Arts community hobbled by $20-million cut in funding

VANCOUVER — Dozens of arts organizations received word late Friday that the provincial government is slashing their gaming grants, including groups that had been guaranteed three-year funding.

“It’s a disaster,” said Bryan Pike, executive director of Word on the Street, which may have to cut literacy programs.

The $20-million in cuts will hobble the arts community, said Spencer Herbert, NDP critic for tourism, arts and culture.

Arts community members were in shock and tears at Herbert’s Denman street constituency office yesterday as they scrambled to come up with a plan.

Some even suggested a class-action lawsuit against the B.C. Liberal government, said Herbert.

The Vancouver Chamber Choir, one of the organizations that had its three-year “guarantee” pulled, will suffer a $60,000 shortfall this year.

“Based on our letter from them last year, we planned our season and our program,” said choir general manager Violet Goosen.

Goosen said she started to shake when she heard.

“This came out of nowhere.” she said. “We we will have to cut outreach programs that bring music to schools and low-income families.”

Many arts organizations, like the Vancouver Children’s Festival, which is losing a grant of approximately $90,000, had already completed their seasons, and are now facing massive deficits.

“It’s like the government is just passing their deficits on to our non-profit organizations,” said Pike.

Goosen called the cuts, which come on top of a 40-per-cent cut to the B.C. Arts Council, “a perfect storm” for arts in B.C.

“We could have managed if we had a timely warning,” said Goosen. “I’ve worked with many governments over 30 years and none has treated the arts as poorly as this one.”

Last week, The Sun reported that the province’s lottery grants program would focus on social organizations and reduce or eliminate grants in several other categories this year.

No one from the ministry would comment on the changes announced in a news release.

dryan@vancouversun.com with Vancouver Sun files