Alliance Launches ArtsVoteBC Campaign For 2017 Provincial Election
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In preparation for BC's Provincial Election on May 9, 2017, the Alliance has re-launched our ArtsVoteBC website. As part of our mandate to advocate for arts, culture and heritage in British Columbia, we provide a range of resources for voters and candidates, to keep arts and culture on the election agenda each election year.
Downloadable toolkits are available to help both voters and candidates become stronger advocates for the arts. The toolkits make a case for the importance of public and private investment in the cultural sector, and recommend actions needed to ensure that BC’s creative industry is competitive and sustainable. It specifically hones in on the need for increased investment in the BC Arts Council, as our executive director requested in 2016. The Candidates' Toolkit is also designed to assist in developing a platform that supports the cultural sector in our province and to advocate for further investment.
Surveying the Candidates
As we've done in advance of each election in recent years, we'll survey parties and political candidates all across the province to ask their views on issues facing the creative sector in our society and in their respective communities. We'll be collecting candidates' responses until April 28. Their answers will be published on the Candidates' Survey page to keep voters informed.
We need your input on the questions that matter to you. Below is a list of questions we'll be posing to candidates, and we invite you to send us further questions for consideration. Email your suggestions to Alliance executive director Brenda Leadlay at brenda@allianceforarts.com.
Cultural Investment
Will advocate for an increased investment or commit to maintain the current funding level for arts, culture, and heritage in your community on a local level, and advocate for an increased investment to the BC Arts Council?
Advocacy
Will you take an active role on behalf of your community to lobby senior levels of government to increase levels of investment to the BC Arts Council? How can the Alliance help?
Cultural Growth
In your view, how can our provincial government maintain or grow the cultural sector across British Columbia?
Cultural Spaces
Will you work to ensure access to affordable, sustainable cultural spaces for artists and arts organizations in our province? If so, how?
Cultural Tourism
How will you improve cultural tourism in your community? How do you propose to attract and retain artists and cultural workers in your community?
Key Issues
What do you feel is the single most important issue relating to arts, culture, and heritage in your area, and what action will you take to address it?
Participation
How do you personally engage in the cultural life of your community and, more broadly, throughout the province? (e.g. involvement on committees, attending arts and culture events, etc.)
Support
If you are in favour of increased investment in arts, culture, and heritage for our province and committed to lobbying senior levels of government for increases to the BC Arts Council, would you require additional advocacy support from the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture? If so, how can we help?
There is growing support globally that cultural value or engagement with the arts is embedded in the individual experience and in our capacity to be economically innovative and creative. Support for the arts is a vital investment in our communities. Recent studies carried out by the Alliance found that provincial and federal government funding tends to be lower for BC arts organizations than similar organizations in other provinces. Additional funding is crucial for BC’s arts and cultural community.
Share the Word on Social Media
Through ArtsVoteBC, we aim to help everyone in our community become a better advocate for arts, culture and heritage. We encourage you to share personal stories about the importance of the arts in your life on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; tag us at @ArtsVoteBC and use the hashtag #artsvoteBC.
