Briefing Document Prepared for Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage Canada Council for the Arts
Prepared by Theatre Calgary
Who We Are: It started as a 1960s grassroots movement for local professional theatre. In 1966, a company formed from, at the time, Calgary’s two most prominent amateur theatre groups: Workshop 14 and the Musicians’ and Actors’ Club, to become MAC 14. Then on July 1st, 1968, MAC 14 became Theatre Calgary, the city’s first fully professional theatre company with Christopher Newton appointed the first artistic director. 50 years, hundreds of productions, and 12 artistic directors later, Theatre Calgary celebrated its Golden Anniversary in 2017-2018.
Over the past 12 years, Theatre Calgary has engaged in national and international collaborations with companies such as Soulpepper, the Shaw Festival, the National Arts Centre, and American Conservatory Theater, under the artistic leadership of former Artistic Director Dennis Garnhum (2005-2016). At the same time, Theatre Calgary’s FUSE Enbridge New Play Development Program has led directly to the world premieres of several new Canadian works on the Max Bell stage. The company also deepened its commitment to Calgary’s theatre community, presenting an annual co-production in One Yellow Rabbit’s High Performance Rodeo and producing Shakespeare by the Bow, Calgary’s outdoor summer theatre festival starring emerging artists. Under the stewardship of Tom McCabe from 1997 to 2014, Theatre Calgary became a model of strong fiscal management in the Canadian arts sector, which continues to this day.
Now led artistically by Stafford Arima, Canada’s first Asian Artistic Director of a Category A Theatre, we are on a mission to stimulate, provoke and delight through ambitious programming created to ignite local, national and international engagement. We strive to present diverse and inclusive programing to our patrons. In the fall of 2018 we presented Honour Beat, a contemporary look at the significance of faith and family. This play which was written by Indigenous playwright, Tara Beagan, directed by Indigenous artist Michelle Thrush and was comprised of an entirely indigenous cast and crew. We are also proud to provide ASL interpreted performances and relaxed performances providing more people the opportunity to experience professional theatre.
Canada Council for the Arts: In the Canada Council for the Arts strategic plan, they state that “Artists and arts organizations will have more resources to experiment and take artistic risks to create excellent work that is shared across the county and around the world.”
They go on to say, “Canada’s major arts organizations will be models of diversity and innovation. They will contribute to the quest for excellence and renewal in their artistic practices, and to the vitality of their cities and communities.”
Theatre Calgary has spent the last 50 years working to be this model of diversity and innovation. With our new artistic director, an Asian Canadian, we are taking it to an entirely new level. In the past year we have staged three world premieres, a production comprised of an entirely diverse cast and crew, and are expanding our accessible options to the theatre with a new pricing structure to make the theatre accessible to more people than ever before. We are doing all of this, helping drive their vision, without equitable support from the Canada Council and we are not the only Alberta Arts Organization doing it.
With the doubling of the Canada Council’s budget over five years, the Council is working to adapt and transform to enable them to achieve their vision. Artists and Arts Organizations across Canada embrace this vision. Where we are challenged is these efforts are not being provided equitably across our country, particularly in Alberta.
In 2017-2018, the Canada Council for the Arts provided $202.7M in grants. While these grants supported 1,890 arts organizations, 346 group and 2,280 artists, there is a definite disparity across the country on where they were providing grants. Here is what the Canada Council invested on a per artist basis in each province.
Grant Per Artist $3,000.00
$2,500.00 $2,414.89
$1,928.57 $2,000.00 $1,746.03
$1,464.29 $1,500.00 $1,282.26 $1,135.97 $973.45 $1,000.00
$500.00
$-
BC AB SK MB ON QC Atlantic
As you can see from the above chart, the range in granting by province swings from $973.45 per artist working in the province to $2,414.89 per artist. This reflects an inequitable distribution of grant dollars and putting artists and arts organizations in certain provinces, including Alberta at a distinct disadvantage. If this is not rectified, Artists may be forced to relocate to other areas of the country in order to increase their likelihood of receiving a grant from the Canada Council to continue practising their art.
This is further compounded when you look at it for arts organizations. Alberta Ballet, Theatre Calgary and Calgary Philharmonic are three of Alberta’s most known and recognized arts organizations. All three of them are dramatically underfunded when compared to their peer organizations across the country.
The Canada Council highlights their 2017-2018 core funding distribution by saying: Approximately $25M new dollars were awarded through core funding in 2017-2018 (core funding in 2017-2018 was $117M, compared with $92M in 2016-2017) Approximately 2 out of 3 organizations received an increase, accessing core funding for the first time, or returning to core funding. The remainder (34%) will continue to receive a stable level of funding.
When you review the previous charts against these highlights it becomes very clear that these increases indicate that even with the new monies, Canada Council is perpetuating historical trends where it underfunds Alberta Artistic Institutions. This despite stating in their strategic plan, “To achieve this vision, the Council must continue to quickly adapt and transform.” The continued underfunding of Alberta Arts Institutions indicates they are not doing this.
Over the last five years, Theatre Calgary, Alberta Ballet and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra have employed 3,375 artists. These are artists who were provided stable income and the opportunity to take risks and showcase their work to broader audiences. If the continued underfunding of our organizations continue we will not be able to continue employing these Canadian Artists.
The Canada Council utilizes a peer evaluation system for awarding their grants. Working with peers from across the country, each grant application is scored and then this scoring is used to determine the amount of funding provided through the Council’s programs. This is a fair system that allows artists to judge other artists and their artistic work.
BC AB SK MB ON QC Atlantic Territories
# of 86 34 9 28 156 236 62 6 Assessors
% of 14% 5% 1% 4% 25% 38% 10% 1% Assessors
% of Artists 18% 8% 2% 3% 43% 21% 5% 1%
Variance -4% -3% -1% +1% -18% +17% +5% =
As the chart clearly indicates, peer assessors are not being equally drawn from artists throughout the country. Despite having twice the population of the Atlantic Provinces, Alberta has almost half the number of assessors.
How are Alberta Artists and Arts Institutions able to be equitably evaluated when Albertans do not have a voice at the table?
Conclusion: While we applaud the Canada Council’s vision to create more opportunities for artists and arts organizations to take artistic risks in creating excellent work that is shared across the country and around the world, we would ask that they use this transformative period to address the regional inequalities that continue to exist.
We would encourage Mr. Brault and his officers to connect with artists and arts organizations across the country, especially Alberta. Make them aware of what opportunities exist. Educate them on the application process. Provide the same opportunities regardless if your arts is done in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario or the Atlantic Provinces.
We believe that access to funding for artists and arts organizations should be available equally to all Canadians regardless of which province they practise their craft in.