Vancouver Arts Advocacy

EVENT: Dialogue for a Better BC at the VPL this Saturday, March 20
Mar 8th, 2010
On Saturday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the recently formed Coalition to Build a Better BC will convene a public dialogue of concerned citizens on the impact of government funding cuts.   All concerned British Columbians are invited to take part  in Building Together: Dialogue for a Better BC. This day-long event will inform us about the recent provincial budget in the context of a decade of shrinking government investment in public services. We will learn from representatives of...
WORKSHOPS: ALLIANCE SPRING SERIES
Mar 17th, 2010
 The Alliance for Arts and Culture is commencing another season of professional development workshops.  We are pleased to confirm the following workshops in our spring series.  Tax Relief Thurs. April 15 ~ 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.   Marianna Scott of Quantum Accounting presents a practical workshop for the self-employed who dread tax season and put off thinking about it until the last minute. For more information about this workshop.   ...
WORKSHOPS: Survival Guide for Non-Profit Societies
Mar 12th, 2010
In the face of significant funding cuts, many of us are asking how we can do more with less. Could bylaw changes help us better meet our mandate or streamline our administration?  How do we amalgamate our company with a like-minded group?  What alternative models can we look at?  Should we be applying for charitable status?  What are the pros and cons?  Join the Artists' Legal Outreach (ALO) at the Cultch for a three-part workshop series that will help to answer some of...
Creative City Network
EVENT: Cultural Mapping & Planning Workshop
Feb 25th, 2010
  Seats are still available at a one-day workshop entitled Cultural Mapping and Cultural Planning: Making the Connection, on Monday, March 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m at the Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus. This is the third in a series of regional workshops presented by the Creative City Network of Canada, with funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage. Hosted by the City of Surrey, in partnership with Simon Fraser University, the workshop will bring together cultural...
British Columbia
NEWS: BC Government Shuts Arts Out Of Gaming Funding
Mar 8th, 2010
In a media release issued this morning (Monday, March 08 .10) by the ministry responsible for BC Gaming, the Government of British Columbia has announced measures to deny most non-youth oriented cultural programs and organizations any form of gaming funding for the foreseeable future. The key section of the release is as follows: “Youth arts, culture and sports groups will be eligible for grants this year, as will sports organizations serving people with disabilities. A new sub-category...
Actsafe
NEWS: SHAPE Gets A New Name & New Look
Mar 11th, 2010
After 12 years of leadership in health and safety educational programs for BC’s performing arts and motion picture communities, SHAPE (Safety and Health in Arts Production and Entertainment) is getting a new look and new name. “Our community looks for clarity and directness when they have health and safety concerns,” says general manager Dawn Brennan. “The name Actsafe has that clarity.” In an industry that considers jumping from helicopters, using firearms on set...
MEDIA MONITOR
Feb 16th, 2010
Your Alliance keeps an eye out for news items and opinion pieces of interest to members and friends. Here is a list of recent “clippings” of note: RECENT NEWS STORIES: Vancouver Sun reporter Randy Shore takes another run at crunching the numbers involved in the provincial arts funding cuts.   Vancouver Sun columnist Miro Cernetig gives front-page coverage to Vancouver Opera's Nixon In China and general manager Jim Wright's marketing acumen.   bclocalnews.com picks...
NEWS: Cultural Workers Survey
Mar 8th, 2010
Take part in a human resources survey for professional artists, cultural workers and employers! The Cultural Human Resources Council has engaged the Conference Board of Canada to undertake a survey to examine the HR issues faced by the cultural sector in Canada. We encourage you to complete the survey, and to forward it to other professional artists, cultural workers and employers in the cultural sector to get as many responses as possible. All...
DISCUSSION: Identifying Issues for Society Act Reform
Mar 5th, 2010
In August 2009 the arts sector was faced with a significant cut to Gaming grants.  As I write this it appears that those funds have not been restored in the new budget.  Gaming monies have been used by many arts organizations to fund the vital administrative work that is necessary to keep them going.  When the only paid staff person in a small artist run gallery has to handle all  the day to day issues, negotiate the lease, do the bookkeeping, as well as the programming, it...
