More than $200,000 has been earmarked for the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council thanks to funding from the province.
The one-time resilience funding through the BC Arts Council will be put towards supporting the local arts organization’s next strategic plan, explained Curtis Pendleton, executive director of the arts centre.
In total, the council will be receiving $215,080, an amount that was calculated on a percentage of the arts council’s annual operating budget.
The current operating budget is around $2.2 million, and so the award is a little less than 10 per cent of it.
Generally, said Pendleton, the arts council receives annual funding from the BC Arts Council of about one per cent or less of their annual budget.
“We would definitely like to see that increase in future years, especially as our community continues to grow,” she remarked.
The council is currently developing the next strategic plan, so Pendleton, along with the board of directors will be looking at ways this funding can help.
Provincial funding for arts organizations and people working in the arts will help the local sector continue to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, said New Democrat MLAs Bob D’Eith and Lisa Beare.
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“As Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film, I’m thrilled to see more support going to our amazing arts community in B.C. Arts councils and non-profits produce many of our favourite local events, nurturing local artists and feeding our creative souls,” said D’Eith, MLA for Maple Ridge-Mission.
Lisa Beare, MLA for Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows, noted just how important the ACT Arts Centre is in Maple Ridge. This funding will be a huge help in making sure that the community can continue to benefit from the amazing work the arts council does, she said.
Pendleton said the funding is, indeed, welcome.
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“Like everyone else, we are affected by significantly higher expenses,” noted Pendleton.
She said audience participation has recovered in some areas but is recovering slowly in other areas. Pendleton won’t be able to make a full comparison until after next season when The Arts Club touring theatre productions will resume again for the first time in three years.
The funding is part of a total of $34.5 million to arts and culture organizations throughout B.C..
Grants are to help support infrastructure projects and address rising costs for organizations who have been impacted by a loss of audiences, reduced profits, and increased expenses since the pandemic.
Pendleton expects to announce the upcoming live performing arts season in June.
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