Local creatives say a motion to the City Council to improve funding for Vancouver’s arts and culture scene was amended beyond recognition.
Councillor Pete Fry, on behalf of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee, brought a motion to City Council on Thursday that would have boosted funding and streamlined the permitting process.
Additionally, the motion would have reduced the costs that artistic spaces have to pay, including property taxes and building insurance.
Nearly 50 arts and culture organizations advocated for the initial motion.
Artists say they desperately need more help to survive in this economic landscape.
“We have artists who have had to move out of the city because it’s, on top of the cost of living, the cost of renting a space in the city is also incredibly hard,” said Steffanie Love, co-owner of the creative shared workspace facility Astro Club.
However, much of the motion was dropped and replaced with amendments by the ABC members of the City Council, among others, by Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung.
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She says the original motion was focused too narrowly on what Vancouver could do. She suggests the motion needs to take into consideration other levels of government.
“I think we want to get away from this situation where we have our festivals and events, arts community, that are in dire need of funding, and we’re kind of doing these emergency measures, to try to get towards a sustainable long-term option that brings all the partners to the table,” she told CityNews.
The Astro Club, located in Mount Pleasant, pays what is known as a Triple Net lease – a standard in Vancouver.
This means the space is responsible for paying property taxes, building insurance, and operating costs, on top of any rents, which the original motion aimed to reduce.
“We don’t have deep pockets… we do it because we believe in it, and we do it because Vancouver needs it,” said Love.
The amended motion plans to direct staff to establish a working group that will engage with partners in the provincial and federal government to find a new funding strategy.
Vancouver has the highest concentration of artists and cultural workers in Canada, and with the FIFA World Cup next year providing a good opportunity for local artists, the community emphasizes how critical it is to address gaps in funding before it’s too late.
The final amended motion was approved by the ABC-majority Council on July 24.
