[BCMA] (Fwd) Arts Advocacy Update / Former BCAC Chair Speaks Out

Wed Aug 18 10:10:04 PDT 2010

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From:	"Alliance for Arts and Culture" <communications at allianceforarts.com> 
Send reply to:	communications at allianceforarts.com
Date sent:	Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:02:49 +1000
Subject:	Arts Advocacy Update / Former BCAC Chair Speaks Out

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BC ARTS ADVOCACY UPDATE
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Former BC Arts Council Chair Speaks Out
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FORMER BC ARTS COUNCIL CHAIR STEPS DOWN TO SPEAK UP

In the face of almost daily announcements of arts funding
cutbacks across the province, former BC Arts Council chair Jane
Danzo has released the content of her letter of resignation,
officially submitted Monday to Lori Wannamaker, deputy minister
of tourism, culture and the arts.

Mrs. Danzo's resignation had been announced last Thursday in an
internal ministry document, and Stanley Hamilton named as interim
chair.

"With respect and with regret, I felt obliged to resign in order
to have a voice" Mrs. Danzo's said in her resignation, addressed
to the Honourable Kevin Krueger, minister of tourism, culture and
the arts.

Mrs. Danzo's letter went on to cite the lack of consultation
around the creation of the Arts Legacy Fund, the government's
rejection of the recommendation of its own Standing Committee on
Finance and Government Services that arts funding be restored to
2008/2009 levels, and the lack of a real arms-length relationship
with the government as evidence that the BC Arts Council Board
does not "have a voice independent of government".

"All these and other factors led to my conviction that I had to
step down in order to effectively speak up" Mrs. Danzo said in
releasing her letter.

Alliance for Arts and Culture executive director Amir Ali Alibhai
congratulated Mrs. Danzo on her decision.

"We appreciate and applaud Jane's courage and integrity in taking
this step" said Mr. Alibihai. "The arts community is without
question in crisis, and to have someone of Mrs. Danzo's position
and stature stand up and speak truth to power on our behalf is a
major development and source of encouragement.

"Our own voices of protest and concern can be ignored and
discounted, but her's cannot.

"Some arts organizations that have recently seen large funding
cuts are afraid to speak out for fear losing further funding
opportunities. That this fear is well-founded is itself
distressing and is a sad reflection of our entire political and
bureaucratic reality. Ms. Danzo's speaking out on behalf of the
creative sector will help unite our community and strengthen our
ongoing advocacy efforts" concluded Mr. Alibhai.

The full text of Mrs. Danzo's letter to Minister Krueger follows.

JANE DANZO'S LETTER OF RESIGNATION

Dear Minister Krueger,

Thank-you for your kind words in last week's press release that
announced my resignation from the British Columbia Arts Council.

I was very proud to have been appointed to the BC Arts Council
and even more so to have been appointed Chair. I consider it a
privilege to have been asked to serve the government for the past
four years. 

While my resignation may have seemed sudden, I had been
considering stepping down for some time.

With respect and with regret, I felt obliged to resign in order
to have a voice. In my opinion, the work of The B.C. Arts Council
Board, has not been supported by government on a number of
different levels.

According to the Arts Council Act, Council is defined as not more
than 15 members, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor in Council.
The Charter of the BCAC further identifies the appointees as "the
Board". The Act stipulates that the Board's main purpose is to
provide support for the arts and culture sector in British
Columbia. In November 2009, Council (board and staff) made a
submission to the Committee on Finance and Governmental Services
regarding BCAC funding for the following year. Council
recommended that the government return to an appropriation for
the BCAC and restore its funding to 08/09 levels. 

This recommendation, which was echoed by the submissions of
artists and arts organizations province-wide, was supported by
the government's own committee who brought it forward for
consideration in the March budget. The government rejected its
committee's strong recommendation for restoration. The
devastating impact of that decision is now being felt by artists
and arts organizations throughout the province as they receive
notification of substantial cuts to their core funding.

Instead of restoring the funding to the BCAC, the government
announced the establishment of an Arts Legacy Fund- a surprise as
much to the Board as to the arts community. Even after the
announcement, the Board was not consulted for input, nor was it
permitted to know the details as they were developed by ministry
staff over a four month period. 

Meanwhile, the arts community struggled, some members with
life-threatening uncertainty, as they reduced their programming,
laid off staff and made poignant appeals to patrons and donors
for further support. And the Board remained awkwardly silent
until the government released more information about the Arts
Legacy Fund.

The Act also specifies that the Board support arts and culture
through advocacy. This responsibility is virtually impossible to
accomplish because the Board's relationship to government is not
at-arms -length. It has neither its own funding nor its own staff. It is 
dependent upon budget allocation for funds and ministry employees 
for human resources, both managed by a government employee. 
Furthermore, it has recently been made clear that the Board does not have a 
voice independent of government. The only independence the Board has 
from government is defined by the granting process.

The Board members of the BCAC are chosen for, among other
qualifications, their areas of expertise and their knowledge of
the sector. Collectively, they represent a broad range of board
experience that includes not-for profit, public sector and
corporate boards. Given the issues I have identified, it would
not be surprising if such capable volunteers were to become
frustrated, even disillusioned. I believe that unless government
is more consultative, and makes significant organizational
changes, it will be difficult to attract and retain qualified
candidates for Board positions on the BCAC.

I strongly recommend that the government and the Board review the
models used in some of the other provincial jurisdictions where
their arts councils are at -arms- length from government; where
they are respected for their expertise and judgment and where, as
a result, the arts and culture sectors are better served. Surely
such co-operation could produce only beneficial results for the
B.C. arts community.

Minister Krueger, you have been a strong advocate for increased
funding to the BCAC , and, more broadly, for the arts and culture
sector of British Columbia. I am very grateful for that support,
and, on behalf of the community, I thank-you very much.

Yours very truly,
Jane M. Danzo

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We sent this email to JHarding at museumsassn.bc.ca.

Thanks,
Alliance for Arts and Culture

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The BC Museums Association exchange memberships to partner on 
advocacy efforts and issues affecting the province's arts & culture 
community.

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_______________________________
Jim Harding, ED
BC Museums Association
(250) 356-5694