NOTE: Coming Soon!  Our new Creativity Counts Toolkit.

INTRODUCTION

In response to the dramatic September 2009 cuts in social profit sector funding through the BC Gaming Commission, and the apparent future cuts of up to 90 percent of arts funding across the board, the Alliance for Arts and Culture has created an Advocacy Toolkit to help Alliance members work together in the weeks and months ahead as our community seeks to impress upon the provincial government the urgent need to restore funding levels and guarantee some level of continuity in funding in the 2010/2011 and future budgets.

It is also our hope that this Toolkit will be useful to other social profit enterprises impacted by these drastic cuts, so that together we may create a vocal and powerful coalition whose voice cannot be ignored by those who will decide our future. We need to engage our boards, communities and audiences in this work.

“Culture” is an inclusive word that embraces everything we do as a community as we inform, educate and recreate our daily lives. Amateur sports, community-based social services, health and education are all part of our vibrant “culture”.

To undermine one is to endanger the whole, and in September of 2009 the government of British Columbia began what appeared to be a sustained assault on the very social contract that binds us together.

The Alliance for Arts and Culture will be working this fall and winter with its members and allies to correct the thinking in government that has led to this situation, and to ensure that all British Columbians continue to have access to every aspect of a vibrant cultural life.

Yours,
 
Amir Ali Alibhai
Executive Director
Alliance for Arts and Culture
October 11, 2009

HELP MAKE THIS TOOLKIT STRONGER

Our Advocacy Toolkit is at this time (October 13, 2009) a work in progress. As you read through its pages you will realize that there is more material to come, and you may identify content needs that are not mentioned. Please help us continue to build this Toolkit by sharing your ideas, suggestions, sample speeches, letter templates and impact case studies.
 
Contact me with all of the above and more. This Toolkit has been the work of many hands and minds, and more are needed to make it as effective as possible.
 
Yours,
 
Kevin Dale McKeown
Director of Communications
Alliance for Arts and Culture