The struggle continues! Keeping up the pressure to fight provincial cuts to the arts.
Ironic isn’t it? Vancouver’s 2009 “Best Local Music Festival” along with over 6000 other arts & culture, heritage, parents, teachers, hot lunch programs, libraries, amateur sports, AIDS relief centres, health centres, emergency preparedness, music and summer camps for blind kids across the province continue to try to come to grips with the current and prospective results of the BC government’s unprecedented level of cuts to funding.
For those of you who missed our last newsletter, the Festival was notified after this year’s event that its 2009 gaming grant of $80,000 was denied – having received no notice in advance – and is now facing the prospect of further drastic and draconian provincial cuts in the months and years to come.
We are, as they say, girding our collective loins in the face of these major challenges – and remain committed to working toward another successful festival in 2010. Mark July 16-18 on your calendars! Thanks to everyone who has taken this opportunity to send us some of their hard earned dollars. Your donations and support are deeply appreciated – every cent is important. We welcome any and all donations to help us keep the festival thriving. With your support we will carry on.
(See the section on Ani DiFranco below – what better way to support the festival than to join this rebel gal for a night of great music?)
- On the front lines – Keep sending those emails and letters demanding funding be reinstated:
We suggest sending to you MLA, to Minister Coleman – rich.coleman.mla@leg.bc.ca (Minister of Housing and Social Development), and cc’ing it to Minister Krueger – kevin.krueger.mla@leg.bc.ca (Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts), Minister Hansen – colin.hansen.mla@leg.bc.ca (Finance Minister), and the Premier – gordon.campbell.mla@leg.bc.ca.
- For ongoing updates on the funding situation, discussions and planned actions, check out:
The Alliance for Arts website: www.allianceforarts.com
The Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres (PAARC): www.paarc.ca (useful links)
On Facebook: Organizing against Campbell’s cuts to the arts http://www.stopbcartscuts.ca/speakout.html (includes sample letter)
