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

Thu Mar 4 10:20:54 PST 2010

Our first major exhibit was in 1995, funded to the amount of $10,000.by the
Department of Heritage of BC which no longer exists.
The minister in charge was NDP member from Cranbrook.

On 3 March 2010 15:24, Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv. <
bcma at lists.vvv.com> wrote:

> As much as I totally am against this government's fiscal actions re the
> arts
> I don't remember the NDP party ever increasing funding for the arts or
> being
> that interested in the arts over the past 30 years - perhaps someone can
> enlighten me - sincerely Tony Martin, Exec Director, Comox Valley Art
> Gallery
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com [mailto:bcma-bounces at lists.vvv.com] On
> Behalf Of Moderated BCMA subscriber listserv.
> Sent: March 3, 2010 9:53 AM
> To: bcma at lists.vvv.com
> Cc: bcma-broadcast at lists.vvv.com
> Subject: [BCMA] (Fwd) BC Liberal budget fails arts and culture
>
> 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
>
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-- 
Larry A. Ewashen, B.A., s.c., M.A. Curator
Doukhobor Discovery Centre
112 Heritage Way
Castlegar BC V1N 4M5
www.Doukhobor-Museum.org
250-365-5327
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