How do the BC arts cuts look from up in the Yukon?

Duncan Sinclair, Chair of the Yukon Arts Centre, writes to BC’s
Premier Campbell about the BC arts cuts:

Dear Premier Campbell,

I am a neighbor living in Whitehorse, Yukon and have family in
British Columbia. Two of my children completed high school in your
province. My undergraduate degree is in music from the University of
British Columbia. I have served as Chair at the Yukon Arts Centre
Corporation for six years. As a visitor of B.C. my family has
enjoyed the thriving arts and cultural scene in your province. As
part of arts organizations presenting music, theatre, dance, visual
arts, etc., I have been honoured to support B.C. artists (and the
B.C. economy indirectly) and enjoy their work, as have many Yukoners.

I am writing to advocate for increases to public investment by the
Government of B.C. in the arts in British Columbia, rather than the
current and proposed cuts to the BC Arts Council. These cuts are not
only damaging to B.C. residents and its economic and social future,
but to western and northern Canada. Such cuts will spill over to the
Yukon and Alberta as B.C. musicians, artists, dancers, theatre
practitioners are less able to support themselves by sharing their
work in neighboring markets. And the Yukon in particular will be
less able to present art work of all forms from elsewhere in Canada,
as this often depends on organizing regional tours and shared
investments with B.C. presenters that lowers costs and increases
access for us both. The proposed cuts will drag Canada down. Surely,
British Columbia needs to sustain a leadership position in
supporting arts and culture, not dredge the bottom. This is so
contrary to the leadership shown on tough issues like energy and
climate change/ghg emissions.

There is a lot of substantive, credible research demonstrating that
investments in the arts create jobs, have significant multiplier
effects (local spending on goods and services, volunteer engagement,
ability to attract other national/regional investments in the arts
and culture), benefit communities small and large – economically and
socially, contribute to regional economies through tourism (a major
industry in B.C.), facilitate improved educational outcomes for
students, help to solve social problems, and contribute to a healthy
democracy and social cohesion in a multi-cultural province like B.C.
The stable jobs and economic stimulus (not dependent on resource
cycles, stock markets, or unpredictable international factors)
created by the arts and cultural sector are a key part of the
economy now and will be even more important the future. Such cuts
are regressive policy that will guarantee dimmer prospects for B.C.
going forward.
In the Yukon, the territorial government has SUBSTANTIALLY, AND
SYSTEMATICALLY INCREASED funding for arts and culture over a period
of many years. This investment is paying off in social and cultural
terms, AND with an economic value in communities throughout the
Yukon far beyond the nominal sums involved. Even a small
jurisdiction like the Yukon is now EXPORTING home-grown arts and
cultural product nationally and internationally. The Yukon
government is making this investment based on hard-nosed economic
and social policy objectives and quantitative research and analysis.

British Columbia has such a plethora of (human resource) talent. And
the arts and cultural sector are among the entrepreneurial and
community leadership so central to building and sustaining a vibrant
economy throughout the province for decades to come. Why would a
government want to throw this away? There is a huge opportunity
cost. I respectfully suggest there are better choices.

Sincerely,

Duncan Sinclair
Chair of the Yukon Arts Centre.