Support arts and culture in the 2020 provincial election!

Arts and culture have great potential in paving a brighter, more equitable future for BC — but only if they have the support they need.

Lend your voice and reach out to candidates from the major provincial parties expressing your support for arts and culture. We've provided a letter detailing the requests the BC Alliance has made on behalf of BC's arts service organizations.

Your email will automatically be addressed to your local MLA candidates according to your riding. You can mark which candidates to include or exclude if you'd like. If you don't know which riding ...

Arts and culture have great potential in paving a brighter, more equitable future for BC — but only if they have the support they need.

Lend your voice and reach out to candidates from the major provincial parties expressing your support for arts and culture. We've provided a letter detailing the requests the BC Alliance has made on behalf of BC's arts service organizations.

Your email will automatically be addressed to your local MLA candidates according to your riding. You can mark which candidates to include or exclude if you'd like. If you don't know which riding you vote in, click here.

We have provided a sample here, but we strongly encourage you to customize your message. Personal stories about the value of arts and culture can be highly impactful in advocating for the arts.

For help making the case, visit artsvotebc.ca.

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Email your candidates!

46 emails sent

Email your local MLA candidates and let them know that arts and culture are a priority as we look forward to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Find your candidate

2. Enter your details

Name

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3. Make your email count

Subject:

I am writing to you as a voter in your riding to ask that your party pledge its support to the arts and culture sector in BC, a key contributor to the province’s economy and well-being, which has been severely impacted by COVID-19.

The top priority for BC’s Arts Service Organizations remains the doubling of the BC Arts Council budget from 2017 levels (from $24M to $48M) to achieve sector equity and ensure sustainability. During the last provincial election, all parties made a commitment to fulfil this request. Over the past three years, only $10M has been invested.

For the 2020 election, I am asking that, if you are elected, your government commit an additional $14M for the BC Arts Council. These funds are critical to ensure increased access to grants for Indigenous, racialized and marginalized artists and the preservation and resilience of the art, culture and heritage sector acround the province, a significant element of the tourism industry.

As you’re likely aware, the COVID-19 crisis poses an existential threat to the arts and culture sector. One in three BC galleries, museums and heritage sites may be forced to close permanently; theatres have lost up to 45% of ticket revenues; and individual artists have lost up to 69% of their annual income.

Investing in arts and culture will re-energize BC’s economy and contribute to the well-being of all British Columbians. Art improves health, teaches creativity, which is increasingly important to our economic future, and promotes empathy and understanding – important resources as society grapples with the isolation of COVID-19 and the issues of inequality, racism and prejudice. An investment in the arts acknowledges that the value of the creative sector to our economic recovery, health and well-being and demonstrates a commitment to a sustainable future.

There will be no meaningful economic recovery for BC citizens without ensuring that the needs of equity-seeking communities are met. We need to hear the stories of all citizens and acknowledge that all voices are necessary for a sustainable, creative economy and an equitable future. Arts and culture bring these stories to life.

Supporting community resilience through human-centred economic recovery while embracing systemic change is a priority for the arts and culture sector. Investing in the arts will build a reciprocal economy that takes care of every citizen of BC.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.

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