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Home | Resources > Newsletter | Synergy - August 24, 2006
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Synergy August 24, 2006 -- Volume 17 Number 8 IN THIS ISSUE: A word from the Executive DirectorA word from the Editor 1. City of Vancouver allocates $700,000 arts and cultural investment 2. New Program Director for the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad 3. New Staff at Office of Cultural Affairs 4. Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad newsletter 5. Arts, Culture and Tourism Workshop 6. Advocacy action required for a new Canadian Museums Policy 7. New performing arts numbers from Statistics Canada survey 8. Koerner Foundation increases grant amounts 9. New partnership promotes the preservation of BC’s heritage 10. Canada Conference of the Arts launches @gora 11. Telefilm Canada consolidates industry development activities 12. New web resources from the Voluntary Gateway 13. Books the focus of new site from The Tyee 14. New non-profit work site 15. Resource for mobilizing arts and cultural resources for community development 16. In memoriam 17. Member News 18. Industry News 19. Calls, Grants and Awards 20. Kudos 21. Media Spin 22. Calendar 23. Endquote Welcome to Synergy - the end of summer edition! We are back and want to tell you what the Alliance has been up to. It has been a busy summer of planning, regrouping, strategizing and renewal. First of all, there have been a number of staff changes at the Alliance. A heartfelt thank you to Jesse Gray, Lisa Fedorak and Anne Coustalin, all of whom served the Alliance membership splendidly and are now moving on to new adventures in their lives! We wish them all the best. Welcome to Bev Edgecombe, Lori Knoll, Krysten Casumpang, Marianne Dell and Rosmary Sojka all of whom joined the Alliance staff this season. Along with Laurie Guy and Judi Piggot, they make up the great team who serve our members and SEARCH participants with gusto. This week we are also saying good-bye to our summer student Michelle Adams. Michelle has been working on one of the new projects we are embarking on at the Alliance: an Artists Legal Outreach program (ALO). Due to the exemplary work of Michelle and volunteer lawyers, Martha Rans and Jaime Mellott, the Alliance now has an incredible database of materials that deal with all aspects of arts, culture and the law including contracting, copyright and a myriad of other subjects. This fall the program will be expanded to include a series of workshops on legal themes and a summary advice clinic. The Alliance has been very active in laying the groundwork for upcoming advocacy activities. We are working with other organizations across the province to create a coalition in support of arts and culture in BC. We envision this coalition as broad-based; reaching out to all citizens that value the role the arts play in creating sustainable and healthy communities. There will be more information on this initiative available in the fall. Last month the Alliance Executive Committee met with Burke Taylor, Vice President, Culture and Ceremonies for VANOC. Burke let us know that his office will be holding consultation sessions in the fall and that specifics about the budgets for various cultural components will be available in the late fall when VANOC completes its business plan. We also offer our congratulations to Robert Kerr who will be joining VANCOC in September as Program Director for the 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Because VANOC is not a funder, foundation or corporate sponsor, artists and arts organizations that are contracted by VANOC may find themselves dealing with contracts, deliverables, sponsor and copyright issues that are very different from those they are used to. The Alliance will be disseminating information and providing workshops to help keep members updated on these and other relevant issues. Hopefully our members in Vancouver have received information about the grant deadlines, and criteria for the dissemination of the $700,000 in cultural funding approved by city council for the 2006 fiscal year. Please note that the deadlines are all coming up very quickly. The Alliance is thrilled to be participating in an initiative with some of the municipalities in the GVRD called the Necklace Project. Still in its very formative stages, the project is conceived as a series of public art works that are somehow linked with the community and each other. On the national front, I have just returned from a strategic planning session with the Canadian Arts Coalition Steering Committee. We reaffirmed our commitment to a single purpose: to advocate for significant investment in the Canada Council. Further details will be forthcoming. I hope you have all had an incredible summer. In the past few weeks I have been receiving your brochures and other information about the fantastic programs being planned for next season. It looks like exciting times for the citizens and visitors in the GVRD over the coming year. Thank you for all you give to your communities. And finally an excerpt from an awe-inspiring speech given by outgoing Executive Director Ben Cameron at the 2006 Theatre Communications Group (TCG) National Conference in Atlanta this summer: “We know that if a nation aspires to true greatness, it will do more than intone stale and mindless slogans of patriotism; it will do more than wallow in the