It is interesting that the BC Arts Council has updated their website with a new look while Kevin Krueger, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts has the same old message stating his “tremendous respect for British Columbia’s arts and culture community—both for the beauty and significance of what it creates, and for the important economic generator that it represents” even after the present government has axed funding to the arts. While some arts organizations had their funding reinstated because they had previously received a letter confirming funding for three years, the VFMF was not one of them. We did not receive $80,000 in funding that was in our last budget for the 2009 festival. This is devastating to a festival that is important to our audience, musicians, the city and the cultural landscape of Canadian folk festivals.
FACT - The Province of BC has cut arts funding by 50% this year and 92% next year, with devastating effects throughout the communities we live in. It’s time to tell them what you think:
Hon. Gordon Campbell (Premier): gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca
Hon. Kevin Krueger (Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts): Kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca
