 |
 |
 |
|
Home | Resources > Newsletter | Synergy - January 23, 2004
|
||
 |
January 23, 2004 -- Volume 15 Number 1 Synergy, the electronic newsletter
Welcome to our first issue of 2004. The Alliance started the year by welcoming the first performers for Cultural Presentations at Council Meetings: Sandy Scofield and Colin MacDonald. Performances have been scheduled for Vancouver City Council meetings through June, and the deadline to apply for the last half of the year is June 1. In the meantime, we are eagerly anticipating the first ever Vancouver Arts Awards, to be held March 19 at the Vancouver Public Library. We are moving into the jury process and will be announcing the winners in February in seven categories: design arts, culinary arts, media and recording arts, performing arts, visual arts, writing and publishing, and philanthropy. We will be asking you to participate by voting on the People's Choice Award - watch this space or visit www.vancouverartsawards.ca for details. And, we are asking you to celebrate arts and culture in Vancouver by attending the inaugural Vancouver Arts Awards. Award winners will be receive their accolades, and in turn, will confer commissions upon emerging artists - the names of these up and comers will be made public at the awards ceremony. Be sure to mark March 19 in your calendar - tickets go on sale soon. Allison Markin,
1. Report: arts attendance Editor: Allison Markin Reports based on Statistics Canada's General Social Survey data from 1992 to 1998 were released earlier in January, detailing attendance at arts performances, museums and art galleries across Canada. This is the most current broad-based data available. The performing arts report shows that more than 9.1 million Canadians 15 years of age or older, or 37.6 percent of Canadians in this age range, attended a live, professional performing arts event in 1998. Theatre is the most popular live performing arts activity, followed by popular forms of music, classical music and dance. The museums and art galleries report shows that 7.8 million Canadians 15 years of age or older visited a museum in 1998. This represents about one-third of Canadians in this age range. Public art galleries were most popular, followed by museums. Overall, the attendance rate at performing arts events decreased during the 1990s; however, due to significant population growth, about 100,000 more Canadians attended a performance in 1998 compared to 1992. The attendance rate at museums decreased during the 1990s, but attendance at public art galleries increased significantly. The full report, with support from the Canada Council, Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Arts Council, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, is available free of charge from Hill Strategies Research Inc. at: www.hillstrategies.com/resources.html.
Canadian Policy Research Networks Inc. (CPRN) recently released a study entitled Passion and Commitment Under Stress: Human Resources Issues in Canada's Non-profit Sector. This is the final report in CPRN's series on Canada's non-profit sector. This sector employs almost one million workers, or about eight percent of Canada's paid employees, with take-home pay of about $22 billion annually. Overall, the research finds that non-profit employees are committed to their work, but are unhappy about the pay, benefits, lack of opportunity for advancement and workload. These concerns are particularly strong in the smaller organizations that make up the majority of non-profits. Highlights include:
The full report can be found at: www.cprn.org.