drab literalness of the day to day. We know that if a nation aspires to true greatness, it must nurture and cultivate the collective imagination—the ability to imagine life other than as it is lived, our only road to the new solutions, not only to the problems that currently confound us but to the problems we have yet to see. We know that if a nation aspires to true greatness, it must constantly ask of itself, "Can we get along with one another." As artists, we labor in the hopes that our nation aspires to that greatness—a greatness that means it must support the arts.” (Read Ben Cameron's speech). Heather Redfern Who still is not convinced the arts and culture sector is an economic generator? The question occurred to me after visiting with a woman from the State of Washington as we waited for a performance to begin at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival in July. This woman had traveled to Vancouver, SPECIFICALLY for the festival, with a community group of over 40 people. Her group attends every year, and has been doing so for a very long time. In addition to purchasing their weekend passes and supporting the festival, the staff, and the artists; the members of this group stay in a local hotel, eat out, shop and visit other Vancouver attractions. Then, she said, some jump off from Vancouver and spend further holiday time in BC, and further American tourist dollars in our province. This was just one story from one of our many fine festivals. Consider what other stories come from the roughly 10,000 people who attended the Folk Fest each day. Guaranteed to be more than one economic generator story there. Laurie Guy
1. City of Vancouver allocates $700,000 arts and cultural investment Vancouver City Council has approved the recommendations from the City Creative Task Force pertaining to the allocation of the $700,000 increase to the 2006 Cultural Budget. The $700,000 is the second installment of a three-year investment plan for arts and culture in the city. The 2006 investment will be targeted to new initiatives (Project, Opportunities and Commissioning Grants) as well as new non-grant support services. It provides for new or additional support to four grants programs: Project Grant funding is increased; the Opportunities Program will be extended for a further year; the Theatre Rental Grant (Projects) Program will be extended for new users of the Civic Theatres, and a new Commissioning Program will be established. Additionally, a portion of the investment will be allocated to ongoing initiatives including the establishment of a permanent outreach program and research and administrative support as well as a number of one-time initiatives including a review of the Office of Cultural Affairs existing cultural grant programs, improvements to the OCA website, and the creation of a "how to" series of publications regarding accessing services, permits and programs. A news release issued by the city states that: “Supplemental grants will be considered for organizations which were awarded a Project Grant in 2006. Groups will not be required to re-submit or provide any additional information. New applications will not be accepted. The allocation process will follow direction provided by the 2006 Assessment Committees with recommendations made to Council in late September 2006. Click here to view City’s Administrative Report, which includes the financial breakdown of the $700,000 investment.
2. New Program Director for the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad VANOC has announced the appointment of Robert Kerr to the position of Program Director for the Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad. Mr. Kerr has been the Executive Director of Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, producer of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, for the past 21 years and is also founding president of the WESTCAN Jazz Association, a network of non-profit jazz societies and festival producers in Western Canada. The Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad Summer newsletter, notes that Mr. Kerr will be joining VANOC in September and welcomes him “to this pivotal role in bringing Canada’s arts and cultural community together to create an extraordinary Olympic cultural celebration.”
3. New Staff at Office of Cultural Affairs The Office of Cultural Affairs has announced the appointment of Jacqueline Gijssen to the position of Senior Cultural Planner and the promotion of Marnie Rice to Cultural Planner. Ms. Gijssen previously served as Head of Museum Services at the Vancouver Art Gallery and in her new role will be responsible for cultural facilities planning, development and support in the Office of Cultural Affairs. Ms. Rice has been with the Office of Cultural Affairs for two and a half years and has worked on many projects including Woodwards, the City of Vancouver Book Award as well as Celebrations, Diversity, Opportunities, Project and Operating Grant programs. In her new role, she will focus on theatre, festivals, awards and community events and will play a key role in the review of grants and award programs as part of the cultural affairs team.
4. Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad newsletter The summer edition of the Cultural Olympiad newsletter from VANOC is now available. Visit http://www.allianceforarts.com/about-us/News/cultural_newsletteJuly.pdf to view the PDF version of the newsletter.
