Received from Headlines Theatre
An open letter to Kevin Krueger,
BC Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts
August 19, 2010
Art is the psyche of a society
Dear Minister Krueger:
I am a co-founder of Headlines Theatre (1981) and have been the Artistic Director since 1984, having worked in the professional theatre since 1975.
As I know you are aware, it has been a very difficult year: specifically for arts and culture in British Columbia, and for all social services. The devastation of current funding cuts is creating permanent damage in what used to be a healthy community. Very recently, however, the difficulty over funding cuts has escalated into a deep concern for our eroding democracy.
I am grateful to Jane Danzo, past Chair of the BC Arts Council for the courage, commitment, and integrity it took for her to resign, in order to be able to speak openly about the relationship between government and arts funding. The alarm bell she is ringing about lack of consultation, erosion of a sacred arms-length policy, and the inexplicable history of the government ignoring the advice of its own bipartisan Standing Committee on Finance to restore arts funding is essential. Her letter is available here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/36032945/Jane-Danzo-s-Letter-of-Resignation
There are, however, other things that need to be said:
Somehow, in the midst of deep cutting, you have found "new money" that equals $30 million dollars in Legacy Funding (over three years) to alleviate the effects of cuts to the arts. These funds must be given to the BC Arts Council with no strings attached so the Council can do its job: nurturing arts and culture in BC.
I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt, Minister Krueger. I hope that when you announced the "Arts Legacy" program "to celebrate and renew the pride and excitement British Columbians experienced during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games", with a timetable in which the programming must happen during the month of February 2011, the anniversary of the Olympics, that you somehow meant well. I am trusting that you do not fully understand the ramifications of these actions.
Government exists at arms length of the content of cultural expression across Canada for very important reasons. Cultural expression is the psyche of a society. When governments in other countries use culture for their own ideological agendas, people around the world have legitimate reasons for concern.
Freedom of thought and expression is crucial to a healthy individual and to a healthy society. Do we condone any level of government telling citizens what they can or should think in BC? I hope the answer to that question is an emphatic "no".
Humans think in metaphor. Art is a metaphoric language. Diversity of artistic expression is the manifestation of a society's psyche. When funding is available to arts and cultural groups with the caveat that the work must focus into a certain arena, as is the case with the Legacy funding, this is an attempt to control the content of artistic expression.
Throughout history, when governments have tried to control the content of cultural expression, whether from a left or a right ideology, societies have suffered terribly. All of us must be vigilant. It does not go unnoticed, for instance, that the logo of the BC Arts Council used to read "supported by the Province of British Columbia" and now reads, "an agency of the Province of British Columbia". Someone decided to change the letterhead and it must have happened as part of an ideological shift regarding the purpose of the BC Arts Council and the artistic expression it has facilitated.
We appear to have entered a frightening time in BC and all of us need to pay attention. This IS how the fragility of democracy erodes. It is a very slippery slope.
Minister Krueger, I urge you, having found $30 Million in the midst of deep and devastating cutting, to give the funds to the BC Arts Council, no strings attached, and let them do their job.
Sincerely,
David Diamond, Artistic and Managing Director
Headlines Theatre
Headlines Theatre
323 - 350 East 2nd Ave
Vancouver British Columbia V5T 4R8
Canada
Thursday, August 19, 2010
ONN Releases Brief on Bill 65: Read & Submit your comments to the Government | Ontario Nonprofit Network
ONN Releases Brief on Bill 65: Read & Submit your comments to the Government
Bill 65, An Act to revise the law in respect of Not-for-Profit Corporations, will apply to all charities and nonprofits that are incorporated under the Province of Ontario and most Ontario organizations are provincially incorporated. This is important legislation that impacts you!
Does your nonprofit organization care about:
• Calling your organization a public benefit corporation so the public can easily know your intent is to provide for the public good?
• Limiting the liability of your volunteer Directors?
• Accessing Community Bonds with credible oversight to raise funds?
• Ensuring that the threshold for annual audits is not reduced to $100,000?
• Maintaining your organization’s choice on the use of proxies?
These issues are all important amendments to Bill 65, Ontario’s proposed Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. This Act has the potential to be precedent-setting legislation that will serve the sector’s future, but this is a critical point in time as the draft Act moves into a legislative Committee for review.
The sector knows what it needs in a new legislative framework – but we must ensure the Standing Committee on Social Policy, who is reviewing the Act, hears us loud and clear.
The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) has had our Expert Committee hard at work. Attached is the brief they have prepared which ONN has submitted to the Clerk of the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Please read it over and consider how Bill 65 will impact your organization.
