BC Government cutting Arts & Culture funding up to 50%

The BC Government plans to cut funding to Arts and Culture by up to 50% on September 1, 2009.  This may mean 100% cuts to some organizations like Music BC.

The present funding freeze and cuts will have a direct impact on Music BC:
- MITAP $100,000 travel assistanceprogram
- WCMAs Provincial partnershipsupport $40,000
- Next years Music BCoperating funds of $45,000+ are in jeopardy
There are two ways we are asking for your support:

1. If you are a performer - On Saturday August 29th, as a show of solidarity, we are asking all artists to perform 50% of a piece, and tell the audience why you stopped.

2. You can also send a letter, and keep sending letters, talking about the impact of proposed funding cuts on your community by writing to pertinent elected officials. Office addresses on each elected official's web pages (emails below).   Make sure these arrive by August 26th at the latest to have an impact on this decision.

Arts - Minister Kevin Krueger - Kevin.kruegermla@leg.bc.ca
Premier Gordon Campbell - premier@gov.bc.ca
Minister of Finance Colin Hansen colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca

We ask your support in taking the message to your local MLA - if at all possible, in a face-to-face meeting. Clearly these funding issues affect many arts organizations in the province. To get more information on your local MLA, you can go to http://www.leg.bc.ca/MLA

We feel it is vital to make the business case for continuation of funding - how many dollars does your organization contribute to your local economy; and what the impact is, both financial and cultural on your audiences and artists. The Alliance for Arts and Culture quantifies the provincial impact of the arts at 80,000 jobs and $5.2 billion annually. You need to tell your financial and job story.

For more information, please visit: http://www.musicbc.org/

Category:

Music

Tags:

• music
• funding
• bc
• poor
• cuts
• tax dollars
• kids
• education
• artists
• funds
• solidarity
• arts & culture
• arts and culture
• arts
• culture
• government

[gwreadt]

Arts funding is just theft from poor people by rich people who should pay for their own entertainment.