B.C. Liberals Break Promise By Cutting Funding For Arts And Music Festivals
VICTORIA – The B.C. Liberals' sudden and secretive decision to cut gaming funding for arts and music festivals could leave groups in Kamloops scrambling just as the summer festival season kicks off, the New Democrats said today.
Spencer Herbert
"Arts and music festivals were told they would be eligible for grants from gaming revenues, but now just as the application deadline for those grants looms we have learned that festivals like the Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts could be cut off. It's just the latest broken promise from a B.C. Liberal government scrambling to make up policy on the fly," said Spencer Chandra Herbert , New Democrat critic for Tourism, Culture, and the Arts.
The Kamloops Festival of the Performing Arts received gaming grants totalling $15,000 last year.
After facing intense criticism last year for slashing funding from gaming revenues for community groups, in March the provincial government announced new grant rules that shut out environmental groups, school playgrounds, and adult arts, culture, and sport organizations. At the time the government said that "fall fairs and exhibitions, arts and music festivals, and museums operated by non-profit societies" would be eligible for grants.
Last week, however, Minister of Housing and Social Development Rich Coleman abruptly announced that fairs and festivals that celebrate arts and music will no longer be able to apply for grants. The deadline to apply for next year's grants is May 31, meaning that many groups are being left scrambling even as they plan for the busy summer festival season.
“Gaming grants are a substantial source of funding for many community groups. To make matters worse, these cuts come on top of countless other cuts to arts and culture activities,” said Chandra Herbert.
"Whether it's the HST, protection of public services, or funding for the organizations that are the lifeblood of our communities, you just can't trust the B.C. Liberals to live up to their word."
Numerous other community organizations in Kamloops which have relied on funding from gaming revenues were already cut off under the new rules announced in March, including the Kamloops Symphony Society, the B.C. Seniors Games Society, the Kamloops and District Humane Society, and the Grasslands Conservation Council of B.C.
The entire category of grants set aside for environmental organizations was eliminated this year, leaving community-based environmental groups in the lurch.
"The B.C. Liberals say they care about protecting the environment, but their decision to cut grants for community environmental groups doing vital front-line work shows how hypocritical those claims are,” said New Democrat environment critic Rob Fleming.
Carole James and the B.C. New Democrats believe that local communities are the lifeblood of British Columbia, and will continue to fight for communities across the province.
