Province of BC hands out $16 million in pandemic-recovery boost to arts and culture groups
The lion’s share goes to a one-time supplement for organizations
Miriam Gittens, who dances in Ballet BC’s upcoming Reaching U. Photo by Michael Slobodian
Vancouver International Film Festival is one of the recipients of new infrastructure money.
THE PROVINCE has announced $16 million in new pandemic-recovery funding.
Of that, $14 million will go toward the Stronger BC Resilience Supplement— a one-time boost to 588 arts and culture organizations. They can put it toward costs associated with operating through and the pandemic, such as rent, utilities,and maintaining people's jobs.
Vancouver recipients cross all art forms, and include larger companies such as Ballet BC, Early Music Vancouver, and the Arts Club Theatre, and smaller groups such as the new A Wake of Vultures and Vancouver Independent Music Centre.
In a press statement reacting to the funding today, Ballet BC executive director John Clark welcomed the new money after a year of hardship. "This is incredible news for companies like us who haven't been able to perform to live audiences since March of 2020,” he said. “This supplement will help cover our lost revenue and help keep artists and staff members employed while we work together on a plan to reopen safely. I greatly appreciate the B.C. government for making arts and culture a priority." Ballet BC has only recently returned to performance; health officials allowed it to return to training in late fall, and it’s now preparing the upcoming online production Reaching U program scheduled for April 15.
All live performance has been shuttered since November, when the provincial health office closed down all live-arts venues and then later extended that closure indefinitely. Some arts groups have voiced concern that no mention of reopening has yet been made.
Another $2 million is earmarked to help 47 organizations improve their existing spaces. Among the local groups upgrading facilities are Centre A and 221A, the Vancouver International Film Festival, and the Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret, all at $75,000; and Bard on the Beach, the Blueridge Chamber Music Festival, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and Vancouver Opera, all at $40,000 each.
The BC Arts Council is administering both the supplement and the arts infrastructure grants, with groups expected to receive their supplements in the coming weeks. This announcement is part of BC’s $10-billion COVID-19 response. Combined with $21 million already announced in September 2020, the total amount of targeted recovery funding for the arts sector has now reached $35 million.
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