The ED Report, July 2020

Dear friends and colleagues,

As you read this, I will be off on vacation for a much-needed break from the demands of COVID-19. Although it’s been busy over these past three and a half months, I am heartened by the resilience of our sector and the burgeoning camraderie among my colleagues.

In early April, the BC Alliance began hosting weekly Zoom meetings with many of the arts service organizations in BC – to keep our members informed and ensure that we were working together to address the challenges of the pandemic. We began by sharing information and then we started to strategize and coordinate our advocacy efforts. During this time, we have had intelligent guidance from Brian Jonker at the BC Arts Council and several meetings with Lisa Beare, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture. We are working with government to understand how the arts, culture and heritage community can best serve the citizens of BC during this crisis and into the future.

As a consortium of ASOs, we focus on the opportunities that COVID-19 has provided, including the possibility for systemic change and the opportunity to work together like never before. I feel immense respect and gratitude for my colleagues as we navigate the many unknowns together. We are dedicated to helping everyone in our sector survive, not just our own organizatons, and I am so proud to be part of this work.

We are asking the BC government to make a one-time investment in the arts to help with the recovery process, but we are also requesting that they maintain their commitment to doubling the BC Arts Council budget to $48 million to ensure a sustainable future. We recognize that every business and every individual is affected by this crisis, and we believe that the arts are essential in order for this province to achieve its full creative and economic potential.

Creativity and innovation involves putting things together in new ways. It involves risk-taking, experimentation and collaboration. Artists are resilient, creative and passionate human beings who want to make a difference and contribute to the well-being of their communities. We will play an important role in the recovery of this province because we are critical thinkers and we know how to survive. Although our sector that has been undervalued and underfunded since the beginning of arts funding in Canada, we believe that now is a time to recognize that the arts embody the soul of our nation – its values, its aspirations and its compassion.  I know that together we can make the best of these very challenging times. 

Brenda Leadlay
Executive Director
BC Alliance for Arts + Culture