The Vancouver Sun recently reported that the Knowledge Network, BC's educational TV channel, could have a new operating partner as soon as February, when Partnerships BC, the government-owned body in charge of public-private partnerships, is expected to finish its evaluation of applicants who want to help run the station. Seven applications were submitted in response to the request for expressions of interest, including applications from: Learning and Skills Television of Alberta (LTA); Vision TV of Ontario; a joint application from Insight Film and Video and Channel M of Vancouver; and a joint application from Paperny Films of Vancouver, the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group and CBC. Several other groups are also rumoured to be interested. The new model, which may involve both the public and private sectors, may one day include advertising on the station. Any changes to the mandate of the Knowledge Network will have to be approved by the CRTC, however a spokesperson for the Ministry of Advanced Education stated in the Sun article that the government is committed to having the network's licence remain focused on education. Due to changes in the Income Tax Act, as of December 5, 2003, the value of a tax receipt issued by a charity for gifts of art will be limited to "the donor's cost of the property, where the property is donated within three years of acquisition." This new measure does not apply to certified cultural properties. Not sure how to handle your donation? Call the local office of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency for assistance, or visit the CCRA's website at: At a Canadian Conference of the Arts board meeting in November, national director Megan Davis Williams announced her intention to leave the organization this summer. Williams came to the CCA in 1998 and during her tenure, presided over the restructuring of the CCA's board, guided the development of the CCA's first strategic planning process, and developed annual national policy conferences in addition to the Chalmers Conference, an annual forum being held at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa at the end of February. Under her leadership, the CCA spearheaded the Creative Management project, a two-year cultural policy internship and the ArtsSmarts programme. Williams also was instrumental in founding the International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD). A search committee for a new national director has been struck; the deadline to apply is February 2. For more information on the position, visit: For more information on the upcoming Chalmers Conference, visit: Abridged from the CCA Bulletin. While on vacation in Mexico in December, Doris Shadbolt passed away at the age of 85. Doris and her husband, Jack, long-time residents of Burnaby, lent their name to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts and were great supporters of visual arts in Canada. Doris received the first Governor-General's Award in Visual and Media Arts, honoured for her volunteering and philanthropical activities. Her books on Emily Carr and Bill Reid are well-known, as was her passion for First Nations art. She served on numerous boards and founded, with Jack, the Vancouver Institute for the Visual Arts. In December the Associated Press reported that some of the oldest artworks ever found were uncovered in a cave in Germany. Figurines carved from mammoth ivory and believed to be 30,000 years old included birds, equine figures and a mythological man-lion figure. Experts say the figurines shed light on early humans' religious beliefs and confirm that our ancestors were skilled artists. In addition, the figurines are cited as evidence of shamanism - the belief that spirits can be influenced by priests, or shamans. Researchers believe the carvings were created by early modern humans, not Neanderthals, and that they are as old as cave paintings found in France. For more info, visit the journal, Nature: ArtStarts to get space ArtStarts in Schools recently benefited from the City of Vancouver's Cultural Amenity Bonus plan, which allows developers of condos and other mixed-use facilities to trade public amenity space for increased density and other planning considerations. ArtStarts has been selected to be a part of a development (to be built) at the corner of Richards and Robson in downtown Vancouver. The space will include a gallery for young people's art, multi-use facilities, and administrative offices. ArtStarts will move in sometime in the middle of 2005. Abridged from the ArtStarts in Schools newsletter, Spring 2004.
The Canadian Artists Representation/le Front des artistes canadiens, otherwise known as CARFAC, has been designated as a National Arts Service Organization by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. CARFAC is a membership-based organization which engages actively in advocacy, lobbying, research and public education on behalf of its members. The "NASO" status means that the organization is deemed a charity and should be able to become less financially dependent on government for support. Abridged from Blizzart, Winter 2004. The Tyee, at www.thetyee.ca, is an online news portal full of opinion pieces and news items you may not see in mainstream (no pun intended) media. Check out the articles in their Citizen Tool Kit, at: http://www.thetyee.ca/CitizenToolkit/index.htm Vancouver Arts Awards Vancouver Arts Awards: March 19, 2004. Celebrate arts and culture in Vancouver. Visit: www.vancouverartsawards.ca. The City of Vancouver is advertising for applicants to fill a variety of vacancies on civic agencies, including the Public Art Committee. Nominations are due February 2. For more information and applications forms, visit: http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/ctyclerk/civicagencies/civicvolunteer.htm The Vancouver International Digital Festival (VIDFEST), taking place June 25-26, is calling for fresh, creative and inventive work. The deadline for entries is February 13. Visit www.vidfest.com for info.
"I do believe that it is the arts which speak to the whole person, that is, to the spirit and the emotions, and to the mind and body alike...which are the most important components in the formation of culture." Comments? Send a message to: Copyright © Alliance for Arts and Culture, 2003 |
|
 |
 |
|
