Advocacy, resources and community. These three words encompass a new mandate and a strengthened commitment from ArtsBC to support the arts and culture sector in British Columbia.

Building on its history as an apolitical advocate, the Assembly of BC Arts Councils has not only changed its name to ArtsBC, but has expanded its mandate to reach more cultural groups, individual artists, business associations and stakeholders with a vested interest in the health of arts and culture in BC, as well as the economic impact of the sector.

“For more than 30 years, the Assembly has been a voice for cultural organizations, focusing on a membership driven by community arts councils around BC,” says Joan Richoz, President. “It was time for some introspection about our role, and after a thoughtful planning process, the future for the Assembly became clear. We need to reach out to everyone in the province who plays a role in arts and culture, and work together to build upon our collective strengths.”

Along with the new name — ArtsBC — comes a new brand, a new website with greater functionality, and the establishment of connections through social media channels. As well, membership will expand to include associate members such as business improvement associations, individuals and students, in addition to arts organizations.
“Our members have access to a number of benefits, but more importantly, will have the opportunity to connect with each other and collaborate,” says ArtsBC President, Joan Richoz.

A stronger direction for ArtsBC means focusing on core services, and the organization is committed to “ARC”: advocacy, resources and community. ArtsBC will continue to advocate on behalf of BC’s arts and cultural sector; its most recent advocacy efforts resulted in the Spirit Festivals Program, distributing more than $1 million to BC’s arts and cultural sector. Forty-nine Spirit Festivals were held around the province through February.

Resources are a key component of the reborn organization, and ArtsBC will provide education and training opportunities, as well collect and collate research and publications on behalf of and for its members.

Community building will take place virtually through new online channels, as well as in person at the annual conference, which takes place each spring. The 2011 conference is scheduled for April 29 to May 1 in Richmond, BC.

“We recognize that the cultural sector in BC has had challenges, but with challenges comes opportunity,” says President, Joan Richoz. “ArtsBC is an opportunity for people and organizations across the province to come together in support of arts and culture.”

ArtsBC
Mail: PO Box 92, Station A, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4
150 Commercial Street, Nanaimo, BC V9R 5O6
250-754-3388
1-888-315-2288
Email: info@artsbc.org
Web: www.artsbc.org

Almost every charity has been impacted in one way or another by the economy. However, certain organizations – smaller charities, arts and culture and environmental non-profits – were the most negatively impacted by decreases in their revenue in 2009.

Arts and Culture organizations were the biggest group in the lower end operating budgets, with 44% running on budgets under $250,000. Another 36% had budgets between $250,000 to $1 million.

Environmental groups were the next group to operate with budgets on the lower end of the scale with 35% under $250,000, and 43% with budgets in the $250,000 to $1 million range.

Educational organizations, on the other hand, had the highest operating budgets. They made up nearly half (45%) of the organizations with budgets of $10 million or more.

Weathering the Storm – PDF
A survey of non-profits and charities in British Columbia
Vancouver Foundation
October 2009

An arts festival for all the ‘ordinary, working people’ – PDF
By Adam McDowell, National Post
October 30, 2009

Des journees de la culture coast to coast- PDF
By Frederique Doyon, Le Devoir
October 30, 2009

The Alliance for Arts and Culture sent out the following press release on Monday 13 July 2009.

The arts and cultural sector in British Columbia is facing an imminent crisis. The Service Plans for the next two years show a 40% reduction in funding for the BC Arts Council. The BC Arts Council is the largest funding body in the province; last year, more than 224 communities throughout British Columbia depended on it for support.

“The impact to the province will be devastating,” said Amir Ali Alibhai, the Executive Director of the Alliance for Arts & Culture. “The BC Arts Council supports a sector that employs 80,000 people and generates $5.2-billion annually. It is bigger than the forestry and fishing industries combined. At a time when the government is doing everything they can to create and retain jobs, why are they implementing measures that will trigger layoffs and cause organizations to reduce programming?

According to Ministry’s own research, for every dollar invested in the arts, the province gets back $1.38 in taxes. There are also countless studies that show that arts and culture creates healthy communities, enhances education, and helps to shape our cultural identity.

The government has defended the cuts as a necessary and discretionary, but artists and their communities are unconvinced.

