[BCMA MBEN] (Fwd) BC Liberal budget fails arts and culture

[Jim Harding]

Dear Members and Subscribers;

We are forwarding the following Opposition response to yesterday's 
Provincial Budget announcement, as we have the Alliance for Arts & 
Culture, and will COTA's response from yesterday, in keeping with the 
BCMA's ongoing advocacy efforts and partnerships.

Considerable efforts are being made across the arts, culture and heritage 
sector to interpret the ramifications of yesterday's announcement. This 
morning, the BCMA has requested a clarifying statement from the BC Arts 
Council via Acting Executive Director, Gillian Wood, and we will forward any 
such statement or clarification as received.

As you will read or hear, there are several takes on these latest Budget 
measures, which can be confusing, however despite being in the midst of 
our annual operating grant submission process for our 2010-11 year 
beginning August 1, 2010, BCMA will be sifting through the analyses to 
clarify the situation for members and the continued measures being taken by 
your Association.

In the meantime, thank you for your continued support.
--Jim


------- Forwarded message follows -------
Subject:	BC Liberal budget fails arts and culture
From:	"MLA Spencer Herbert" <spencer.herbert.mla at leg.bc.ca>
Send reply to:	"MLA Spencer Herbert" <spencer.herbert.mla at leg.bc.ca>
To:	<jharding at museumsassn.bc.ca>
Date sent:	Tue, 2 Mar 2010 21:04:06 -0500

Dear Friends of BC Arts and Culture,

Today the BC Liberal government has demonstrated once again that they 
hold little value in supporting arts, culture, and heritage in BC by cutting the
BC Arts Council Budget by more than 50% and Gaming Grants for arts and
culture by approximately 50% in this year´s 2010/11 budget.

During the past two weeks British Columbians and visitors from all over the
world  came to Metro Vancouver and Whistler to experience not just the
Olympic Winter Games, but also the music, dance, theatre and visual arts
events of the Cultural Olympiad. Many in the cultural community had held 
out hope that the BC Liberals would recognize the substantial economic 
benefit and overwhelming public support for cultural events that have taken 
place during the Olympics.

Instead the BC Liberal government has ignored recommendations from the
Standing Committee on Finance to reinstate cultural funding to 2008 levels
as well as their own studies (Socio-Economic Impacts of Arts and Cultural
Organizations in BC; 2006) championing the economic benefit of funding the
arts at $1.36 return for every dollar invested in arts, culture and heritage
programs.

We have witnessed firsthand the outcome of the BC Liberal inaction and
failure to support arts in its effect on our domestic film industry. In 2009
the BC Liberal government did nothing to stem the flow of film productions,
jobs and money from BC to Ontario and Quebec and as a result our 
province lost at least four feature films and a TV series that opted to shoot 
out of province instead of in BC. This amounted to a loss of more than $200 
million and roughly 500 jobs lost in just a few months.

It was not until the BC NDP Official Opposition and leaders from the film
industry called on the government to take action to stop the haemorrhaging
of film productions and jobs that the BC Liberals chose to move towards
competitive  tax  credits  with  Ontario  and  Quebec.  However the BC
government´s  tax  credit  makes no new provisions to support domestic
filmmakers and therefore falls short of creating a truly sustainable film
and television industry here in BC, and does nothing to ensure BC stories
are seen on film, or on TV.

If anything good has come from these cuts it can only be that communities
across the province have come together and are strong, united and 
determined to fight these devastating cuts to the cultural and community 
spirit of our province.

Since last March British Columbians from across the province - from Comox 
to Kamloops, from Fernie, to Maple Ridge, from Williams Lake to Saltspring
Island have been loud and clear in our opposition to the BC Liberal arts,
and culture cuts. Arts Councils and City Councils across the province have
condemned the provincial government´s dramatic cut to funding arts, culture
and heritage in their communities, including councils in Kelowna, Penticton,
Summerland,  Harrison  Lake, Parksville, Vancouver, the Board of Metro
Vancouver and the Union of BC Municipalities, to name just a few.

When the BC Liberal government brought down its first round of cuts in 
March of  last year, BC was already at the very back of the pack in terms of
government support for arts and culture. This lack of support and investment
in  the  arts  means that the kinds of groundbreaking, imaginative and
beautiful works of art that British Columbians value so greatly may be lost.

Carole James, myself as Critic for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and the
Arts, and the entire Official Opposition Caucus will continue to stand with
you, and people in communities all across the province and will not cease
until the government reinstates funding and makes a true commitment to
investing and supporting arts and culture in BC.

Sincerely,
Spencer Herbert
Official Opposition Critic for Tourism, Culture and the Arts
MLA - Vancouver West End
www.spencerherbertmla.ca
==============================================


------- End of forwarded message -------
_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694