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Home | Resources > Newsletter | Synergy - February 2008
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Synergy February 2008 -- Volume 19 Number 2 IN THIS ISSUE: A word from the Editor1. Significant arts and culture investment in provincial budget 2. Canada Council releases action plan for 2008-11 3. Spring workshops at the Alliance 4. Research and literature 5. Calls, awards and opportunities 6. Media spin 7. Endquote March 6th marks my last day at the Alliance and the end of an enriching two years with this dynamic organization. It is difficult to leave my wonderful colleagues - Lori Knoll, Bev Edgecombe and Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles - who work so hard to serve the arts community and who make this office an efficient and enjoyable place to work. I would like to thank Heather Redfern, past Executive Director, for bringing me on board at the Alliance and for providing such lasting guidance and inspiration. I'd also like to thank Andrew for sharing his experience and passion with me and to Kevin McKeown and Melissa Edwards-Clayton for stepping up to the plate to lead the Marketing Council. It has been a pleasure and an excellent experience to work at the Alliance and to play a role in supporting and advocating for the amazing arts and culture community in Vancouver. Keep up the good work! Laurie Guy On February 19th, the Government of British Columbia presented a 2008 provincial budget that included a $105 million investment for specific arts and culture initiatives including:
The budget also brought news of the establishment of a new $150 million BC150 Cultural Fund. The Fund will generate approximately $8 million a year in revenue, which will be administered by the BC Arts Council. The investments set forth in the budget respond to the requests of diverse constituents from around the province as well as the recommendation of the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services that the government increase investment in British Columbia’s arts and culture sector through the BC Arts Council. The budget news also affirms the important role the BC Arts Council plays as the key advisor and vehicle for the distribution of government investment in the arts. Further budget details can be found on the government site: www.bcbudget.gov.bc.ca/2008/ 2. Canada Council releases action plan for 2008-11 The Canada Council for the Arts has released its Action Plan for the next three years, including plans for the distribution of $31.5 million in new funding in 2008-09. In July 2007, the federal government announced an ongoing $30 million increase to the Council’s parliamentary appropriation, bringing the government’s annual investment in the Council to over $180 million. The announcement followed one-time increases to the Council’s funding of $20 million in 2006-2007 and $30 million in 2007-2008. The Council has also increased its funding for arts project grants by $1.5 million on a permanent basis, which brings the total amount of new ongoing funding to $31.5 million. The Canada Council’s Action Plan cites specific strategies and activities aligned with the five broad directions in its Strategic Plan, which was released in October. The Strategic Plan committed the Canada Council to five specific directions:
The full text of the Action Plan is available on the Canada Council’s web site at http://www.canadacouncil.ca/aboutus/strat_plan/oz128473072035695788.htm. 3. Spring workshops at the Alliance
Tax Relief: Making tax preparation painless This workshop will be ideal for self-employed artists and craftspeople who have little or no experience preparing taxes. The workshop will cover the fundamentals of taxation for individuals, with an emphasis on the self-employed. It will cover which expenses are deductible, what kind of record keeping is required and how to get and stay organized. Workshop cost: $50 (+GST) for Alliance members, $75 (+GST) for non-members* Conducting a major gifts campain: A step-by-step guide This workshop will guide you, step-by-step, through the planning and implementation of a major donor campaign. You will learn how to make a case for your financial need, create a gift chart, recruit a campaign team, identify prospects, develop effective solicitation tools and make “the ask.” This workshop will be suitable for development staff, executive directors, artistic directors, board members and volunteers with at least a year fundraising experience and whose organizations already have a base of individual donors giving on an annual basis. Workshop cost: $75 (+GST) for Alliance members and $100 (+GST) for non-members* Accounting for the arts: Financial statements, cash flow projections and what your board needs to know financially A workshop for artists and non-profit arts organizations seeking an introduction to financial statement preparation and cash flow projections. The workshop will provide an introduction to the language of accounting and will focus on four key elements: the Balance Sheet, the Income Statement, cash flow projections and what your board needs to know financially. Workshop cost: $50 (+GST) for Alliance members, $75 (+GST) for non-members* Please note that pre-registration and payment is required for all workshops.* Please phone 604-681-3535 or email info@allianceforarts.com to register. http://www.allianceforarts.com/events/pro-dev08.html
Are the arts elitist? A new report from Hill Strategies shows that demographic indicators are not the only factors that should be considered when marketing cultural activities. Audience's cultural experiences and interests are extremely important. More specifically, many different categories of cultural attendance and reading are strongly related to each other. Overall, the statistics imply that cultural experiences and cultural exposure are more important factors in cultural activities than most demographic factors. In other words, there is an arts-interested public that transcends demographic analysis. Those who get the arts go to a range of things. Those who don't "get it" don't go. The statistics have obvious marketing implications for cultural organizations. Specifically, cultural marketing should be directed at other cultural attendees. For example, performance information should be made available at art galleries, festivals, museums and historic sites. Art gallery exhibition brochures should be made available at festivals, in libraries or through reading series. The statistics imply that efforts to draw new attendees to cultural activities could be rewarded through higher participation in a range of cultural activities. If organizations help "enlarge the pie" of the arts-interested public, many organizations can reap the rewards. The statistics clearly point to the interrelatedness of the arts and cultural industries. This supports a call for stronger collaborations within the cultural community. These collaborations could include performances in art galleries, co-location projects, co-productions and even co-creations. Collaboration in advocacy efforts, possibly around arts education, could also be beneficial. The full report is available free of charge on the Hill Strategies Research website http://www.hillstrategies.com 5. Calls, awards and opportunities Arts Partners in Creative Development releases Updated Guidelines, Letter of Intent and FAQs Visit http://www.artspartners.ca/ for the latest guidelines, letter of intent and frequently asked questions for the contribution program Arts Partners in Creative Development (APCD). Applicants will need to use the revised letter of intent form for the 5 p.m. March 3rd deadline. Reapplication: If you have applied twice for the same project at the application stage, you are unable to apply again for that project. However, you can send APCD a letter of intent for a different project. Please note you will have to fill out the new letter of intent form on the website. If you reached the application round with your previous letter of intent and are applying for the same project for the second time, you do not need to resubmit your letter of intent. But you do need to let the office know that you are intending to resubmit by the letter of intent deadline – 5 p.m. March 3, 2008.
B.C.'s mastering the art of getting serious about culture Buried in the excitement about B.C.'s landmark "green budget" was an announcement that suggests that the country's most westerly provincial government is finally getting serious about culture. Read more... Arts and culture an election issue for the first time in 20 years For the first time in 20 years, arts and culture is an election issue. Few voters choose candidates based on cultural platforms, but in 2008 the arts are understood in economic terms by most jurisdictions in the world. It's a competitive and lucrative industry, and a magnet for the well-educated workers Alberta needs to diversify. Read more... 13. Endquote“In the new creative economy, art and culture are increasingly recognized as
- Provincial Throne Speech, February 12, 2008
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:
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