“No other government in the country has reduced funding for arts and culture during the recession,” said Minna Schendlinger of the PuSh Festival. “In fact, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and the Government of Canada have all increased their investments.” In their estimation, arts and culture are clearly valued and recognized as an important area to invest by other governments – they are not seen as discretionary nor a frill; they are core investments.

During a recent interview with Scott Walker of ProArt Alliance in Victoria, the new Minister for Tourism, Culture, Kevin Krueger, characterized the arts community as unconcerned. “I am not hearing complaints at all from the arts and cultural community,” he said. “I think people are pretty happy with what we’ve done.”

“The arts community is genuinely grateful for the past support that the Liberals in BC have given to arts and culture,” said Mr. Alibhai. “However, the proposed cuts take us back to much older funding levels. The effect will be a costly creative drain in this province, and it will be next to impossible to regain the ground lost.”

The Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Art can be contacted at:

Email: kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca
Room 124, Parliament Buildings, Victoria BC, V8W 9E2
Phone 250 953 4226
www.kevinkruegermla.bc.ca

Increasing our investment in arts and culture will demonstrate to the world that
British Columbia is a culturally diverse and creative place to live.

Our Province, known as Supernatural British Columbia, could also be known as
Creative British Columbia.

What we know

We are in a new world economy, – a creative economy driven by ideas, innovation, and communication.

We are reminded every day that our future prosperity does not lie simply in our economic wealth. Our future prosperity lies in our education, health, community development, cultural development, and social development. Our future depends on contributing to the quality of life for all people.

Our natural resources have made us prosperous in the past. Our creative resources could make us prosperous in the future. We need to invest in our creative economy.

Where are we now

Our investment in our cultural and creative resources hasn’t changed significantly over the past year.

The $150 million endowment fund created by the Provincial Government last year will provide more funds for the British Columbia Arts Council but will not bring their budget to the $32 million recommended last year.

The highly leveraged $25 million Renaissance Fund created in 2005 will be depleted by the end of 2008. This program of matching grants for endowments has contributed to more than 160 arts organizations creating a perpetual investment in the arts for communities throughout the Province.

More significantly, the need for cultural facilities in communities throughout the Province is growing. The City of Vancouver has created a cultural facilities development strategy in response to this need and many other communities, like Kelowna, Nelson, Chemainus, and Langley, have created development plans focused on arts and culture to drive their economies and the social health of their communities.

The good news is we have the cultural and creative resources, the investment needed is relatively modest, and the contribution to our cultural, social, community and economic development is highly leveraged.

What we recommend

We recommend that the Government of British Columbia:

Increase the budget for the British Columbia Arts Council to $32 million,

Renew the Renaissance Fund with another $25 million, and

Conduct a comprehensive review and develop a cultural facilities development plan and strategy for the Province of British Columbia.

Return on Investment

This is what we know. Investment in the arts and our creative resources enhances education, promotes health and healing, contributes to our community development, our economy, our employment growth, and our ability to compete and contribute in the future.

The arts enhance education

Participation in the arts contributes to the development of academic skills, to our reasoning ability, and to our creativity, problem-solving skills, and expression.

The arts contribute to the development of positive social skills, self-confidence, self-control, conflict resolution, collaboration, empathy, and social tolerance, – and nurture a motivation to learn, particularly with students at risk and with special needs.

The arts promote health and healing

Research has shown the arts improve the health and well being of both individuals and communities. Cultural activity contributes to improved community identity and social cohesion, community revitalization, and the redevelopment of inner cities.

The arts are particularly effective with youth at risk, people with disabilities, and older citizens where health care and social system costs are greatest.

The arts create connections and communities

Participating in arts activities has proven to reduce youth violence, help prevent drug addiction, contribute to rehabilitation, and be a critical element in mental health treatment. The arts increase our understanding of our common interests and our appreciation of our differences.

The Canadian Council of Chief Executives concluded that artistic and cultural creativity has a direct impact on quality of life and on the competitiveness of communities in attracting people and investment.

The arts contribute to our economy and employment growth

The creative economy is leading the growth of all economic sectors in British Columbia.

The economic impact of the arts and our creative resources is greater than employment or economic multipliers. Creative industries need creative people. Creative people are attracted by opportunities to experience and engage in the arts.

