Select Standing Committee on Finance Releases Report on Budget 2014 Consultations

The Province’s Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its report on Budget 2014 consultations last week. It included encouraging references to arts and culture in comparison with the previous year's report, which made no reference to the sector.

Each fall, the Committee holds province-wide public consultations on the upcoming provincial budget through public hearings, written submissions, and an online survey.  

In their report the Committee acknowledges the submissions received, which highlight the arts and culture sector’s impact on the province’s social and economic development, and mentions those made by the Alliance, ArtsBC, stakeholders, and community organizations which emphasize the need for the development of a funding model to provide greater stability and predictability to the sector. For full details on the Alliance’s submission to the Committee, click here. The Committee also acknowledges those submissions which stress the importance of marketing BC arts and cultural products.

The report’s references to arts and culture begin on page 34, and includes recommendations that the provincial government:

• Implement a three-year budgeting model for arts funding that includes the ability to carry over unspent earmarked funds and does not penalize successful fundraising.

• Provide additional funding to the BC Arts Council and for organizations eligible for Community Gaming Grants when finances permit. 

• Continue to fund Creative BC programs to support the creation, production, and marketing of BC’s cultural exports. 

Click here to download the full report on the consultations for Budget 2014.