OUR SUBMISSION TO THE BUDGET 2010 CONSULTATION

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The government has recognised the major social and economic roles that [  ] arts and culture play in our Province.

 [  ]the arts and culture sector contributes to the strength and stability of our economy

 B.C. must build on the obvious strengths of our cultural and artistic sectors 

The social fabric of the Province is strengthened by its robust arts, culture and heritage sectors

These are not our words, although we endorse every one of them.  They are contained in the 2009/10 to 2011/12 Service Plan Update from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, and the first three comments are taken directly from the message of Minister Krueger. 

We have been fortunate in this Province to have built such a strong and vibrant cultural sector.  That strength attracts not only tourists but new residents to the Province.  This in turn produces all kinds of financial benefits to our Province.  The research paper “Socio-Economic Impacts of Arts and Cultural Organisations in BC” produced jointly for the Ministry of Tourism Sports and the Arts (as it was then named) and others in December 2006 by G.S.Sandhu & Associates, completely confirmed this proposition.  As this paper has recently been removed from the Ministry web site, it is perhaps appropriate to remind you of its main conclusion, that each dollar invested by the Province in arts and culture produced, on average, $1.38 in Provincial income.

 A huge economic return indeed.  And although one would like to think that successive Provincial governments have been entirely altruistic in devoting part of the annual budgets to the support of the arts and culture sector, it also makes very sound economic sense.  A true demonstration of the premise “Build it and they will come”.

The economic effects of support for the arts are only one element of this complicated equation.  We mention it first because you need to hear views on what makes economic sense for the Province in these straightened financial times.  It does make financial sense to support the arts when the economic return is as great as has been demonstrated.

However, may we look momentarily at the other, social benefits, which we believe most community members would understand.   The pleasure in the individual’s response to a live artistic presentation or performance is surely one of the core social values in a civilised society.  It enables people better to understand their wider philosophy about who they are, and how they fit into society.  And basically, for a very large number of our community members, life without arts would simply be boring.

 So, now let us look at the figures.  The proposal outlined in last month’s Service Plan Update, since somewhat modified by the retraction of the threat to terminate existing  three year funding agreements for Direct Access Gaming, appears to suggest that overall arts funding is to be reduced from the original estimate of around $45 million in the current year, to $35 million, and then slashed to just under $7 million in 2010/2011, and then once again to $3.675 million in 2011/2012. Or, put another way, the total funding for arts and culture to be made available to the thousands of currently funded groups in British Columbia is to be reduced by over 91%. 

We invite you to consider that for a moment.  If the cuts operated evenly across the board (which they naturally will not) a group receiving $10000 funding this year can expect receive under $1000 in 2011.  But cuts will not be made evenly.  Many organisations, which rely on Direct Access Gaming Funding, and are not eligible for funding through BC Arts Council, will loose ALL their Provincial funding.

Having talked generally, we would now like to speak specifically to my involvement with Crimson Coast Dance Society.  Crimson Coast Dance Society was created in 1998 to serve as an established structure for dancer and current artistic director Holly Bright’s ongoing dance activities, which had been taking root in Nanaimo since 1996. The programming has since developed to the point where we are experiencing the artistic vision in practice. In a community where the concept of contemporary dance was largely ‘lyrical ballet’, we began by presenting mainstage events by established dance artists, and after three years started integrating workshops. In 2002 the workshops developed into residencies with professional guest artists. Classes were offered to the general public, and local dance enthusiasts were facilitated toward creating performable dance pieces.  Crimson Coast has continued to grow, offering an annual festival, a season of outstanding performances, residencies for professional development, and extensive outreach programming.  

In 2008/2009, the Society had a turnover in excess of $155000.  It was supported by grants from all three levels of government.   Federal funding, largely through operational assistance from Canadian Heritage, is linked to certain minimum program requirements.  The Society delivers this minimum: much as we should like to do so, we cannot afford to do more.  In this year, Provincial operating funding amounted to $28000 from BC Arts Council and $23000 from Direct Access Gaming. 

Looking at the budget proposals, as they now stand, the latter source may completely disappear, once our three year agreement ends.  Our sole provincial support could then be whatever is made available through BC Arts Council. This will leave us in a huge dilemma.  With a cut in finding of $23000, plus any reduction in the monies which BC Arts Council will have to distribute, we won’t be able to fulfil our program requirements to Canadian Heritage.  If that should occur, we would also lose that funding source.  That would leave us (on 2008/2009 figures) a further $25000 short of our funding target, or, put another way, we would have lost one third of our income.  If total funding from the Province were to be reduced by the proposed 91%, then, combined with the loss of Federal funding, we should suffer a 48% reduction in our income.

We cannot see how any not for profit group, without the benefit of a substantial private sponsor, can survive such a reduction. No doubt a proportion of other organisations funded in a similar way will arrive at the same conclusion.   

