The first time I ever played guitar and sang in front of an audience, I was so nervous that I was shaking. The song I played was Neil Young’s “It’s a Dream”. I had heard that song performed by a brother and sister duo at the 2008 Port Moody Festival of the Arts, the same year I was running for Port Moody City Council for the first time. I was performing the song at the home of Anna, an extremely accomplished pianist that I met during the election. We had connected on our shared passion for showcasing art in Port Moody, the City of the Arts. So, there we were, showcasing our art, an internationally renowned pianist and a city council candidate.
When I look back on this now I am reminded of how much of my life was influenced by the arts. And I know this is true for all of us, in our own ways. Imagine what our beautiful province would be without the arts – no performances at Bard on the Beach in Vancouver, no fresh new music at Surrey’s Fusion Festival, no opera houses, local theatres, art galleries, museums, or film industry.
Art is an essential component of the human experience – it brings us together – it creates community. The arts are also vital for human growth. The consumption and creation of art not only contributes to a strong, diverse, and sustainable economy, but it also allows people to learn about themselves and their community and allows people to interact with the various cultures in our beautiful province.
By interacting with the arts, people are able to have a different perspective of the world. Thus, in order to have a strong, diverse, and sustainable economy, and a cultural environment in which people can deepen their understanding and relationship with the world, government support and funding for the arts is necessary.
Our new government understands this, but not all governments do. Many in the arts community remember that the previous B.C. Liberal government cut arts funding drastically and were not consulted on the changes. This even led to the resignation of B.C. Arts Council chair Jane Danzo.
In a letter to the former Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Danzo wrote: “I felt obliged to resign in order to have a voice. In my opinion, the work of The B.C. Arts Council Board has not been supported by the government on a number of different levels…” (Jane Danzo, Letter to Minister Krueger, Aug. 16, 2010)
The funding cuts not only affected artists but also those that enjoy. For example, a show at Vancouver’s Battery Opera used to cost patrons $26, but after the funding cuts, the price went up to $267.67 for a single ticket. (David McIntosh, Globe and Mail, October 14, 2009).
I am very happy to be a part of a government that understands the importance of art on the culture of a community, and also the impact it has on the economy, with tourism, arts, and culture being a growing sector in B.C. In Budget 2018 our new New Democrat government boosted B.C. Arts Council grants by $15 million over three years.
Our government has also granted $3 million over three years to Creative BC for the film, music, publishing, and digital media sectors, launched Amplify BC, a new, $7.5 million music fund to find emerging artists, foster up-and-coming talent and support live music events in the province.
We are also working in partnership with the B.C. Arts Council to develop a new strategy called “New Foundations.” This new strategy will strengthen opportunities for British Columbians to participate and thrive in the creative economy today and in the future, with a key focus on expanding regional and community arts, as well as enhancing engagement in Indigenous Arts and Culture.
The arts are crucial for the development of the human experience. It is a venue for people to express themselves in ways they couldn’t otherwise. It offers invaluable lessons about life that someone simply cannot obtain elsewhere. The arts are also a driving force in the cultural landscape and the diverse economy of this province.
In whatever way, we each individually connect to the arts, that connection is shared by many others. We have a government that is actively supporting arts in B.C. and is committed to supporting our province’s arts and culture so that B.C. is a better place to live, work and play.