BC Alliance Presents to Standing Committee on Finance
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In a presentation to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services on June 17, BC Alliance executive director Brenda Leadlay asked the provincial government to honour its commitment to double the budget of the BC Arts Council to $48 million, to enable stability and address the funding inequities for IBPOC (Indigenous, Black and person of colour) artists; recognize the arts in its $1.5 billion Action Plan for Recovery; extend the BC Book Publishing Tax Credit; offer tax incentives for support of the arts; and to emphasize the role that the arts have played in the public’s coping with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The full text of the presentation is below.
I represent the BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, a provincial arts service organization with over 470 members including arts, culture and heritage organizations and individuals from all disciplines. I acknowledge that I am an uninvited guest on the ancestral, traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, Tsleil-Watuth people.
I want to thank this government for their commitment to make life affordable, to deliver services that people can count on, and to build a strong, sustainable, innovative economy that works for everyone, not just the wealthy and the well-connected.
The value and impact of entire not-for-profit sector, delivers on these values in a significant way – often supporting communities that are marginalized and racialized. Not-for-profits, however, have not been meaningful recognized and supported by government despite the fact that they serve thousands of people, contribute to their well-being and improve the quality of life. Not-for-profits put people first.
We ask that this government remain true to its values and prioritize people, communities, and economic sustainability over economic growth.
We specifically ask that you consider the role that the arts play in our lives during COVID-19. During this time of isolation, people have turned to the arts and creativity more than ever to maintain their mental health – whether that means watching an online performance, inventing games with their children or baking bread.
The COVID-19 crisis has deeply affected the arts and culture sector who were among the first to shut down and will be the last to open up. Our impact survey shows the devastating financial impact on both large and small organizations as well as individual artists, who have been hit the hardest. Some organizations will not survive – and we are particularly worried about Indigenous, Black, artists of colour, and those living with a disability.
We know that this government believes in the value of the arts – both socially and economically. Over the past three years, you have increased funding to the BC Arts Council by $10 million, and it has been that money that has enabled the Council to respond to its clients with relief funding in the time of COVID-19. It has also meant that more artists and more organizations are able to access government funding to create work that benefits their communities.
Why support the arts?
They contribute to the well-being of society.
They prioritize inclusion to build resilient communities.
They serve people in their communities.
And, like other frontline workers during COVID-19, artists need to earn a living wage.
The creative sector employs over 98,000 people. In other words, we create jobs and stimulate the economy by providing jobs – especially in hospitality and tourism.
We ask you to continue to empower the BC Arts Council so that they can invest in Indigenous Arts and Culture; Equity, Diversity and Access; Sustainability and Creative Development; Regional Arts and Community Arts. This is the most direct and effective way to ensure that the resources can reach and support individual artists and arts organizations so they can serve their communities.
The ask:
Honour your commitment to double the budget of the BC Arts Council to $48 million - to enable stability and address the funding inequities for IBPOC artists. Invest in the arts so that a respectful, inclusive and equitable society can take root and flourish.
Recognize the arts in your $1.5 billion Action Plan for Recovery by filling the gaps left by the federal government so that arts and culture organizations can survive the pandemic.
Extend the BC Book Publishing Tax Credit, which ensures BC publishers can keep sharing BC stories.
Offer tax incentives for individual and corporate philanthropic support of the arts.
Offer tax breaks for patrons to re-engage in cultural activities and products to encourage them to buy books, attend concerts, theatre, movies, museums or trips to national parks.
Communicate to the public the important role the arts has played in maintaining people’s mental health during the pandemic.
Although we know that the arts won’t be the first priority of this government, we ask you to think long term about the need for stability in our sector. COVID-19 has proven how vulnerable we are to disruption. But it has also shown us how essential the arts and creativity are to people’s lives. Invest in the future, invest in creativity, critical thinking, innovation and leadership. Invest in the arts.
Brenda Leadlay
Executive Director
BC Alliance for Arts + Culture