If all those groups were to cease operation, as well as the groups funded by Direct Access alone, there would likely be massive fallout in the number of arts and culture groups in the Province, and, following from the economic impact disclosed by the report, a large drop in revenues generated by their operations throughout the Province.

There may be the temptation to suggest that this is an unfortunate effect of necessary action taken in difficult economic times.  But how will the removal of all this money from the economy (Crimson Coast alone spent well over $120,000 within the Province in 2008/2009) help the revival of the Province’s finances?  How will the loss of opportunities for professional artists (in 2008/2009, all but three were BC based dance professionals) affect the arts community in this Province?  And how will the loss of full and part time local employment for those who help to run or who contract their services to those arts groups assist in the creation of new jobs in B.C.? 

And it is no use pretending that this will be “short term pain for short term gain”.  The loss of these organisations will cause the arts industry in British Columbia an enormous blow.  Artists will leave for other, more artistically friendly provinces; audience members may decide that B.C. is no longer the place where they want to stay, if it allows its arts organisations and the artists themselves to be hung out in a cultural vacuum. 

And these effects will be such that it will take many, many years for any substantial arts community to recover.  It took Crimson Coast’s Artistic Director at least eight years to move from the initial inspired idea to become a major part of the arts community.  Are you prepared to wait until 2020 for the community to rebuild?  And what will life be like in the Province, in the artistic desert that will have been created, during those intervening years?

Arts funding is only a miniscule part of the provincial budget, but every cent of it is used for community social benefits.  If you cut it by 90%, you might as well cut it all and abandon any pretence that the Provincial government values its arts community, as Minister Krueger stated in his opening message.  It will make little difference to the ability to pay down a deficit of $5.4 billion to maintain arts funding at least at this year’s level, but failure to do so will have a great impact on communities throughout B.C.

 We urge the government to undertake a review of these proposed cuts, to ensure that, whether through the BC Arts Council or through Direct Access gaming, a sufficient funding level is maintained to ensure the continued operation of the efficiently run and artistically productive arts and cultural organisations in the Province, and allow them to continue their valuable contributions to making B.C. the best place on earth.

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Celebrating our members:

You really should meet each other!
We have begun a new initiative to celebrate the creative folks who make up our membership. We will, occasionally, send out by email and to our membership and supporters, member info...dance class opportunities in town, art openings, news of successes. The idea is to introduce you to who our members are and how wonderful they are. You will get to know them furhter at our shows because they are always there!
These notes will celebrate creativity and opportunities and all of the events that make Nanaimo a fun and artsy place to live.

We will always put "Celebrating our members" in the subject heading. That way, if you are too busy to read them or dis-inclined, you can hit the delete button and voila!...no problem. Do let us know if you are irked by their arrival. We will do our best to filter only to those interested in receiving. Again, we will do this conservatively and as diplomatically as possible.
Enjoy your life and each other....
celebrate often!

The Voice of Our Youth:
The Body Talk Youth Council
Earn while you learn!

The Body Talk Cru is a group of teens/young adults (13 to 21) who enjoy opportunities for career explorations in the dance arts.  Arts administration, curation, event planning, marketing, rehearsing and performing are all part of the discovery journey as the Cru produces The Body Talk Project each year.

Teamwork and leadership skills are learned as these young people contribute to our community through their efforts.  Facilitation is through the Crimson Coast Dance Society.

Meetings generally take place twice per month and occasionally once per month or weekly!  The new season and Cru begin to meet in September '09.  Unofficially, anyone interested in participating in the Cru and selecting next years artists may join us June 9 at 3:30 (to 5pm) and on remaining Mondays through June.  The Cru will break for July and August except for contact through Facebook as required or desired.

Cru members have access to all of Crimson Coast Dance Society's programming and events, workshops and performances.  They have the opportunity to bring their friends along and they receive an honorarium for their efforts at the end of the season.

Call today if you are interested in joining the Cru or if you have any questions: 250.716.3230 or email: dance@crimsoncoast.org

Many thanks to for support of this project go to:

Heritage Canada, City of Nanaimo, Made In BC, John Carter (Lighting Director/Designer), Sue York (Crew), Nisa Web Hosting and Design, Kwik Kopy Printing, The Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and through the BC Gaming Commission, Telus and The Vancouver Foundation 

"Ongoing News!!" ......

More Member Perks:

We are still working the kinks out of this plan and hoping to become more consistent with it. We are simply understaffed at the moment.

Members are invited to send information about local classes and performances for posting on our newsletter.

Please send them in the following format:

Title:
Artists involved:
Producer:
Date:
Location:
Ticket/Reg. price and purchase information:
website/contact information:

We will endeavor to update once a month.

Let's get friendly