The arts stimulate discussion and creative thinking

Our world is wrestling with environmental and human sustainability challenges.

Our future depends upon our ability to learn how to connect, communicate, and understand one another, create intercultural relationships, and work together to create new ideas and ways of doing things. There is more need now for creative problem solving than ever before.

The arts create connections, stimulate divergent thinking and discussion, and build communities around common concerns. Investment in our creative resources is an investment in the contribution we can make to the challenges we are facing everywhere around the world.

How our investment recommendations will contribute

Increasing our investment to the BC Arts Council will create the fastest response in our development of any investment we can make.

Renewing our Renaissance Fund will continue to contribute to creating more perpetual investment for the arts in the future.

Investing in our cultural facilities will allow us to continue to attract and develop our creative resources to contribute to healthier communities, healthier children, and a healthier future for British Columbia.

The Numbers

British Columbia has the highest number of artists per capita in the country.

British Columbia has the highest growth rate of artists in the country.

British Columbia Government spending per capita on arts and culture in British Columbia is below average.

British Columbia Government funding to the operating budgets of performing arts organizations is the lowest in Canada.

British Columbia Government investment per capita in our creative resources lags behind all the other large provinces of Canada.

The governments of Ontario, Alberta, and the other western provinces are committed to increasing their investment even more over the next few years even further.

Arts Future BC

Arts Future BC represents 903 organizations from across the province: 423 museums; 98 Community and Regional Arts Councils and community arts organizations; 123 community presenters; 183 professional arts organizations; 27 educational institutions; and 51 arts service organizations. Arts Future BC also represents thousands of individual artists and their students and audiences across British Columbia.

Assembly of BC Arts Councils
BC Museums Association
BC Touring Council
Canadian Artists Representation of British Columbia
Citizens for the Arts
Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture
ProArt Alliance of Greater Victoria
Professional Association of Canadian Theatres

Presentation made to the British Columbia Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services for the 2009 BC Provincial Budget, October 16, 2008.

ArtsFutureBC speaks for the Assembly of BC Arts Councils, the BC Museums Association, the BC Touring Council, Canadian Artists Representation of British Columbia, Citizens for the Arts, the Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture, the ProArt Alliance of Greater Victoria, and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres – the people who represent the Arts Future for British Columbia.

ArtsFutureBC represents the interests of the future of the arts and cultures of British Columbia. In so doing, it speaks on behalf of the interests of all British Columbians, and the interests of our Government of British Columbia.

Presented by Roger Chilton, speaking for the Downtown Vancouver Association and the Community Arts Council of Vancouver and on behalf of ArtsFuture BC

The arts and culture sector in British Columbia has reason to celebrate the February 19th provincial budget.

There are some targeted funds for existing and new cultural facilities, plus a commitment of a new endowment fund to provide arts and cultural funding in perpetuity. The income from this fund will be administered by the BC Arts Council.

So many of the commitments in this budget – to climate change, the economy, healthcare, education, housing – reflect the comments heard during budget consultations. But another area also received broad interest and support: culture and the arts. This is another strength we can build on in British Columbia.

As we prepare for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, as we build our New Relationship with First Nations, as we celebrate 150 years of history… a cultural revival is taking place in every region of the province.

- Finance Minister Carole Taylor

The budget provides $ 105 million for arts and culture projects, including:

• $ 9 million to restore and revitalize the East Vancouver Cultural Centre and establish an endowment to assist with the centre’s ongoing operating costs;
• and $ 3 million to support a new aboriginal Art Gallery and a World Women’s History Museum

We will also fund the planning for a new National Maritime Centre for the Pacific and the Arctic, to be located in North Vancouver.

With this budget, to honour our 150th birthday as a province, we are creating a new $ 150 million BC150 Cultural Fund. It will generate approximately $ 8 million a year. The BC Arts Council, in its official role, will advise government on how this money can best be used to support initiatives in every community – from our smallest communities to our largest cities.

The assembly joins with arts organizations accross the province in thanking all our MLAs for thier support of arts and culture in BC, and their recognition of the sector’s contributions to communities and the quality of life for peoples of all social and cultural backgrounds.

We would encourage everyone who appreciates the government’s new investment in arts and culture to write to their MLA and let him or her know how valuable this support is to everyone in the province.

