BC Arts Council Annual Report 2013/14

2014 - BC ARTS COUNCIL 2013 ANNUAL REPORT Table of Contents: Message from the Chair & Executive Director p. 3 Observations p. 6 Message Goals Overview p. 8 Staff & Board Listing p. 10 Programs p. 12 Advisors & Jurors Listing p. 14 Communities supported (dots on the map) p. 16 Financial statement p. 19 Awards Listing p. 20 Annual Report 2013/2014 Copyright © 2014 Province of British Columbia. All rights reserved. No part of this report may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher. 2 Message FROM THE CHAIR AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OVERVIEW The BC Arts Council is firmly committed to supporting the arts and cultural community’s outstanding contribution to the cultural, economic and social well-being of British Columbians. Throughout 2013/14, the Council focused on its mission “to engage all British Columbians in a healthy arts and cultural community that is recognized for its excellence” by supporting artists and organizations engaged in the fields of media arts, dance, publishing, literary arts, creative writing, theatre, music, museums, community arts, visual arts and arts training. With the strong support of the Province of B.C. through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, the Council awarded $24 Million in grants in 2013/14, an increase of $6.75 million over the previous year. The increased funding was in part from the new BC Creative Futures initiative, which supports youth engagement and early career development opportunities throughout the province. The Honourable Coralee Oakes assumed responsibility for the Ministry after the May 2013 provincial election, taking the reins from the Honourable Bill Bennett, and Minister Oakes has continued to provide the Council with strong guidance and support. In 2013/14, the Council awarded more than 1,450 grants using its established peer review process. Engaging artists from across B.C., our advisory committees and juries adjudicated a wide range of applications from individual artists, collectives and organizations. Each proposal is assessed against published criteria which guide the peer review process and are informed by the Council's strategic plan. STRATEGIC PLAN The Council renewed its goals and objectives in the 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. The plan rests on the strong belief that a thriving arts and cultural community contributes not only to a healthy civil society, but also to economic growth, stronger communities and job creation. Thriving arts and cultural communities foster opportunities and raise aspirations. Through the arts we explore issues of heritage and cultural identity, issues that play a central role in B.C.’s cultural diversity. 3 CORE VALUES The vision and goals of the BC Arts Council were further refined in the process of renewing the strategic plan. These are guided by the following overarching six core values: ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE Foster the development and support the achievements of individual artists and arts and cultural organizations, including those with diverse voices across diverse practices, throughout British Columbia. RECOGNITION Acknowledge and promote the work of British Columbia’s artists. ACCESS Provide the opportunity for all British Columbians to actively engage and participate in the arts. ABORIGINAL ENGAGEMENT Embrace Aboriginal culture and heritage and celebrate its ongoing connection to the lives of all British Columbians. CONSULTATION Work collaboratively and creatively with artists and cultural communities throughout the province to develop new initiatives and improve existing programs. GOVERNANCE Use fair and transparent processes that adhere to principles of accountability, independence, merit and equity. 4 SUMMARY We would like to again acknowledge B.C.’s artists, as well as the community leaders who are committed to supporting and advancing the arts across British Columbia and sharing our strengths with other provinces and countries. We also acknowledge the strong commitment of our staff at the Council offices and our appointed members. During the year we said farewell to members Jackson Davies from Tsawwassen, Connie Watts from Port Alberni, and Barbara Adams from Victoria. The arts are a powerful force that helps us to understand who we are and who we can be – custodians of our cultural heritage and a creative window to our future. With support from the Province of B.C., the Council strives to create opportunities for B.C. artists to fulfill their ambitions and contribute to the quality of life in our communities. In accordance with the provisions of section six of the Arts Council Act, we present this report on behalf of the BC Arts Council, reporting on activities of the Council from April 1, 2013, to March 31, 2014. Sincerely, Stanley Hamilton Gillian Wood Chair Executive Director BC Arts Council BC Arts Council 5 Observations THE ADJUDICATION PROCESS: OBSERVATIONS 2013/14 Summary of assessment provided by BC Arts Council advisors The BC Arts Council’s appointed members, management and staff, along with its advisory committees and juries, are committed to providing excellent service to the artists, arts organizations and citizens of British Columbia. Central to the success of this service is the arts community’s endorsement of the peer review process, which is fortified by the breadth and depth of sectoral knowledge that the members bring to the adjudication table. In constructing the committees and juries, a balance is always sought amongst factors including the province’s wide range of cultural practice, and its geographic and demographic diversity. Adjudication committee members are selected based on their specific experience from the Council’s client base as well as from online nominations to the adjudicator database (www.bcartscouncil.ca/adjudication/nominate.aspx). This selection process ensures that the Council has access to the widest possible spectrum of working artists and arts administrators. Over the course of the 2013/14 year, discipline-specific advisory committees discussed issues that arose under the three broad assessment criteria of artistic achievement, community engagement and organizational capacity. These issues reflect critical aspects of creation, development and dissemination of the arts in B.C. 6 A summary of points made by the discipline advisory committees is as follows: ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT The Council’s peer review panels emphasized the overarching importance of Artistic Excellence in all funding programs. Committee members were encouraged to see evidence of innovation and risk-taking throughout the province, as the Council is able to support more organizations and projects with increased core funding. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BC Creative Futures provided hundreds of new opportunities for students and emerging artists and practitioners to hone their craft and partner with established and senior artists from around the province and throughout the world. The peer panels generally agreed that there is still work to be done in adequately defining the true meaning of engagement as it relates to artistic practice, audience engagement and the engagement of artists. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY Increased BC Arts Council funding levels provided arts and cultural organizations across disciplines with greater predictability in planning their activities, including a $1.3 million increase to operating programs in all disciplines. Organizations continue to stabilize as funding is able to support increased efforts to build adaptive processes and flexibility within the sector. In conclusion, progress has been made in the areas of Artistic Achievement, Community Engagement and Organizational Capacity, and needs to continue. Through an increase to the BC Arts Council’s core funding in 2013/14 and additional programs such as Capacity and Sustainability, Innovations, Early Career Development, and Youth Engagement, the Council and arts and cultural organizations throughout the province will work together to improve results in all three areas of assessment, bringing artistic practice across all disciplines to new levels of excellence, engagement and stability. 7 2013/14 Goals 2013/14 GOALS OVERVIEW In 2013-14 the BC Arts Council transitioned into a new Strategic Plan to guide the development of policy and program priorities while striving to support the creative and innovative capacity of the arts and cultural community and represent the interests of the creative sector. The Council is firmly committed to supporting the artistic excellence of British Columbia’s talented artists and important arts and cultural organizations, that: encourage participation in artistic and creative activity; improve quality of life and social cohesion; develop, attract and retain skilled and innovative thinkers for the creative sector; foster community identity and a sense of place; and contribute to local, regional and provincial economies. GOAL ONE - FOSTER ARTISTIC EXCELLENCE IN ALL ART FORMS AND PRACTICES STRATEGIES 1. Invest resources in artistic exploration and innovation. 2. Encourage a broad-based appreciation of the breadth and depth of artistic excellence in our province. 3. Strengthen the capacity of arts and cultural organizations and individual artists throughout the province to further their artistic achievement. 4. Support opportunities for skills training and participation in the creation, exhibition and performance of art. 5. Create opportunities for the next generation of artists. 8 GOAL TWO - STRENGTHEN ENGAGEMENT

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