City to Reinstate Arts Grants to Previous Levels
On January 4, Councillor Jonathan Galgay, Chair of the Standing Committee on Finance and Administration, will table a motion in Council to reinstate the arts grants to previous budget levels, from an allocated $100,000 for 2016 to the previous $200,000.
“I have asked staff to identify ways that we can fund this grant program without increasing the total funding allocation approved by Council in the 2016-18 Three Year Operating Budget or detrimentally affecting community groups who normally receive such funding,” explained Councillor Galgay.
“Staff have identified a funding source from within the existing Community Grants Funding Program, normally held in reserve for opportunities that present themselves outside of the annual application process, that I will recommend be used to return the arts funding to previous levels.”
Funding for community groups is provided from within the Community Grants Funding Program. The average annual budget amount is $1.1 million of which $740,000 is specifically allocated for the funding requests received from community groups. For the last three years, approximately $200,000 of this fund was allocated for grants to artists and artistic groups. Budget 2016-18 called for a 50 per cent reduction in grants to artists.
Councillor Galgay also indicated that staff and Council will take this opportunity to talk with the local arts community about ways to work collaboratively and utilize limited public funds to the best effect for both the artistic community as well as the municipality, its residents and visitors: “We will look to our new Arts and Culture Advisory Committee to play a key role in these efforts.”
“There has been concern expressed by both the artistic and business communities, as well as by residents in general, that this reduction in some way represents a devaluing of arts and culture by this Council, which could not be further from the truth,” said Mayor Dennis O’Keefe. “In fact, arts grants are only one way in which we support and encourage the arts community, from operating the Quidi Vidi Village Plantation as a crafts incubator to hosting art exhibitions showcasing our extensive civic collection, to hiring local singers and bands to perform at our annual concert series in our parks.
“We believe that the arts contribute to a vibrant city where people want to work and live, and we regret that this particular cost-savings measure has caused distress in the community.”
Media Contact:
Kelly Maguire
Media Relations
City of St. John's
709-576-8491
kmaguire@stjohns.ca