A Presentation to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services

Arts Future BC recommends that the Government of British Columbia increase our investment in arts and culture by bringing the British Columbia Arts Council budget to $32 million.

Presented by the Assembly of BC Arts Councils, the BC Museums Association, the BC Touring Council, Canadian Artists Representation of British Columbia, Citizens for the Arts, the Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture, the ProArt Alliance of Greater Victoria, and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres – the people who represent the Arts Future for British Columbia.

The arts enhance education
The arts promote health and healing
The arts create connections and communities
The arts contribute to our economic strength
The arts stimulate discussion and creative thinking

“The new world is a truly global economy, driven by information, ideas and discoveries. It is a creative economy, where art and culture are the building blocks of innovation, invention and understanding.”

- Speech from the Throne, Province of British Columbia, February 2006

Executive Summary

Arts Future BC recommends that the budget of the British Columbia Arts Council be increased to $32 million.

British Columbia, Canada’s gateway to the Asia-Pacific is internationally recognized as one of the most beautiful and livable places on earth; a thriving global centre for economic growth; a province rich in natural and creative resources; and a world-class tourist attraction.

The growing British Columbia economy, as well as that of western Canada, signifies the West is gaining more economic influence in this country and around the world. With strong growth in mining, construction and natural gas industries, the Province of British Columbia recently forecast a provincial surplus four times higher than originally estimated, $1.6 billion up from the projected $400-million dollars. The future continues to look promising, with growth expected to become even stronger in the next few years leading up to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

British Columbia’s arts and culture sector contributes significantly to economic strength and employment growth in this province, with the creative economy in British Columbia experiencing more growth than all other economic sectors. With cultural tourism becoming a key factor in this province’s economic profile, British Columbian’s are continuing to show their appreciation for cultural goods and services. BC consumer spending on the arts and culture per capita is 11% higher than the national average, greater than any other province except Alberta.

Government spending per capita on arts and culture in British Columbia is below average. At $14.2 million, the BC Arts Council has one of the lowest budgets of any provincial arts council in Canada. Provincial government funding in British Columbia from all sources makes up an average of 7% of the operating budgets of performing arts organizations. This is the lowest in Canada. The cost of increasing the BC Arts Council’s budget to $32 million would amount to barely more than 1% of the projected provincial surplus.

Cultural organizations – large and small – are now uniting with thousands of concerned British Columbians to raise their voice in support of an increased investment in the British Columbia Arts Council, this province’s principal vehicle for public investment in the development of our creative resources. Arts Future BC is the representative of this province-wide call for change, and we are recommending a major increase in the Government of British Columbia’s investment in arts and culture by bringing the BC Arts Council budget to $32 million.

At a time when the world will turn its attention to British Columbia under the Olympic spotlight, we have the opportunity to demonstrate leadership in our cultural development. It is a time for bold decision-making that will transform the cultural landscape of British Columbia, ensuring our place as one of the most dynamic and creative places on earth.

Our Cultural Resources

British Columbia has the highest number of artists per capita in the country. Vancouver has the largest concentration of any major city in Canada and Victoria has the second largest. North Vancouver, Saanich, and New Westminster are among the top ten cities with the highest concentration of artists, and seven of the top ten municipalities with the highest number of artists per capita are also located in BC.

British Columbia has the highest growth rate of artists in the country. The number of artists grew by 47% in BC over the ten-year period between 1991 and 2001, compared to a 29% growth rate nationally and a 33% growth rate in Ontario, the province with the second highest growth rate. The overall labour force grew by 18% in BC over the same period.

British Columbians appreciate and value cultural goods and services. British Columbians spent $3.1 billion on cultural goods and services in 2003, 3.3% of total consumer spending. BC consumer spending on culture per capita is 11% higher than the national average, greater than any other province except Alberta. BC residents spend 67% more on live performing arts events than on live sports events.

Our Cultural Investment

Overall consumer spending on the arts and culture in British Columbia is above average and government spending per capita on arts and culture is below average.

Provincial Government funding in British Columbia from all sources makes up an average of 7% of the operating budgets of performing arts organizations. This is the lowest in Canada. The national average is 13%. In Quebec, provincial funding accounts for 26% of a performing arts organization’s budget.