5. Arts, Culture and Tourism Workshop Tourism Vancouver is hosting a workshop to address the challenge that arts and cultural groups face in getting involved in the tourism industry and accessing the potential market. Tourism Vancouver’s sponsorships & promotions, consumer marketing and media relations teams will present the half-day workshop and share how they work with media and various marketing activities that profile cultural products. The interactive workshop will also provide the opportunity for arts participants to provide a short overview of their organization, festival, performances or events including identification of target markets and audiences, and what marketing activities are used to reach them. The session has been developed for current Tourism Vancouver performing arts, festivals and events members, as well as those that may be considering membership and are currently members of the Alliance for Arts and Culture. It is appropriate for senior and marketing/pr staff. Participants will take part, network with fellow organizations and learn how to get involved in Tourism Vancouver’s initiatives. Date: Tuesday, September 26, 2006 from 8:30 am – 12:00 pm One registrant per organization initially please. Additional attendees will be waitlisted. RSVP by Tuesday, September 19, 2006
6. Advocacy action required for a new Canadian Museums Policy The Canadian Museums Association (CMA) is spearheading an advocacy push for a new Canadian Museums Policy in preparation for the fall sitting of the federal government. Canada’s present museums policy is over 30 years old and Heritage Minister Bev Oda is currently reviewing the need for a new one. It will be discussed by the Standing Committee on Heritage in the fall, and the CMA is urging museum supporters to speak to MP’s about the fundamental importance of museums to building Canadian society. Other actions that will help create momentum include: inviting MP’s to museums for official functions, asking municipal governments to write to the Heritage Minister and pass a resolution in support of the new Canadian Museums Policy, speak to the media about the needs of museums and participate in regional CMA conference calls. Click here for more information on the CMA website.
7. New performing arts numbers from Statistics Canada survey Statistics Canada recently released the results of a performing arts survey featuring 2004 data on for-profit and not-for-profit performing arts companies in Canada. Among the points raised in the survey was the fact that: “The relative shares of provincial and federal funding varied from province to province. Provincial funding was highest in Quebec, where 26 per cent of total operating revenues came from provincial government sources, twice the national average of 13 per cent. On the other hand, British Columbia companies obtained only 7 per cent of their operating revenue from provincial sources.” Other points of interest were: “Theatre, the predominant industry, accounted for 28 per cent of total revenue generated by the performing arts sector in Canada followed by music groups (everything from orchestras to rock groups), which accounted for 25 per cent. By far the greatest expenditure for for-profit and not-for-profit performing arts companies is on personnel. In 2004, payments made to performing and creative artists and all other personnel accounted for 48 per cent of operating expenses.”
8. Koerner Foundation increases grant amounts The Leon and Thea Koerner Foundation has announced changes to its support of the cultural and creative arts and social service sectors. The Foundation will increase the maximum grant available to cultural and creative arts and social service charities from $4,000 to $10,000 effective this fall. Maximum grants for students in pre-professional studies in the arts have been raised to $5,000. The process that led to the changes involved current and past members of the Board of Governors and was conducted over twelve months. Other changes made by the Foundation include the launch of a pilot program offering multi-year funding opportunities, limitations on the number of grants an organization can receive in a five year period, and the elimination of grants for university and college lecture series. New guidelines and application forms reflecting all changes to the programs can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.koernerfoundation.ca.
9. New partnership promotes the preservation of BC’s heritage A new partnership has been announced between the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia and the Archives Association of British Columbia (AABC). The Learning Centre has entered into a five-year agreement with the AABC to provide funding totalling $125,000. The funding will be distributed in amounts of $25,000 per year for five years. This agreement highlights the dedication of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre and the AABC to preserve the rich documentary heritage of British Columbia. Both organizations share the goal of enabling access to information and preserving and sharing knowledge about the province for users throughout B.C. and beyond.
10. Canada Conference of the Arts launches @gora After months of careful planning and preparation, the Canadian Conference of the Arts's @gora has been launched. It is part blog, part online magazine and aims to produce lengthier pieces about four times a year while also providing regular updates on the activities of the CCA and the cultural sector at large. CCA @gora is the latest communications tool the CCA plans to use in the pursuit of their mission as a national leader in creating informed debate about arts and cultural policy issues in Canada. It is not intended to replace the bulletins to members, but will make more detailed information on issues available for consultation and consideration. 11. Telefilm Canada consolidates industry development activities Telefilm Canada has consolidated its activities, targeted at building a strong Canadian audiovisual industry, under one new Industry Development Operations sector. Programs for training, professional development, Canadian festivals, international markets and festivals and co-production are now more closely aligned with corporate objectives as well as the multi-platform universe and its requirement for new skills and strategies. For more information visit Telefilm online.
