Facebook opposition to BC arts cuts is building - activities October 20th, 23rd, 28th

Opposition to BC arts cuts is building, not going away. Here are a few things you can do:

• Participate in the rally at the legislature in Victoria, on Tuesday October 20th. Details are at this link:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=192260202288

• Make a submission to the formal consultation process for next year's provincial budget, by e-mail, in writing, or by video or audio. Submissions close at the end of the day on Friday, October 23rd. Details are here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=139579508565

• Participate in the Grey Relay in Vancouver on Wednesday October 28th. This is a day-long awareness and advocacy event, taking place all over downtown. To sign up for one or more hours as a participant, please send an e-mail to movingjac@gmail.com . More details about the event are here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=182941868355

More to come. Watch your event invitations, and watch the Organizing against cuts group page for more information:http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129278437702

Rally to Save BC Arts Funding - Victoria October 20

Rally for the Arts
Save BC Arts Funding

Date: Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Time: 11AM - noon
Location: BC Legislative Buildings
Street: 501 Belleville Street
City/Town: Victoria, BC

MAP

The BC Liberal government has proposed cuts to funding for the arts, in the order of 50% this coming year, 90% in 2011, and 91%-94% the following year.

We believe that arts and culture are an essential part of our society and are therefore rallying to show our opposition to these cuts.

So... artists of all shapes and sizes, please join us on the steps of the BC legislature! Bring an instrument, a work of art, or a sign!

Let your voice be heard. It's only an hour out of your day to show your concern for the rest of your (or your friends) careers.

And invite everybody you know!!! We need at least 200 people for this to be noticeable.

A good website? Check out http://www.stopbcartscuts.ca/

Petition to restore funding for Specialized Music

Le français suit

I urge everyone to sign this petition to the Government of Canada to restore funding to the Specialized Music sound recordings program. The original is in French, and is reprinted below the English. Here is my rough translation.

Whereas last July 31, the Department of Canadian Heritage announced the withdrawal of two programs from the Canadian Music Fund that were dedicated to support the diversity of Canadian music: Grants for Specialized Sound Recording and specialty Distribution Assistance specialized music.

Whereas the Canada Council for the Arts managed successfully these programs which supported hundreds of artists, groups, labels and distributors in numerous recordings of import to the artistic and cultural sphere.

Whereas, for the time being, no other Canadian institution can accommodate the clients hit hard by these program cuts according to their own eligibility criteria.

We urge our Canadian government to recognize the importance of music created, performed and broadcast by our musicians and the essential role these artists play in Canadian culture. Accordingly, we ask them to provide support for artists and record companies with programs tailored to the specific environment of creative music and properly funded to meet the needs of this sector.

October 2009

When you arrive at the end, you will see two lines about how to download the text and add your name to the petition. Here is the translation. I have included the links to that you can sign the petition from here.

You can download our declaration (pdf) and read it to your audiences at your events!

You can also add your name to the list below by clicking HERE and sending your name and your professional title.

Here is the original French text.


[If you feel more comfortable signing an English petition, there is another petition available here.]

Attendu que le 31 juillet dernier, le ministère du Patrimoine canadien annonçait le retrait de deux volets du Fonds de la musique du Canada dont le volet de la diversité de la musique canadienne: Subventions à l'enregistrement sonore de musique spécialisée et Aide à la distribution de la musique spécialisée.

Attendu que le Conseil des Arts du Canada gérait avec succès ces programmes qui ont servi à soutenir des centaines d'artistes, ensembles, étiquettes et distributeurs de nombreux enregistrements d'importance sur le plan artistique et cuturel.

Attendu que pour l'instant aucune autre instance canadienne peut accueillir la clientèle durement touchée par ces coupures de programmes dans le cadre de leurs propres critères d'admissibilité.

Nous appelons notre gouvernement canadien à reconnaître l'importance de la musique créée, interprétée et diffusée par nos musiciens et du rôle essentiel de ces créateurs dans le paysage culturel canadien. En conséquence, nous lui demandons d'assurer le soutien aux créateurs et aux maisons d'enregistrement sonores par des programmes adaptés aux réalités spécifiques du milieu des musiques de création et financés à la hauteur des besoins de ce secteur.

October 2009

Signez ICI
To sign, click HERE

Fight the Cuts to arts and culture in BC