Town hall meetings in Toronto & London re: arts budget cuts
Town Hall Regarding Cuts To Cultural And Heritage Granting Programs Organized
London, ON
Event Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008
August 20, 2008 London ON: In response to the recent significant number of cuts made to arts and cultural funding by the Federal Government, artists and arts workers in London and area are organizing a Town Hall to address the cuts, the comments made by the Government about current and past recipients of arts grants programs and to brainstorm how the arts community can impact positive change at the federal level in the next election.
Since taking power in 2006, the Conservative government has eliminated over $44 million from Cultural and Heritage granting programs. The programs affected were designed to assist artists, arts institutions and not for profit charitable organizations in the creation, development, promotion and dissemination of Canadian art both nationally and internationally.
The most recent cuts:
-The PromArt Program, 4.7 million (administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs)
-Trade Routes, 9 million, Department of Canadian Heritage
-Stabilization Projects and Capacity Building, of the Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program
-Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund, 1.5 million
-National Training Program in the Film and Video Sector, 2.5 million
-$300,000 to the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada, for programs archiving important film, television and musical recordings.
Because the wave of cuts and policy changes are radically changing Canadian society, the Town Hall will host members of the arts and the broader community, MPs and the media. Anyone concerned by the Federal GovernmentÆs actions toward Canadian arts and culture should attend.
Such sessions will be occurring across the country, including Toronto on September 3.
When: Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 7:00 pm
Where: Board Room, Museum London, 421 Ridout St. North, London, Ontario
For more information or media inquiries contact :
Carol Kehoe
Museum London
421 Ridout St. North, London ON
Phone: 519-661-2500
ckehoe@museumlondon.ca
Valuing Culture: Town Hall Regarding Cuts To Cultural And Heritage Granting Programs
Toronto, ON
Event Date: Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Who should come? Everyone concerned about the Federal Government’s blatant contempt for arts and culture.
Who will be speaking? Representatives from Government, visual arts, film, video, performing arts
What will we be doing? Strategizing on how to get our voices heard in the next election
Why is this important? Because the wave of cuts and policy changes are radically changing Canadian society.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 7pm.
The Theatre Centre
Wednesday, September 3 2008
1087 Queen Street West, (South East Corner of Queen and Dovercourt)
Since taking power in 2006, the Conservative Government has eliminated over $34 Million from Cultural and Heritage Granting Programs. The programs affected were designed to assist artists, arts institutions and not for profit charitable organizations in the creation, development, promotion and dissemination of Canadian art both nationally and internationally.
The most recent cuts:
-The PromArt Program, 4.7 million (administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs)
-Trade Routes, 9 million, Department of Canadian Heritage
-Stabilization Projects and Capacity Building, of the Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program
-Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund, 1.5 million
-National Training Program in the Film and Video Sector, 2.5 million
-$300,000 to the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada, for programs archiving important film, television and musical recordings.
With the anticipation of more cuts to be announced next week, we are inviting members of the arts and the broader community, MPs and the media to attend a town hall meeting. This meeting is intended to discuss the funding cuts, the ideological and inappropriate comments made by government about recipients and to brainstorm a plan of action.
For more information or media inquiries contact: info@fusemagazine.org, info@thetheatrecentre.org or heather@torontofreegallery.org
Tags: art, Canada, culture, meetings, moneyRelated posts
By Julianna Yau
On August 30, 2008
At 8:13 pm
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Hello Julianna,
I would like to update you about the Town Hall in Toronto.
We have confirmed our speaker list and we now have an action plan.
Valuing Culture: TOWN HALL REGARDING CUTS TO CULTURAL AND HERITAGE GRANTING PROGRAMS
Who should come?
Everyone concerned about ensuring the social and cultural health and prosperity of our nation in the face of a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada.
Who will be speaking?
Claire Hopkinson, Toronto Arts Council
Susan Swan, Former President, The Writers Union
Lisa Fitzgibbons, Executive Director, Documentary Organization of Canada
Naomi Klein, Writer and Political Analyst
What will we be doing?
Talking about the issues and proposing a comprehensive strategy for unseating key Conservatives in the imminent election, both in the GTA and across the country. If an election is called, we will establish swing teams to unseat Conservatives in every city across the country. If there is no election, the same teams will be organized to criticize, challenge and creatively pressure the government to change their policies
Why is this important?
Because cuts and policy changes are radically changing Canadian society.
Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008 at 7pm.
The Theatre Centre
1087 Queen Street West, (South East Corner of Queen and Dovercourt)
This event is as much about funding cuts to women’s groups, youth training programs, harm reduction programs, food inspection, environmental organizations and health policy, as it is about cuts to arts funding. It should not be too much to expect a decent society to live in, one that prioritizes the welfare of it citizens before the wealth of a few. We are placing the issue of defunding arts and culture in relation to vast cuts to Canada’s social safety net made by a socially irresponsible Conservative government. We are bringing artists together to:
* lend our creative and organizational skills to the goal of unseating Conservatives MPs from government,
* ensure that the electorate is intelligently informed about the policies and
issues
* hold other parties and candidates to task for their social and cultural
agendas
* make alliances with other like-minded communities and organizations.
For more information or media inquiries contact:
media@departmentofculture.ca
THIS EVENT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE:
Franco Boni, Izida Zorde, Heather Haynes, Darren O’Donnell, Gregory Elgstrand, Sara Graham, Graham F Scott, Roy Mitchell, Naomi Campbell, Anthea Foyer, Michael Wheeler
The DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE wants you as a member. Anyone interested in organizing, doing research, writing, making graphics, videos, blitzing ridings, attending all-candidates meetings, marching in the streets or contributing funds should get in touch with: membership@departmentofculture.ca
Thanks for the update, Sara! Please let me know how it goes.