Reality Check: Arts Funding Cut By BC Budget
Mar 3rd, 2010
"Arts funding was not restored to 2008/2009 levels in yesterday's budget, despite a unanimous recommendation by the government's Standing Committee on Finance", according to Alliance for Arts and Culture executive director Amir Ali Alibhai. "In fact what we have seen are further cuts to core funding" said Mr. Alibhai, "for a total loss of 32.4 per cent from funding levels in 2008/09." ----- Here are the basic facts from the March 2 budget: FACT: The BC Arts...
Dame Judi Dench
VIEWPOINT: Dame Judi on World Theatre Day
Feb 18th, 2010
World Theatre Day is an opportunity to celebrate Theatre in all its myriad forms.  Theatre is a source of entertainment and inspiration and has the ability to unify the many diverse cultures and peoples that exist throughout the world. But theatre is more than that and also provides opportunities to educate and inform. Theatre is performed throughout the world and not always in a traditional theatre setting. Performances can occur in a small village in Africa, next to a mountain in Armenia...
Culture Days
NEWS: Announcing "Culture Days"
Feb 17th, 2010
Culture Days: Celebrating Arts & Culture from Coast to Coast. Culture Days is a collaborative Canada-wide volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement by all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities. The National Steering Committee, in collaboration with provincial committees, are self-mobilizing at the grassroots level to collaborate in the implementation of concurrent annual province-wide, and free public participation...
A Time To Heal
NEWS: A Time To Heal / A Fundraising Opportunity
Feb 8th, 2010
Arts organizations have been offered a unique opportunity to support First United's well-known work on behalf of Vancouver's homeless, raise funds for their own strapped coffers, and support the Alliance for Arts and Culture at the same time. For every online purchase of the DVD A Time To Heal: Moving Beyond Homelessness, the buyer will be able to designate an arts group of their choice and 60 cents from their purchase will be donated to the Alliance and $7.40 will be donated to the chosen arts...
EVENT: Dialogue for a Better BC at the VPL this Saturday, March 20
On Saturday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the recently formed Coalition to Build a Better BC will convene a public dialogue of concerned citizens on the impact of government funding cuts.   All concerned British Columbians are invited to take part  in Building Together: Dialogue for a Better BC. This day-long event will inform us about the recent provincial budget in the context of a...
WORKSHOPS: ALLIANCE SPRING SERIES
 The Alliance for Arts and Culture is commencing another season of professional development workshops.  We are pleased to confirm the following workshops in our spring series.  Tax Relief Thurs. April 15 ~ 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.   Marianna Scott of Quantum Accounting presents a practical workshop for the self-employed who dread tax season and put off...
NEWS: Federal Budget Holds The Line on Arts Funding PACT
  The federal government’s new budget holds the line on their commitment to arts funding, according to an analysis released by the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT). Minister of Finance, James M. Flaherty delivered a budget March 3 that offered few surprises for the arts sector. Budget 2010: Leading the Way on Jobs and Growth held steady with the current level of...
Petition to Reinstate All Charitable Gaming Grants in British Columbia
All Residents of British Columbia: Petition to Reinstate All Charitable Gaming Grants in British Columbia     Petition Summary and Background Provincial Cuts to Charitable Gaming Grants for 2009-2010    To Premier Gordon Campbell, Minister Rich Coleman and the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia: We the undersigned are deeply concerned with the cuts...
VIEWPOINT: Dear Premier Campbell Graham Scholes
An open letter to Premier Gordon Campbell by Graham Scholes: Dear Premier Gordon Campbell, I am sure that the opening ceremonies for the Olympics moved you to the same extent as it did for millions of people across this Land.  The Art of this performance with its visual and preforming qualities was what enabled the producers to build a sense of pride and meaning to our distinctive Canadian...
NEWS: Moh & Yulanda Faris GG's Award Recipients Yulanda & Moh Faris
  The recipients of the 2010 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards have been announced and Vancouver’s Mohammed and Yulanda Faris are this year’s recipients of the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts. Moh and Yulanda have been an active force in the Vancouver arts community for close to 40 years. They have liberally donated their...