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Advocacy

Arts Funding in Schools: Share Your Experience

At BC Live, we believe that every student in BC deserves access to the arts – to creativity, inspiration, and the joy of live performance. As conversations about arts funding continue across the province, we’re collecting stories and insights to help paint a clear picture of what’s happening in our schools right now.

If you’re an artist, agent, educator, or school district, we’d love to hear from you. How has the pause in ArtStarts funding impacted your school or your work? What opportunities have been lost – or what creative solutions have emerged?

Please take a few minutes to fill out our short survey by November 30 and share it with others in your network. Every story and data point helps us better understand the realities on the ground and strengthens the case for sustainable arts funding in BC schools.

Let’s make sure the voices of our arts community are heard loud and clear.

Complete the Survey

Canadian Arts Coalition Campaign for Culture – It’s Time to be Heard

The Canadian Arts Coalition is calling on all Canadian arts and culture supporters to act now in their urgent letter campaign against the proposed 15% budget cuts to the Canada Council for the Arts and Canadian Heritage. We in BC are adding our voices. Cuts to these primary funding programs would have devastating impacts on artists, organizations, and communities across the country.

Federal support through the Canada Council for the Arts and the Department of Canadian Heritage sustains thousands of artists and organizations. These investments strengthen local economies, tourism, health and well-being, and our shared sense of belonging. Reinvesting in arts and culture is an investment in Canada’s future.

How You Can Help

1. Sign the Petition

Sign the petition at https://win.newmode.net/canadianartscoalition.

2. Send a Letter

Use the Canadian Arts Coalition’s letter campaign tool to send a message directly to your MP, the Prime Minister, and key Minister.

3. Follow Up with Your MP

After sending your letter, follow up with a call or email to your MP. Even a short conversation shows that arts and culture matter in your community.

4. Share the Campaign

Spread the word through your networks and on social media. Share why you support the arts using hashtags #onepercentforthearts #nocutstoarts #canadastrong, and tag @canadiancoalition and @canada.council.

5. For Organizations

Encourage your members, volunteers, and audiences to participate. Consider reaching out to your MP directly, and if possible, bring a business or community leader to help strengthen your case.

BC Fairs, Festivals, and Events Advocacy Campaign

The BC Fairs, Festivals, and Events (BCFFE) consortium has launched a province-wide advocacy campaign urging the Government of British Columbia to secure the continuation of the BC Fairs, Festivals, and Events Fund. This fund is critical to the survival of countless cultural events that contribute to the province’s vibrant arts, culture, and tourism sectors.

Despite the industry’s gratitude for past support, many BC fairs, festivals, and events face the threat of closure within the next 12 months without continued funding. The campaign highlights the significant economic, cultural, and community impacts at risk, including job losses, diminished cultural experiences, and decreased tourism revenue.

Campaign Highlights:

  • Open Letter: A heartfelt appeal to the government from event organizers, urging collaboration to sustain BC’s cultural landscape. (Read the full letter)
  • Campaign Video: A compelling visual message showcasing the importance of BC’s fairs, festivals, and events. (Watch the video)
  • Survey Data: Insightful statistics from event organizers outlining the potential consequences of funding loss.
  • Press Release & Media Outreach: Coverage across key tourism, arts, and business media outlets to amplify awareness.
  • Social Media Campaign: Shareable content encouraging public involvement through unified hashtags, petitions, and calls to action. (Download assets)
  • Public Engagement: British Columbians are encouraged to show their support by sharing campaign materials, tagging government officials, and spreading awareness.

This initiative is a unified call for partnership, emphasizing gratitude for past government support while highlighting the urgent need for action. By working together, we can preserve the events that bring our communities together and contribute significantly to BC’s cultural and economic prosperity.

#SupportBCEvents

Press Release

Open Letter

Key Facts & Messages

Thank You Supporters!

Thanks to the many supporters for participating in various stages of this advocacy campaign!

