Latest news with #artsfunding
CBC
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Amended motion to support Vancouver's art community a 'slap in the face,' says councillor
Social Sharing Vancouver artists have expressed anger and disappointment after a recent motion crafted by the city's arts advisory committee was heavily amended and passed on Wednesday despite the opposition of the councillor who originally put it forward. Artists say the original motion, which would have asked staff to investigate ways to increase support for the arts and culture sector through new city positions and securing artist spaces with a community land trust, would have meaningfully improved their situations. The motion, put forward by Coun. Pete Fry, also asked staff to look at the feasibility of increasing cultural operating grants by 10 per cent, and turning empty spaces into cultural areas, by the start of 2026 budget deliberations. But in council on Wednesday, after hearing from around 50 artists and culture workers who overwhelmingly supported the motion, Coun. Sarah Kirby-Yung successfully amended the motion to instead propose a roundtable working group and push higher levels of government for more funding. WATCH | Arts funding motion hits snag: Push for arts funding in Vancouver hits snag at city council 14 hours ago While Kirby-Yung has defended the amendments as a way to more directly get grant money from higher levels of government to the cultural sector, artists say the new motion is watered down and does little to help them at a time when rapid redevelopment and the rising cost of living threatens their way of life. "The ethical quandary for me is that all of those beautiful people who showed up to put their reputation and voice on the line, including myself, weren't allowed to respond," said Mark Busse, a member of the city's Arts and Culture Advisory Committee and producer of CreativeMornings in Vancouver. "They pushed through a completely new policy that was not supported or considered by the creative arts and culture community." Busse said the new motion isn't bold enough to help address the situation of artists in the city. While the original motion he helped craft wasn't perfect, he said, it was a start. The original motion found that Vancouver had the highest population of artists and cultural workers among major Canadian cities, and despite generating over $6 billion in GDP in 2022, the cultural sector received only four per cent of the city's operating budget. "Who do we want to be? A decade or two from now, who are we as Vancouver?" Busse asked. "Without arts and culture, we're doomed, in my opinion." WATCH | Motion calls for empty spaces to be used by artists: Motion to use empty spaces for arts and culture in front of Vancouver City Council 4 days ago There's a motion being discussed at Vancouver City Council on Wednesday that looks at more supports for arts and culture in the city. It would come in the form of funding, but it also has to do with space. Stephen Quinn speaks with the owner of Chill Pill Comedy, Talie Perry. Concern over lack of spaces In 2019, the Eastside Arts Society produced a report that estimated 400,000 square feet of visual artist production space was lost in the city over the previous 10 years. Esther Rausenberg, art director and executive director of the Eastside Arts Society, told CBC News on Friday that an additional 80,000 square feet of artist space had been lost in the intervening six years as large-scale redevelopment proposals have been passed. "It's ... critical that we have spaces where artists can work in, where they can do their rehearsals, where they can create the art," she said. "And that's part of the equation, I think, that has been missed." In September 2019, the city set a goal to create 800,000 square feet of new or renewed cultural space by 2029. "Specific targets include 650,000 sq. [ft.] of new cultural space, 150,000 sq. [ft.] of renewed space, 400 units of artist social housing and an aspirational goal of no net loss of cultural space," a city spokesperson said in a statement. To date, the city claims it has reached 70 per cent of that goal, in part by securing 24 cultural spaces as part of redevelopment proposals throughout the city. WATCH | Time for more arts funding, artists say: Amid upsurge in Canadian patriotism, artists say time is ripe for more arts funding 5 months ago Rausenberg is skeptical of that figure, and another artist in the city said the city's math includes projects that are too far into the future to make a difference for artists now. "Let's strip out the square footage that's just been allotted from rezoning, or from developer promises ... let's talk about what is actually on the table right now," said Luke Summers, the operations director of Vancouver's Beaumont Studios. "How many spaces are there available for artists? How many spaces have we lost, and what can we do to rectify the situation as quickly as we can?" Summers said he wants to see a public report of the city's claims around new artist spaces, and that the original motion before council would have provided multi-year funding and tangible help for artists needing spaces. "Every dollar that's invested in the arts is spent many times over back in the economy," he said. "And so I think it's really important for people to understand that it's not just a nice to have — it's something that drives business." Councillors trade barbs Fry, who put forward the original motion on behalf of the arts advisory committee, said its requests were clear and would have asked staff to simply study whether they were feasible before budget discussions. In particular, he highlighted a request to create a culture navigator position at the City of Vancouver that would help artists through the permitting and regulatory process. The Green councillor called Kirby-Yung's amended motion a "slap in the face" to the city's arts community. "The overture to create yet another roundtable conversation ... really goes nowhere and kind of waters down a lot of the intention that came from the community," he said. "We already have a roundtable, and it's called the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, who actually put this motion forward." Kirby-Yung, who is part of the majority ABC party, said her amended motion recognized the need for federal and provincial governments to be part of the art funding conversation, rather than downloading responsibility to the city. She said some of the asks in the original motion were unrealistic and set up false expectations, such as one that would have added an arts tax or surcharge on private venues. "The motion that came forward included establishing, for example, several new City of Vancouver positions," she said.
Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Appleton's Hearthstone Museum searching for ways to find funding amidst federal cuts
APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – The loss of funding for the arts has affected countless public history/art museums nationwide, and one iconic spot in Appleton is working hard to locate sources so it can continue doing more than just regular operation. Executive Director George Schroeder said they found out about the cuts from news outlets, and he cited concerns especially for smaller museums, with funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and other services. Maino and the Mayor no longer on 97.9 WGBW, station announces 'It creates chaos, if not uncertainty, for all small and medium-sized institutions that deal with the arts nationwide,' Schroeder said. 'We're in pretty good shape, we're not dependent on federal money, but we felt pretty good about a grant from the IMLS this year or next, but now it has evaporated.' Schroeder cited that federal cuts are creating a massive competition among institutions to earn state and/or local funding. 'Everything has become ultra competitive, and when you've got more institutions than usual chasing a limited number of funds, somebody's not going to get funded,' Schroeder said. 'That's going to be a horror story.' Schroeder said the museum must seek new revenue and funding sources. 63% of the museum's revenue comes from tours and events, something many small museums would likely envy, he added. 'It puts us in a pretty good position, but that still leaves about a third of our budget without funding,' Schroeder said. 'Without these sources, it means we have to work just that much harder and be that much more creative, asking donors for help.' Schroeder said that any bit helps, especially as grants are critical for the museum, as it helps them teach outside of the museum, like welcoming Appleton Area School District students with on-site programming and free presentations at public libraries.' 'Operation Everybody is a program we started last year, and we want to ensure every student gets to come to this museum at least once in their elementary school careers,' Schroeder said. Waupaca's Swan Park baseball fields to receive major renovation ahead of 2026 season Operation Everybody allows students at the district to not only visit the museum for free as a field trip, but it also pays for the busing to get them to the site. Those grants also support their 'Museums 4 All' program which provides free admission for SNAP card holders, along with anybody at the Appleton, Menasha or Neenah Public Libraries to get free entry with a library card, Schroeder added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ABC News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Concerns raised over latest antisemitism plan
Some, including Jewish groups, have raised concerns about recommendations to the Prime Minister that would sanction government funded universities and arts programs charged with failing to act on antisemitism.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Region 2 Arts Council awards $5,580 in Sudden Opportunity Grants
Jun. 1—The Region 2 Arts Council recently allocated $5,580 in Sudden Opportunity Grant funding to individuals and small organizations in the Bemidji area. With up to $500 available in funding, the new grant is designed to support urgent needs. The program offers a rolling deadline to cover expenses related to essential travel, training, transportation and project-related supplies. "The goal is to provide support for creative people and projects that is available quickly to respond to dynamic circumstances," a release said. The grant is open to artists and culture bearers living in the Minnesota counties of Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen or Roseau. It is also available for small organizations located in the Minnesota counties of Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods or Mahnomen that perform or teach music, theater, and/or other arts and cultural programming. The following artists and organizations were selected for this round of funding: Charles Alberti of Bemidji was awarded $500 to create posters to market the "Windows and Books" exhibit/show at Loon Country Arts Gallery in Bemidji in March. Josiah Wood of Bemidji was awarded $280 to repair a broken film sprocket on their Canon A1 camera. Michael Bowman Sr. of Bemidji was awarded $500 to expand his woodworking skills by taking a course at the North House Folk School. David Paquette of Cass Lake was awarded $500 to purchase materials and cover transportation costs to and from his shop in Bemidji. Jesica Smith of Ogema was awarded $500 to purchase print supplies and to create new artworks in a larger format for exhibition at local galleries. Lead for Inclusion in Bemidji was awarded $500 to purchase arts supplies, including adaptive arts supplies, and pay artist instructors and co-leaders to organize inclusive arts and theater workshops as part of their Youth Summit. Lenore Siems of Bemidji was awarded $500 to cover travel expenses to attend fiddle and dance workshops at the mid-winter Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association in Plymouth, Minn. Project for Change of Bemidji was awarded $500 to host a free community paint party, to paint an affirmational image, have community conversation, discuss the community strengths and opportunities for growth and use art as healing. Tawnee Corning of Bagley was awarded $500 to register in Zoey Frank's online painting workshops, "Breaking the Surface Part 1 and Part 2: Exploring the History of Pictorial Space" and "Painting Change: Still Life in Motion" to further develop her craft. Petra Ybarra-Johnson of Redby was awarded $500 to buy beading supplies to fulfill current commissions and create work for upcoming summer vendor shows. Isabelle Harmon of Shevlin was awarded $500 to purchase an H-Frame easel to use in demonstrating painting techniques in upcoming painting classes she is teaching in Bagley and Park Rapids. Emmy May of Red Lake was awarded $500 to purchase beads and beading supplies to keep up with requests for graduations and powwow season.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Worcester arts and community projects receive a cash boost
Three projects that missed out on Levelling Up funds in Worcester are to get a financial Gardens Community Centre, the Swan Theatre and plans for a Worcester music bus will all City Council was awarded a £178,000 capital grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in December held off allocating money until the outcome of Worcester's bid for government funding was known. The city was due to get £5m but ended up with £2.3m and some projects missed out on funds. "Unfortunately we were not successful in a number of project allocations with government," managing director David Blake told the council's policy and resources committee on said the council was successful with securing funds for the Scala project - an arts and entertainment venue in the city - and plans to revamp Angel Place and the Corn Exchange. Music 'across the city' Mr Blake said £42,000 would go towards refurbishment of Comer Gardens Institute, a project to which "the council has already committed £140,000".The Swan Theatre will get £50,000 towards installation of a lift to improve accessibility, and £80,000 has been allocated to a music music bus was described as "a travelling music facility to widen participation and learning amongst young people across the city". Councillor Karen Holmes said it was "lovely" that the theatre would be accessible to all, and councillor Pat Agar said it was "excellent news" the council could return to some leader Lynn Denham said she was "particularly chuffed" about money for the mobile music hub and added that it would help increase skills in more deprived areas. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
