Two arts organizations in the qathet region will benefit from provincial arts infrastructure funding, including qathet Art Council, which will be receiving $25,000 for consultation and planning and Powell River Film Society, which will receive $18,945 for specialized equipment.
When contacted by the Peak, qathet Art Council president Karen Kamon said the organization does not receive regular funding from the province but hopes to in the future. Funding from the 2021 to 2022 grant will help sustain circular economies through arts and culture in the community, according to Kamon.
“It is extremely important to us as it helps to support our activities, including a youth show, artist exhibitions, bursaries for workshops and free and accessible programming,” she added.
Kamon said there are a number of coming arts and culture opportunities for May, including registration being open for week-long summer art camps throughout July and August at qathetart.ca.
In terms of the film society, executive director Gary Shilling told the Peak the money from the province will replace the Patricia Theatre’s server and the sound processor that drives projection.
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons said more people will benefit from improved arts spaces and facilities due to continued support of artists throughout the province.
“People on the Sunshine Coast are proud of our local arts and culture scene and want to see it continue to thrive,” stated Simons in a media release. “These grants will help preserve and enhance our arts spaces, so we can enjoy them for years to come.”
The media release stated that through the arts infrastructure program, a total of 84 arts and cultural organizations will share in $4 million in grant funding. The program provides grants to arts and cultural organizations to develop and enhance spaces that support BC’s arts and cultural practitioners. Eligible activities include planning and consultation and capital improvements, such as improving safety features, increasing accessibility, or purchasing specialized equipment.
In April, BC Arts Council introduced its extending foundations: action plan 2022 to 2024, which marked a shift in focus in the way the council provides funding to respond to calls to action for reconciliation, diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, according to the release. In alignment with these commitments, 50 per cent of grants in this recent round of arts infrastructure funding was distributed to organizations from rural or remote communities, or those led by or rooted in Indigenous and equity-deserving communities.