The Government of Ontario plans to increase support to the Ontario Arts Council by $55 million by fiscal 2009/2010. Last year the Government of Alberta added $4.5 million to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts. The other western provinces have also increased their contribution bringing their per capita investment well above British Columbia’s.

Our investment per capita in our creative resources is lagging behind the other large provinces of Canada. The Alberta Foundation for the Arts has a budget of $22.8 million or $6.90 per capita. Quebec’s investment in Conseil des Arts du Québec is at $9.75 per capita, Manitoba’s is $8.27 per capita and Saskatchewan’s is $6.30 per capita. At $14.2 million, or $3.45 per capita of total population, the BC Arts Council has one of the lowest budgets of any provincial arts council in Canada. Funding for Aboriginal artists in BC is $1.29 compared to $2.32 in Ontario and $2.30 in Saskatchewan.

Our Interests

The Five Great Goals articulated by the Provincial Government are to:

• Make British Columbia the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.
• Lead the way in North America in healthy living and physical fitness
• Build the best system of support in Canada for persons with disabilities, special needs, children at risk, and seniors
• Lead the world in sustainable environmental management, with the best air and water quality, and the best fisheries management
• Create more jobs per capita than anywhere else in Canada

The Contribution of the Arts:

The arts enhance education

Research has conclusively demonstrated the connection between arts exposure and academic performance and without exception concludes that learning is strengthened through participation in the arts.

Learning through the Arts, a three year national research study conducted by Queen’s University concluded that involvement in the arts contributed to student achievement as much as 11 percentile points higher in math than their peers. Ninety per cent of parents reported that the arts motivated their children to learn. Teachers, parents, artists, and administrators talked about how the arts motivated children, referring to the emotional, physical, cognitive, and social benefits of learning in and through the arts.

Critical Evidence: How the Arts Benefit Student Achievement, a comprehensive study of evidence-based research on what we have learned about the arts and student achievement was recently conducted by the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies and the Arts Education Partnership. The report concluded that:

- learning experiences in the arts contribute to the development of academic skills in reading, language development, and mathematics.

- participation in the arts contributes to our thinking skills including our reasoning ability, intuition, perception, imagination, inventiveness, creativity, problem-solving skills, and expression.

- arts activities promote growth in positive social skills, including self-confidence, self-control, conflict resolution, collaboration, empathy, and social tolerance, and contribute to developing social competencies among educationally or economically disadvantaged youth at risk.

- the arts nurture a motivation to learn, particularly with those at risk and students with special needs, improving competencies in active engagement, disciplined and sustained attention, persistence, and risk taking, and contribute to creating a positive learning environment that fosters community engagement, increased student attendance, more effective instructional practice, and school identity.

Despite convincing research and strong public support, the arts remain on the margins of education.

The arts promote health and healing

Research has provided strong evidence that the arts improve the health and wellbeing of both individuals and communities, and promote individual and community healing following traumatic experiences.

Those who attend and participate in arts and cultural events are more likely to be physically active and engaged in their communities. A Statistics Canada Study found that 51% of performing arts attendees participated in at least one sporting activity, compared to 32% of non-attendees.

Research by the Canada West Foundation indicates that cultural activity contributes to the health and well being of citizens, improved community identity and social cohesion, community revitalization and the redevelopment of inner cities.

In a Roundtable on Music and Medicine – PDF hosted by the National Arts Centre, Louise T. Blouin MacBain, the chair of the Louise T. Blouin Foundation, whose mandate is to promote creativity and support research, said that music can help stroke victims to walk, terminal patients to relax, mothers to give birth, troubled teens to learn social skills, students to study, Alzheimer’s patients to remember, and unborn children to respond to the environment around them.

The arts are most effective where the largest costs on the health care and social systems occur – for seniors, the disabled, and youth at risk. Older citizens experience strong positive impacts on their outlook on life, cognitive functioning, physical comfort, quality of life, and general health from involvement with the arts.

Research from the California Arts Council shows the value of the arts to the fields of health and social services, demonstrated by how the arts contribute to brain development, healing, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, rehabilitating prisoners, and saving youth-at-risk.

The arts create connections and communities

Creative initiatives are needed to deal with social issues and economic disparity. Participation in arts activities has been proven to reduce youth violence, help prevent drug addiction, support rehabilitation, be a critical element in mental health treatment, and reduce reliance on social programs.

