Report on the Budget 2023 Consultation
/The following is excerpted from Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Committee holds an annual public consultation on the provincial budget. The Committee released its Report on the Budget 2023 Consultation on August 11, 2022.
The Committee heard 306 presentations and received 372 written, audio and video submissions during the consultation. Meeting transcripts and documents are available here. Written submissions will be available soon. The Committee also received 861 responses to its survey. Committee Members would like to thank everyone who shared their experiences and ideas during this process.
The following is excerpted from the Arts and Culture section in the Report on the Budget 2023 Consultation
Organizations representing the arts and culture sector emphasized the value of arts and culture and advocated for more funding. The Penticton & District Community Arts Council noted the importance of arts and culture and the role they play in the identity of communities as well as supporting the mental wellness of British Columbians. The BC Alliance for Arts + Culture shared this sentiment, adding that art and culture’s ability to complement other sectors and support economies makes it one of society’s greatest resources. These organizations and others explained the need for funding of the sector that keeps up with inflation and cost of living increases.
The Committee heard from several organizations on the issues pertaining to the facilities used for arts and culture, with several requesting specific funding for new facilities. The Kamloops Symphony Society stated that a lack of music-specific performance space continues to be a major limiting factor for arts organizations in Kamloops in terms of availability and flexibility of use and recommended infrastructure funding for projects of all sizes. Juan de Fuca Performance Arts Centre Society echoed this in their identification of a lack of spaces in the Capital Regional District that are appropriate, accessible, affordable, and available. Western Canada Theatre shared that its home office and production facilities are in a converted cattle auction house which is in high demand as one of the only soft-seat theatres in Kamloops. They also noted the limited ability to bring in professionals from Vancouver and Victoria to perform at facilities due to increased costs related to travel and accommodation. Science World reported that funding support for infrastructure repairs is needed to remediate critical issues that may impact their ability to continue in their current location as the dome is leaking, and systems like HVAC, chillers, electrical systems, and heavy decking need to be replaced.
Organizations in this sector highlighted the importance of BC Arts Council funding as the most direct and effective way to ensure that resources can reach and support individual artists and arts organizations. They noted that this funding supports organizational capacity building, reconciliation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. BC Museums Association and other organizations referenced a 2017 commitment to double the budget of the Arts Council and described issues facing the sector as a result of insufficient funding. The Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre described issues with the distribution of funds, stating that focusing the bulk of the Arts Council’s annual operating grants on two or three large organizations in the Lower Mainland leaves the rest of the province unsupported. The organization recommended that funding be broadened to allow more of BC’s arts and culture organizations to access funding.
With the easing of pandemic restrictions, organizations described the significant and unequal impact of the pandemic and stated that the full recovery and restart of the arts and culture sector is still in progress. For example, Kamloops Symphony Society shared that over 40 percent of previous symphony subscribers have not attended a concert since returning to in-person options in the fall which is concerning as ticket sales are crucial to the Society’s sustainability. Le Conseil culturel et artistique francophone de la Colombie- Britannique described bottlenecks from the rescheduling of previously cancelled events which is further slowing recovery. Organizations noted that funding is needed for personal protective equipment, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades, digital agility, and access to rapid tests for front line staff as well as marketing and promotion to support the return of live audiences.
The Committee heard from organizations promoting the idea of tax credits and incentives for arts and culture. The Performing Arts & Live Events Labour Coalition of BC cited the benefits provided to the film and television production industry through labour incentivization and the absence of a similar benefit for the performing arts sector despite their similarities. The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce noted that a tax credit for arts, culture and sport would also support families to engage in these beneficial activities and would support those that already do.
Individual supports for artists were suggested to assist with the unique challenges faced by those in this sector. Ballet Victoria and BC Alliance for Arts + Culture both recommended supports for individual artists due to low wages and limited opportunities to earn additional income. BC Alliance for Arts + Culture stated that artists are disproportionately affected by the current economic challenges as they have lower incomes and highlighted the need to keep artists in the communities where they live and work by addressing their cost of living. Ballet Victoria recommended the continuation of rent and wage subsidies brought by the pandemic while BC Alliance for Arts + Culture called for guaranteed basic income and housing to ensure artists are supported.
The Association of Book Publishers of BC explained that BC creators and publishers continue to experience a significant loss in licensing revenue, estimated at 16 percent, resulting from the education sector’s uncompensated use of their works in classrooms. The organization also noted the rising costs of freight fees and paper production, which are impacting the thin margins for publishers. They recommended that the royalty rate set by the copyright board for the use of their copyrighted materials in the classrooms be paid.
Regarding museums, the Exploration Place Museum & Science Centre noted that repository space needs to be established throughout the province to continue to meet obligations under UNDRIP and provincial paleontological legislation. Similarly, BC Museums Association recommended ongoing grants to support the repatriation of Indigenous artifacts as a means of reconciliation, as institutions and collectors around the world hold culturally significant items that should be returned to Indigenous communities.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Committee recommends to the Legislative Assembly that the provincial government:
Arts and Culture
Increase funding for the BC Arts Council and ensure equitable distribution of funds to organizations across the province.
Commit to arts infrastructure spending for both large and small projects, particularly cultural spaces.
Provide funding for museums in smaller communities and establish repository space throughout the province.
Extend the rent and wage subsidy programs for art organizations and artists introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Work with Science World to address necessary infrastructure upgrades and repairs to ensure continued operations.
Digital Media, Music, and Film
39. Provide certainty for the film industry by maintaining the stability of the Film Incentive BC and production services tax credit programs.
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Support the digital media industry by increasing and extending the interactive digital media tax credit.
Engage with the digital media, music, and film industries to review tax credits with a view to increasing diversity, including by exploring equity and reporting requirements on the demographic distribution of funds.
Collaborate on workforce development and labour market strategies that embrace the priority to grow a diverse, equitable, and inclusive film industry.
Public Libraries
Increase the annual operating grant for public libraries, linked to inflation, and provide targeted financial support for libraries in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities to increase access in these areas.
Sport
Invest $15 million in amateur sport to improve affordability for low-income families and other under-served populations, and ensure that the sector is inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.
