,

I wanted to share with you questions that I raised with Arts Minister Ida Chong during yesterday’s sitting of the house. I raised questions about support for the film and television industry, BC Arts Council and dedicated arts funding from the provincial budget. Scroll down to read more or you can watch our exchange online here

http://spencerherbertmla.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=11073062ad037597beccee62e&id=7469ea8d87&e=93f455310b

[While we do recommend watching, or at least listening to, this video, we expect you will find the exchange somewhat mindnumbing, though ultimately interesting, especially when it gets around to the $3 million.--AABC]

I was surprised to learn that Minister Chong has been sitting on approximately $3 million dollars in unallocated arts and culture funding that has yet to dispersed. I questioned the Minister and it was revealed that her Ministry has only 30 days to spend these funds and furthermore that there is no official application process in place for arts groups to access these funds. Here is one of the questions that I raised:

S. Chandra Herbert: I think that people in the arts and culture industry will be interested, and surprised to a large extent, that the minister herself has approximately $3 million to allocate as she sees fit. Certainly, I am surprised. I think the minister has spoken about applications. Well, was there an open call? Is it just whoever knows? How does this happen?

Once she has allocated the dollars, will she be releasing what the applications consisted of, so that people can see that it was done in a fair and transparent manner? Will she release what advice she had, so that she can be sure that it was broad-based and regionally supported, so that people see that she is using taxpayers’ dollars in a wise manner? As the minister will know, the B.C. Arts Council operates through a pure jury process — in a sense, to try and take away the concern that people might play favourites, that political considerations might come into how funds are allocated.

For this upcoming year will the minister be making any open call to the public to say that she has $3 million to spend for arts and culture groups?

I am extremely concerned that this $3 million dollars could be used as a political slush fund by a party that is not faring well in public opinion polls, and could use these funds to shore up support.

I am writing to share this information with you and also to encourage you to contact Minister Chong.

What do you think about her decision to not distribute $3 million in arts funding at a time in which arts are companies are struggling following the deepest cuts to arts and culture in BC? What do you think about the fact that her Ministry has control over $3 million in funds, with no accountability from the community about how it would best be spent?

I encourage you to write Minister Chong – CSCD.minister@gov.bc.ca or contact her via Twitter twitter.com/#!/Ida_Chong >   and let her know your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Spencer Chandra Herbert, MLA
Vancouver-West End
Official Opposition Critic for Arts and Culture

For the full letter:

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/11073062ad037597beccee62e/images/Letter_footer.jpg

RE: Community Gaming Grants Review Report Government response

Excuse my frankness, yet I feel it is necessary to write this open letter

Two weeks ago Kevin Falcon admitted publicly the government did wrong by arts and culture and they need to make things right.

This is astounding. The government is vulnerable, desperate and seeking to boost their popularity rating

The Premier followed through on her promise to act on the Skip Triplett Report.

However, we need to let them know the solution to the gaming revenue issue is unacceptable. Yes, it was right to restore eligibility for many organizations but a frozen amount for 4 years means severe cuts for everyone.

The time is auspicious to tell them the truth. It probably should be $635M not $135M for the non-profit sector.

They also need to rectify their cruel errors with arts and culture grant cuts

We have an opportunity to make our case before the next budget. so the time is indeed right. Let us urge them to do the right thing, knowing they are listening now.

I know the arts and culture sector feels bruised, shamed, impotent, despairing and victimised. but we need to hold our heads high and fight for what is right.

We cannot let them buy us off with this unacceptable and unjust solution. If they succeed and we don’t complain they will win the PR battle and we will have lost an opportunity.

I urge you to write letters to the editor. For example there could be more responses to Pete McMartin’s excellent column in the Vancouver Sun. The Georgia Straight is open to our opinions. Community newspapers will print letters and the other media will take notice.

I know this is a busy time and too soon after Christmas, yet I believe we can turn this around.

For the sake of all the people whose lives are enriched by the non-profit sector, we need to seek justice now in the media and in social media

Let’s get the campaign going!

Carpe diem

With love and admiration,

Colin Miles