In From Bronze to Gold: A Blueprint for Canadian Leadership in a Transforming World – PDF, the Canadian Council of Chief Executives concluded that artistic and cultural creativity plays an important role in transforming communities into destinations of choice for skilled people in any occupation. A community’s cultural infrastructure has a direct impact on quality of life and on the competitiveness of communities in attracting people and investment

The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce states that for young Indo-Canadians, celebration of their vibrant contribution to BC’s identity is vital to their sense of pride and confidence, and builds respect for the South Asian community among the public at large. This leads to a reduction of racial tensions and violence, promotes positive role models, showcases our culture and creates new opportunities for our youth.

From Restless Communities to Resilient Places: Building A Stronger Future For All Canadians, the June 2006 Final Report of the External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities concluded that those Canadian cities and communities that have recognized the importance of culture are better positioned to meet future challenges and opportunities. Strong cultural engagement can substantially improve the cohesiveness, confidence and international image and attractiveness of places.

The arts contribute to our understanding of our common interests and our appreciation of the value of our differences and contribute to creating a society that respects and appreciates one another, and to creating communities that work together to make our communities strong.

The arts are a positive way to build community engagement, especially for those who feel marginalized, isolated or alone. Participation in the arts enables people to feel they are a part of the community and provides a valuable connection to the rest of society.

The arts contribute to our economic strength and employment growth

The economic impact of the arts and our creative resources is far greater than the employment or economic multipliers our creative industries generate. The arts attract people to live and work in our Province, reduce turnover for employers, and contribute to the stability of our workforce. The arts also help create cross-cultural understanding that improves workplace and customer relationships and contributes to more successful enterprise.

When we think of famous travel destinations, we think about the vibrancy and significance of their arts, culture and heritage. Cultural tourists spend more per day, stay longer at a destination and use more commercial accommodation. Cultural Tourism is growing globally at an annual rate of 15%.

The creative economy is leading the growth of all economic sectors in British Columbia. Between 1991 and 2001, people employed in the arts grew by 57% in Vancouver, more than five times the 10% overall growth of the labour force.

Communities in British Columbia, including Kelowna, Nelson and Langley, have developed strategic plans that use the creative arts to drive their economies and the social health of their communities. Chemainus with its world-famous murals and theatre has successfully replaced a resource-based economy with an arts-based economy.

Increased arts and cultural activity is key to attracting gifted professionals. Alcan says that cultural life and amenities in towns like Kitimat, where the company is planning a $1.8 billion upgrade of its smelting operations, are crucial factors in attracting talented people, jobs and investment.

Our creative industries need creative people. Creative people are attracted by opportunities to engage in and experience the arts and the creative expression of others.

The arts stimulate discussion and creative thinking

We are passing from the information age to the creative age. The world is wrestling with environmental and human sustainability issues and there is a great need for creative problem solving. The arts carry important messages, often leading to social change and new ways to address human issues. The arts stimulate creative and divergent thinking and discussion, provide a forum for communication, and build communities around common concerns.

Our cultural development contributes to our community development, social development, and sustainable economic development. The health of our society largely depends upon our ability to improve our intercultural relationships, to learn how to connect, communicate, and understand one another, and to create new ideas and new ways of doing things.

The World Stage

We will be attracting the attention of the world and showcasing British Columbia and Canada leading up to and during the 2010 Winter Olympics. We have two years to create ideas and inspire initiatives to create a Cultural Olympiad and a legacy to complement the Sports Olympiad.

We have the opportunity to attract attention to our cultural and creative resources; to demonstrate the benefits and contribution of being a culturally diverse and creative community. We can increase appreciation for the value of the arts and demonstrate that the contribution of the arts goes far beyond the entertainment and pleasure they bring to artists and audiences.

Artists from British Columbia are well known and admired around the world. Bill Reid, Robert Davidson, Bryan Adams, Ben Heppner, Sarah McLaughlin, Ken Lum, Jeff Wall, Diana Krall, Michael J. Fox, Nelly Furtado and many others have raised our profile and created connections for us on the world stage.

British Columbia attracts residents and visitors with the natural beauty of the province and its reputation as the most livable place on the planet. We have the opportunity to demonstrate we are also a culturally diverse and creatively rich place to complement our natural advantages and secure our reputation.