12. New web resources from the Voluntary Gateway The Voluntary Gateway is an online resource for information, resources, intelligence and collaboration within the voluntary sector in order to strengthen communities and social enterprise. The website www.voluntarygateway.ca has a brand new look and features a growing collection of links to information, resources, events and news, all organized under five core pages in both official languages. Page highlights include: Points of engagement - online discussions and news from the open
13. Books the focus of new site from The Tyee The Tyee recently launched Tyee Books (www.tyeebooks.ca), an innovative and interactive forum showcasing and discussing books from BC and beyond. The Association of Book Publishers of BC has worked at arms-length with The Tyee to create this opportunity for dynamic book coverage. The site will provide an accessible, free forum that people throughout the province can dive into to discuss books as well as work to develop effective online sales tools for independent BC bookstores. It will also showcase the writing in books through excerpts; offer regular and eclectic lists of recommended reading created by authors, librarians, booksellers and Tyee readers; create an ongoing writers’ festival through online forums featuring authors, readers and journalists; bring the review down from its pedestal so that it can become the beginning of a discussion rather than the end of one; use conversations to connect readers and writers from across the province to each other; digest opinions from around the world, and deliver our province’s opinions into the world; offer a daily book blog featuring news, events coverage and idiosyncratic musings from a wide range of well known contributors; and exploit the web’s unique interactive and multimedia characteristics to bring the printed page new life.
A new Canadian non-profit work site www.WorkInNonProfits.ca, has been launched. It connects non-profits across the country with job seekers as well as suppliers of services and products. During the launch period all postings are free of charge. The normal rate for a bilingual job posting or RFP will be $25 with internships posted for free.
15. Resource for mobilizing arts and cultural resources for community development Mobilizing Arts and Cultural Resources for Community Development is a new resource and workbook produced by Partners for Livable Communities. It is part resource guide, part workbook and highlights the potential impact that arts have on a community and how to make that impact happen. www.cultureshapescommunity.org/images/stories/documents/plc_mobilizingartsculture_wrkbk.pdf
Elizabeth Aird Paula Gustafson
Contemporary Art Gallery - The Contemporary Art Gallery recently announced that the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts has awarded the CAG a two-year grant in support of exhibition programming. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts was established upon the artist’s death in 1987 in support of organizations which champion contemporary visual art in its most innovative and engaging forms. Museum of Anthropology - The University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is set to grow by 50 per cent in an expansion that is part of a $52-million project. The project, entitled “A Partnership of Peoples,” will be completed by spring 2009. MOA will expand from its current 79,900 sq. ft., gaining 48,800 sq. ft. of additional new space. The project also includes the creation of the Reciprocal Research Network (RNN) - the world’s first web-based system for the exchange of collections information, being co-developed with the Musqueam Indian Band, Sto:lo Nation, and U’mista Cultural Society in Alert Bay, B.C. Playhouse Theatre Company - Jon Stettner has been appointed the new General Manager of the Playhouse Theatre Company. Most recently Mr. Stettner was Executive Director of Variety - The Children’s Charity, which produces the annual Variety Show of Hearts telethon. Previously he has worked in strategic management positions with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Playwright’s Centre and the Arts Club/Stanley Theatre. SHAPE – Dawn Brennan has been appointed the new General Manager of Safe and Health in Arts Production and Entertainment (SHAPE). Ms. Brennan arrives at SHAPE from the position of General Manager at the Playhouse Theatre Company. She also has been the General Manager at the Vancouver International Writers Festival and Executive Director of the Women in View Festival.
Vancouver percussionist Sal Ferreras is taking on the newly created position of director of Vancouver Community College's School of Music. Read a related aticle in the Vancouver Courier. Richard Brownsey is the new executive director of the B.C. Film Society. Mr. Brownsey was with the B.C. Arts Council and also was the director of the provincial Cultural Services Branch, part of the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and the Arts. In celebration of its twentieth anniversary, the Vancouver Film School is planning a year of special events including 1 million dollars in scholarships to students with a combination of ambition, talent and need. For more information visit www.vfs.com/celebration.
