BC Alliance ED Issues Statement on BC Budget 2019

On February 19, the provincial government released its 2019 budget. In the accompanying Strategic Plan, Making Life Better: A Plan for British Columbia, the following provisions were made for arts and culture (p. 40):

Arts and cultural wealth are critical to the well-being of any society. Investments in these areas are investments in the future of British Columbia. To support artists and to continue making B.C. a leader in the arts, Budget 2019 invests an additional $15 million in the BC Arts Council — on top of Budget 2018’s $5 million — to grow our creative economy.

The BC Alliance is grateful for this increased and essential investment. Below, our executive director, Brenda Leadlay, has issued a statement:

In response to the provincial budget released yesterday, I am pleased to see that the government is investing another $15 million in the BC Arts Council over the next three years, increasing their budget to $34 million (a lift of $10 million annually over the last two years). This is an important signal that the government of BC is aware of both the economic and social value of arts, culture and creativity to the well-being of British Columbians. The investment will further support professional artists and community organizations and make the arts more accessible to everyone. Please take a moment to thank your MLA for their support and let them know that this will make our sector more equitable and sustainable.

More information about BC Budget 2019, including the complete budget, the Strategic Plan, and reader-friendly highlights, can be found here.