The Opportunity

We can show leadership in our cultural development and our ability to become a cultural mecca. We can share innovative ideas with the rest of Canada and the world. The arts are how we create connections, new ideas and opportunities.

With the increased competition for professional staff and skilled labour, the increased ability of creative and talented people to live and work where they choose, and the increased interest in cultural tourism around the world, British Columbia has the opportunity to exploit one of its greatest resources – the richness of its arts and culture.

We have the ability to act immediately to excite interest in the development of our creative resources at the community level and stimulate and support the creation of new ideas in our established organizations through the British Columbia Arts Council.

The British Columbia Arts Council

There are many ways we can invest – creating new facilities to increase our capacity, increasing arts programming in our schools, investing in initiatives that increase appreciation for the arts, and designing programs that excite more active participation and contribution in our communities.

The British Columbia Arts Council is the principal vehicle for public investment in the development of our creative resources. The British Columbia Arts Council currently supports arts and cultural activities in 225 communities throughout the province, and is the best way to deliver the core funding that will allow communities to benefit from this growth industry.

The role of the British Columbia Arts Council is to assist the arts and cultural community to achieve its creative, social and economic potential and is to ensure that all British Columbians are able to participate in a healthy arts and cultural community recognized for its excellence.

The British Columbia Arts Council is the only stable source of direct, on-going, long-term, sustained core funding for arts organizations, museums, performing arts companies, and community arts councils on behalf of the government and people of British Columbia.

It is acknowledged that the Government of British Columbia invests in the arts in other ways, and through other branches and agencies – as do the other provinces (e.g. the Ontario Trillium Foundation with $105 million from the Government of Ontario, roughly 25% of which is allocated each year to Arts and Culture) – and this is much appreciated. However, these funds tend by their nature to be discretionary, and tied to special events or occasions, or one-time projects. What the arts and cultural community needs is dependable, dedicated, long-term, secure core funding so that they may plan prudently and effectively over the long term.

Such core funding ensures stable and sustainable arts organizations that contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of the community.

The British Columbia Arts Council invests in emerging artists, in sustaining and assisting the development and growth of established arts organizations, in the development of aboriginal communities, in the development of organizations that contribute to and represent the interests of our diverse cultures, in our museums and heritage sites, in our arts presenters, and in the community arts councils and local and regional arts initiatives that contribute to the quality of community life throughout British Columbia.

There are 98 Community and Regional Arts Councils in BC, representing the interests of communities from Haida Gwaii to Valemont, and from Fort St. John to Victoria and 73% receive operating support from the BC Arts Council with an average grant of $11,500. One half are entirely volunteer run, and more than half can only afford to hire casual or part-time staff to assist them in their work. Less than 20% are able to engage a full time staff person. Only 43 of the 423 museums in BC are funded by the British Columbia Arts Council.

In British Columbia, The British Columbia Arts Council funded 31 community arts festivals in 2005 with $72,000 compared to Ontario where the Provincial Government funded 39 festivals with $800,000.

The British Columbia Arts Council contributes to the health of our cultural organizations, the ongoing initiatives that employ and showcase our creative resources and our cultural contribution to the world, and the creation and development of new initiatives.

Recommendation

Arts Future BC recommends that the Government of British Columbia increase our investment in arts and culture by bringing the British Columbia Arts Council budget to $32 million.

Return on Investment

Increasing our investment through the British Columbia Arts Council will create the fastest response of any initiative we can act on. Increasing our investment in the British Columbia Arts Council will contribute immediately to:

• Increased cultural tourism
• Increased investments from federal and regional sources
• Increased support for aboriginal communities
• Increase in the contribution of the cultural sector to the GDP
• Increased access to arts and cultural activities in communities across British Columbia
• Increased support for emerging artists
• Increased private investment in arts and culture, especially in smaller centres
• Increased partnerships with business
• Increased financial security for arts organizations operating with deficits
• Increase in the number of artists in schools
• Increase in the arts programs in clinics, hospitals and nursing homes
• Expanded partnerships between artists and social services agencies to assist youth-at-risk.
• Enhanced quality of life for British Columbians
• Providing paid staff for community arts organizations
• Increased touring activities for British Columbia companies throughout the province, nationally and internationally
• Encouraging artists and producing organizations to take creative risks
• Raising the profile and prestige of British Columbia within Canada and around the world, and
• Contributing to the success of the 2010 Cultural Olympiad and the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics Games.