City of Vancouver Pilot Commissioning Program deadline The Vancouver Office of Cultural Affairs has announced a pilot Commissioning Program to assist local arts and cultural organizations seeking support for commissioning significant artistic works in the disciplines of theatre, dance, music, literary, visual and media arts. The purpose of the program is to support new initiatives, which profile Vancouver's artistic strengths to a local, national, and international audience. The application deadline is Monday, September 25, 2006. Guidelines can be obtained from http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/oca/Grants/cultgrants.htm#Commissioning Call for nominations for Assessment Committee members The Vancouver Office of Cultural Affairs is currently receiving nominations from individuals in the community interested in participating on assessment committees for various cultural grants programs. Members selected by City Council assist city staff in reviewing applications for funding. An honorarium will be paid. Committee members should be available for one to three days. Interested individuals may obtain more information and a nomination form at http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/oca/Grants/assessment.htm Upcoming City of Vancouver grants deadlines For a list of the City of Vancouver’s September deadlines for Celebration Grants, Arts POD Grants, Transit Shelter Advertising, Theatre Rental Grants (Projects) and Commissioning Grants, please visit the Office of Cultural Affairs calendar at http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/oca/calendar.htm Pacific Contact Showcase Pacific Contact is the BC Touring Council's annual west coast tradeshow and booking conference for the performing arts. It includes two types of showcases for which artists must apply: Mainstage and Studio Stage Showcases. Deadline for applications is September 30, 2006
For more information visit http://www.bctouring.org/pacific-contact/2007/showcase-app.html
The editors of a book that pulls together stories about the lives of women in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside have been presented the George Ryga Award. In Plain Sight: Reflections on Life in Downtown Eastside Vancouver was edited by Leslie Robertson and Dara Culhane. The award is named for George Ryga, author of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe and an advocate for immigrants and First Nations peoples. It is given annually for social awareness in British Columbia writing. BattersbyHowat of Vancouver, has won the Ronald J. Thom Award for Early Design Achievement from the Canada Council. The $10,000 prize is awarded every two years to a candidate in the early stages of his or her career who demonstrates outstanding talent or potential in architectural design, as well as sensitivity to architecture’s allied arts, crafts and professions, within the context of an integrated environment that includes landscape, interior design, furniture and decorative and graphic elements.
New playwrights residency program planned in Vancouver Vancouver hopes to create a hothouse for playwrights with a one-week residency program on Granville Island to be launched this fall.Five playwrights from across the country will be chosen for the Playwrights Theatre Centre colony, which is modelled on the Playwrights Colony at Banff, which happens every May.They'll be chosen on the basis of a draft for a play, said Kris Elgstrand, artistic associate at the Playwrights Theatre Centre. Read more. Cultural scan marks phase one The results of a major regional scan of the arts activity in B.C.'s Sunshine Coast area were published recently in a 32-page report from consultant Sydney Johnsen of Grant Thornton Management. The scan marks phase one of a future arts strategy and was accomplished through 25 interviews with arts groups, one focus group session, three community forums and 228 completed surveys. One of the report's most significant findings is the reliance of arts organizations on volunteers. Read more. News from away The strength of music There is a wealth of evidence that indicates that music lessons offer children intellectual benefits that put them ahead of others who do not participate in music education. These advantages include higher grades and IQ scores, a lower propensity to misbehave and a fine-tuning of their sensitivity to emotion in speech. Watching television or listening to music is not enough to gain the benefits of music. Read more. Arts and culture are key to the growth of the British economy, according to Chancellor Gordon Brown
The arts sector is "not a sideshow but right at the centre" of the economy, said Mr Brown. His comments came at the launch of a £12m programme aimed at finding the people who will lead Britain's cultural sector in the future. The arts account for more than 5% of the UK economy, added Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell. The Cultural Leadership Programme is designed to promote better management in the cultural sector. The two-year initiative, run by Arts Council England, will help around 2,000 people gain leadership experience by moving between the arts and business. Read more.
The City of Vancouver will be holding a public information meeting regarding Celebration Grants on August 24, 2006 at the Roundhouse Community Centre. The fifth annual province-wide Art Crawl takes place August 4 to 31, 2006. The month-long celebration of BC's arts, culture and heritage is hosted by artists, studios and galleries. For a complete listing of participants, and ideas on how to explore the province during August, a month of arts & cultural adventures, visit www.art-bc.com or pick up a free Arts & Cultural Guide at the Alliance for Arts and Culture, any BCAA Office, Visitor Information Centres, aboard BC Ferries, or at numerous hotels throughout the province.
23. Endquote“The arts sector is not a sideshow but right at the centre of the economy.” - British Chancellor Gordon Brown. (Read more.)
Our thanks The Alliance for Arts and Culture gratefully acknowledges the support from the following: City of Vancouver, the British Columbia Arts Council and the British Columbia Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch. Comments? Send a message to: SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE You can subscribe to receive Synergy by emailing info@allianceforarts.com with the “Synergy Subscribe” in the subject line. To remove your name from this email list, please email info@allianceforarts.com with “Synergy Un-Subscribe” in the subject line. We do not rent, exchange, sell or give this email list to any other organization. Unless specifically stated, any part of this newsletter may be reproduced with appropriate credit given to the Alliance for Arts and Culture. If you have any questions about your privacy, please call 604-681-3535 or email privacy@allianceforarts.com.
Last Updated: Copyright © Alliance for Arts and Culture, 2006 |
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