PLEASE consider writing a letter identifying the issues you are concerned about or even to just say you support the work of ONN and agree with the contents of our brief. It is very important they know the sector cares.
Deadline: The Standing Committee is accepting written submissions regarding Bill 65 until Thursday, August 26th at 5pm. (see contact information below)
Questions? ONN and the Canadian Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) will co-sponsor a teleconference session on Wednesday, August 18th at 10am to address your questions and concerns on Bill 65 and the written submission process.
Please register for this event (http://bill65.eventbrite.com).
How to Submit a Written Submission:
1. E-mail your submission to:
Katch Koch, Committee Clerk (katch_koch@ontla.ola.org)
*The Clerk advises that while an e-copy is generally acceptable, they have in the past run into computer/network glitches where an e-mail does not reach the Committee by the deadline. Unfortunately this is the sender’s responsibility to ensure. If you send an e-copy, follow-up to ensure it was received.
2. Mail your submission to:
Katch Koch, Committee Clerk
Room 1405, Whitney Block
Queen’s Park, Toronto ON
M7A 1A2
Telephone: (416) 325-3526 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (416) 325-3526 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Facsimile: (416) 325-3505
TTY: (416) 325-3538
Upcoming Public Hearing: The Standing Committee on Social Policy will hold one public hearing for input on the current draft Act on Monday, August 23rd at 10am in Toronto. ONN recruited a number of organizations before the August 9th deadline from around the province to give 10 minute oral presentations (in person or by video conference).
Thank you for your support,
Ontario Nonprofit Network
ONN Releases Brief on Bill 65: Read & Submit your comments to the Government Ontario Nonprofit Network
Bill 65, An Act to revise the law in respect of Not-for-Profit Corporations, will apply to all charities and nonprofits that are incorporated under the Province of Ontario and most Ontario organizations are provincially incorporated. This is important legislation that impacts you!
Does your nonprofit organization care about:
• Calling your organization a public benefit corporation so the public can easily know your intent is to provide for the public good?
• Limiting the liability of your volunteer Directors?
• Accessing Community Bonds with credible oversight to raise funds?
• Ensuring that the threshold for annual audits is not reduced to $100,000?
• Maintaining your organization’s choice on the use of proxies?
These issues are all important amendments to Bill 65, Ontario’s proposed Not-for-Profit Corporations Act. This Act has the potential to be precedent-setting legislation that will serve the sector’s future, but this is a critical point in time as the draft Act moves into a legislative Committee for review.
The sector knows what it needs in a new legislative framework – but we must ensure the Standing Committee on Social Policy, who is reviewing the Act, hears us loud and clear.
The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) has had our Expert Committee hard at work. Attached is the brief they have prepared which ONN has submitted to the Clerk of the Standing Committee on Social Policy. Please read it over and consider how Bill 65 will impact your organization.
PLEASE consider writing a letter identifying the issues you are concerned about or even to just say you support the work of ONN and agree with the contents of our brief. It is very important they know the sector cares.
Deadline: The Standing Committee is accepting written submissions regarding Bill 65 until Thursday, August 26th at 5pm. (see contact information below)
Questions? ONN and the Canadian Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) will co-sponsor a teleconference session on Wednesday, August 18th at 10am to address your questions and concerns on Bill 65 and the written submission process.
Please register for this event (http://bill65.eventbrite.com).
How to Submit a Written Submission:
1. E-mail your submission to:
Katch Koch, Committee Clerk (katch_koch@ontla.ola.org)
*The Clerk advises that while an e-copy is generally acceptable, they have in the past run into computer/network glitches where an e-mail does not reach the Committee by the deadline. Unfortunately this is the sender’s responsibility to ensure. If you send an e-copy, follow-up to ensure it was received.
2. Mail your submission to:
Katch Koch, Committee Clerk
Room 1405, Whitney Block
Queen’s Park, Toronto ON
M7A 1A2
Telephone: (416) 325-3526 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (416) 325-3526 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
Facsimile: (416) 325-3505
TTY: (416) 325-3538
Upcoming Public Hearing: The Standing Committee on Social Policy will hold one public hearing for input on the current draft Act on Monday, August 23rd at 10am in Toronto. ONN recruited a number of organizations before the August 9th deadline from around the province to give 10 minute oral presentations (in person or by video conference).
Thank you for your support,
Ontario Nonprofit Network
ONN Releases Brief on Bill 65: Read & Submit your comments to the Government Ontario Nonprofit Network
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)