Revenue Created

British Columbia was the third largest producer of culture output in Canada in 2003, contributing 5 billion dollars to the provincial gross domestic product. British Columbians spent $3.1 billion on cultural goods and services in 2003. BC residents spent 67% more on live performing arts events than on live sporting events.

The $14 million currently invested in the British Columbia Arts Council helps drive $4.2 billion in provincial domestic economic activity. The City of Vancouver has determined that every dollar the city invests in the arts leverages $11.50 from other sources. The funds to increase investment in the BC Arts Council will be returned by the arts themselves.

The Case for Investment in the Arts – PDF, a study conducted for the Council for Business and the Arts in Canada, now called Business for the Arts, by McKinsey and Company in May 2006 reported that:

• the arts in Canada provide an economic engine which drives impact at as much as eight times the level of public sector investment. As a result, more than 80% of this public sector investment comes back to the government in the form of taxes

• savings will be made in social services, health care and educational costs due to the positive impact of arts and cultural programs on increased self-esteem and confidence in young people and health benefits for disabled adults and senior citizens

• the arts are an excellent investment, generating revenues and increased tourism, with the performing arts alone producing a return of more than 200% in direct and indirect benefits

While corporate leaders found the numbers impressive, they all recognized that the real return on investment from culture is not monetary. It is not the reason we make art and the reason we need art in our lives. Our arts make us unique, record our lives, provide forum for debate, ultimately improve education, create community engagement, drive national identity, and encourage multicultural expression.

They also concluded that the financial viability and sustainability of the arts and cultural sector is hugely influenced by investment from government. Public sector investment is essential as the catalyst for private sector support.

About Arts Future BC

Arts Future BC represents 903 organizations from across the province: 423 museums; 98 Community and Regional Arts Councils and community arts organizations; 123 community presenters; 183 professional arts organizations; 27 educational institutions; and 51 arts service organizations. Arts Future BC also represents thousands of individual artists and their students and audiences across British Columbia.

Arts Future BC is interested in creating a sustained commitment of all communities to the development of our cultural resources – for our citizens, our children, and for our future.

Sources

Making the Case
California Arts Council
http://www.cac.ca.gov/42/

Is BC a Cultural Mecca: A Statistical View
Hill Strategies Research
http://www.hillstrategies.com/docs/Assembly_BCAC.pdf

From Bronze to Gold: A Blueprint for Canadian Leadership in a Transforming World
Canadian Council of Chief Executives
http://www.ceocouncil.ca/en/view/?document_id=484
Creating Sustainable Strategies: The Cultural Dimension from Restless Communities to Resilient Places: Building A Stronger Future For All Canadians Final Report of the External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities June 2006
http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/eaccc-ccevc/rep-rap/8_e.shtml#chap8

Learning through the Arts: Queens University Study
http://www.ltta.ca/news.html

Roundtable on Music and Medicine
Canada’s National Arts Centre, Oct. 2005
http://www.nac-cna.ca/en/allaboutthenac/publications/corporate/roundtable_music_e.pdf

The Case for Investment in the Arts, The Council for Business and the Arts
McKinsey and Company, May 2006.

Statistics Canada; BC Arts Council Annual Report, 2004; Report on the 2006 Budget Consultation Process

A Proven Plan for a Golden Decade, Premier Campbell and the BC Liberals
Statistics Canada, Participation Survey.

Arts and Culture in Health, Nancy Cooley, BC Arts Council National Forum

Speech by Karen Kain, Chair, Canada Council for the Arts, June 2006

Study by the World Tourism Organization

Statistics Canada, The Daily, July 25, 2006

Statistics Canada, Census 2001

Economic Impact of Small, Medium and Large Festivals and Events, Ontario Trillium Foundation, April 2003

Arts and Culture: Building B.C.’s Creative Agenda, was hosted by Olga Ilich, the Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts and moderated by Max Wyman. The participants representing a diversity of interests talked about creativity, infrastructure, sustainability, community, public and political engagement, and the value of arts and culture.

The results of that conversation were reported by Max Wyman in Building From Strength.