View Supporters

  • 17 Black Events
  • Fort Langley Jazz Fest
  • Vancouver International Children’s Festival
  • Festival African Heritage Music and Dance Society
  • Salmon Arm Roots & Blues
  • Evergreen Cultural Centre
  • Early Music Vancouver Summer Festival
  • The Hearth – Arts on Bowen
  • Arts Whistler
  • Fanny Bay Community
  • Farquhar Auditorium / Ceremonies & Events
  • Vancouver Island Music Festival
  • Sid Williams Theatre Society
  • Highway 19 Concerts
  • Kaslo Jazz Festival
  • Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival
  • Bass Coast Electronic Music and Art Festival
  • Brewery & the Beast
  • Crankworx Whistler
  • Culinaire Victoria
  • Denim on the Diamond
  • FVDED In The Park
  • Honda Celebration of Light
  • Hopscotch Festival
  • Italian Day on The Drive
  • Just For Laughs VANCOUVER
  • Pacific National Exhibition (PNE)
  • Phillips Backyard Concert Series
  • PuSh International Performing Arts Festival
  • Rifflandia Festival
  • Song & Surf Music Festival
  • Sunfest Country Music Festival
  • The Cup
  • Vancouver Craft Beer & Music Festival
  • Vancouver International Children’s Festival
  • Vancouver Writers Fest
  • Victoria International Wine Festival
  • Whisky Global
  • Jennifer Winning
  • Amanda Bergen
  • Lili Vieira de Carvalho (Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre)
  • Yoko Tomita
  • Debi Wong (re:Naissance Opera)
  • Emily Weldon
  • Janine Young (Nightwood Editions)
  • Karen Zukas, Executive Director, Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival
  • Antoinette Hérivel
  • Marett Alexander
  • Paula Caird
  • Keltie Laidlaw
  • Emily Garland
  • Gynette Mercier
  • Diana Robertson
  • Barbara Tomasic
  • Robin Robertson
  • Susan Nase
  • Jan Streader
  • Janice Masur
  • Alex Masse
  • Moira Chicilo
  • Dorothy Doherty
  • Isabel Miller
  • Katherine Yacht (re:Naissance Opera)
  • Lisa Wolfin, (Vancouver Visual Art Foundation)
  • Lynnda McDougall, (Bulkley Valley Folk Music Society)
  • Sue Judge, (Prince George Folkfest Society)
  • Sean Guist, (Intrepid Theatre)
  • Ken Hall, (Prince George Symphony Orchestra)
  • Patrick LeBlanc (Cowichan Valley Regional District)
  • Eli Klasner, (The Community Arts Council of Prince George & District)
  • Dallas Stevenson (Pachena Bay Music Festival)
  • Benjamin Howells (Long Shot Events / Pahcena Bay Music Festival)
  • Justine Murdy
  • Kym Gouchie (she/her)
  • Patrick U Onukwulu (FAHMDS/AHFOMAD Festival)
  • Katharine Carol, (Vancouver International Children’s Festival)
  • Leah Hokanson
  • Galen Olstead (Key City Theatre)
  • Daniel D’Amour (The Flying Steamshovel Inc.)
  • Nadine Tremblay (Trail Arts Council and The Bailey Theatre)
  • Petrice Brett
  • Chelsea Rushton (Gabriola Arts Council)
  • Lance Goddard
  • BLACKOUT ART SOCIETY
  • Jacquie Moisan (Nanaimo Blues Society)
  • Robyn Goldsmith (Arts Revelstoke)
  • Peter Jonassen (Sooke Festival Society)

BC Election Arts & Culture Advocacy

BC Live is part of the BC Coalition of Arts, Culture, and Heritage, 30+ organizations representing thousands of arts, culture, and heritage organizations in every region and more than 188 communities in BC. The Coalition has developed a government relations and advocacy action plan for our sector with the following requests for provincial support:

1. Increase Annual BC Arts Council Budget to $55 Million

For a nearly 20-year period between the early 2000s and the late 2010s, BC’s provincial government invested less in culture than any other province in the country. Actions have been taken by the province in recent years and through the pandemic to remedy this chronic underinvestment, however, the compounding impact of COVID-19, high inflation, and a general affordability crisis threaten to erase any gains we’ve made in the past five years.

We call upon the Government of BC to fulfill its 2017 election promise to double the BC Arts Council’s budget and raise this amount to $55 million to account for inflation. Increasing the annual BC Arts Council budget to $55 million will provide a valuable long-term investment in BC’s arts, culture, and heritage community.

2. Maintain COVID-Era Investments In Arts, Culture, & Heritage

On the ground in communities, the sector continues to rely on pandemic-focused support to sustain its existence – special one-time BC Arts Council funding delivered in 2023 prevented catastrophic closures in our sector. We understand that pandemic-level investments are not intended as a sustainable, long-term plan, but these funds have been a lifeline for a sector that has been in crisis long before the pandemic.

We call upon the Government of BC to maintain the current financial, pandemic-recovery funding ($34.5 million annually) to be distributed by the BC Arts Council and its partner agencies, in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 fiscal years. In the immediate term, maintaining COVID-era investments helps to stabilize the sector and ensure the survival of our cultural organizations and events until longer-term plans can be put in place.

3. Work with the Sector to Develop a Provincial Arts, Culture, & Heritage Action Plan

No matter how hard individual artists or cultural organizations work, the system in BC that has been built over decades does not work – it inevitably leads to burnout and the slow impoverishment of our province’s cultural legacy.

We call upon the Government of BC to work with our sector to initiate an inclusive and resourced action plan development process that will create a new vision for the sector, along with sustained funding models supported by economic and infrastructure development planning. An action plan for our sector will leverage the impact, creativity, and innovation of BC’s arts, culture, and heritage sector to build a sustainable, healthy, and resilient future to support all British Columbians.

#FutureOfLIVE

BC Live was one of many active partners in the #FutureOfLIVE Campaign with CAPACOA, the Canadian Live Music Association, and the Canadian Independent Music Association, advocating for increased investment of funding from the federal government.

This robust campaign delivered results for the touring and presenting sector. The Federal Budget 2024 provides $31 million in supplementary funds over two years to the Department of Canadian Heritage for the Canada Arts Presentation Fund to help support organizations that present professional arts festivals or performing arts series.

This is nearly double the current supplementary funding provided to the program since 2019. The program will now receive $15.5 million annually, up from $8 million.

This funding will benefit nearly 1,600 organizations in every province and territory and contribute to sustaining 78,000 cultural jobs. It will immediately impact artists and their representatives whose Summer, Fall, and Winter tours were still awaiting funding confirmation.

“BCTC wishes to extend its gratitude to the federal government for recognizing the important role festivals and presenters play by significantly boosting the Canadian Arts Presentation Fund. The temporary nature of this funding means we need to continue our joint efforts to advocate for the performing arts.”

– Miriam Manley, Executive Director, BC Touring Council

While none of the supplementary funding has been permanently added to the program’s funding base, this funding offers immediate relief and a significant boost. The program is still set to return to its 2007 funding level in two years. The #FutureOfLIVE coalition and partner organizations will continue to advocate for long-term sustainable funding.