Deep Cuts to Culture Funding Continue in Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper
This isn’t the most New York centric news I’ve featured recently — particularly for a blog that claims such a focus — but as a Canadian citizen this deeply concerns me. Via the CBC:
“We have asked to meet with the Heritage Ministry and Department of Foreign Affairs and asked for a meeting and received no reply.” [said, Sandra Cunningham, chair of the Canadian Film and Television Production Association]
Among the program cuts over the past two weeks, without industry consultation, are:
- The $4.7 million PromArt program, which subsidizes the promotion of Canadian artists touring abroad.
- The $9 million Trade Routes program, which promotes the export of Canadian arts and culture products abroad.
- $300,000 from the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada, for programs archiving important film, television and musical recordings.
- $1.5 million from the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund.
- $2.5 million from the National Training Program in the Film and Video Sector.
Cuts such as the Trade Routes program hurt the ability of the Canadian film industry to do deals with international investors, Cunningham said.
The government seems to be cutting programs that are effective in building the industry, she said.
“It’s not just individuals. This is small- and medium-sized businesses that will be hurt,” she said.
Cunningham fears this is just the start of cuts to the cultural sector.
“The $4.7 million PromArt program, which subsidizes the promotion of Canadian artists touring abroad.”
LOL! At first I thought it said “PornArt”
[...] Adding salt to the wound, this story is receiving coverage outside of Canada (here and here). As I said in a previous post, the message of cut funding is far more damaging to Canada’s [...]