COVID-19: Survive the Crisis TABLE of CONTENTS
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2019 ANNUAL REPORT COVID-19: Survive Photo credit: Francos de Montréal the crisis TABLE OF CONTENTS About FAME 4 New Members 4 Executive Director’s Message 5 Support from across Canada 6 New study shows the importance of festivals and events for the economy and tourism 7 Requests to the federal government 8 Six reasons to support the event industry 9 COVID-19: needed measures 9 2019 Highlights 10 Members 12 460 Ste-Catherine Street West #710 Montréal (Québec) H3B 1A7 514 419-3604 www.fame-feem.ca | [email protected] Photo credit: International de Montgolfières de St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu EXECUTIVE FESTIVALS AND MAJOR EVENTS CANADA (FAME) IS A PAN-CANADIAN COALITION REPRESENTING SOME DIRECTOR’S 500 FESTIVALS AND EVENTS OF ALL SIZES THROUGH A MESSAGE COMBINATION OF DIRECT AND AFFILIATED MEMBERSHIP. A TIME TO ACT AND PERSEVERE AIMS TO: Less than a year after receiving and welcoming positive news about funding for its members, Festivals • Raise awareness of the importance of • Publish economic data and research • Improve the policies and public the Canadian festivals and events industry results that highlight the importance of financing of festivals and major events. and Major Events Canada (FAME) quickly got to work in Ottawa to ensure the sustainability of the as an economic driver as well as a key the Canadian festivals and events sector; investments made, to avoid the impact of possible cuts and, as much as possible, to prevent a rather export, growth, and development sector. and present comparative analyses of the • Work in collaboration with governments surreal administrative situation at the Department of Canadian Heritage. competitive position Canada occupies and various industry organizations with • Act as the recognized spokesperson at the international level in this growth the goal of increasing Canada’s economic for the festivals and events sector at the sector. prosperity. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. national level and engage with partners, governments, and the general public. For the industry, we aim to become a The ensuing crisis was far from over as we culture. This has been fulfilled in a big way at Or they could be told later this year that, in forum for the exchange of best practices were completing this annual report. But the CBC and the Canada Council for the Arts. 2021, they will be receiving the 2018 amount and consultation in terms of operational one thing is already certain: it will have an But it was done while ignoring performing arts and then, sometime in the spring or summer excellence and product quality. enormous impact on festivals and events presenters, mainly supported by the Canada of 2021, after the federal budget, receive an across Canada and could lead to the Arts Presentation Fund and the Building upward adjustment–equivalent to the amount disappearance of many of them. Communities through Arts and Heritage they would have received in 2020. Program, two important “tools” that were at Because they are both “hyper-seasonal” and the time routinely renewed without increases. With 500 festivals and events in Canada, the NEW MEMBERS* “hyper-social,” events and festivals are in the Festivals and Major Events Canada major eye of the storm. While they have year-round However, the needs of these two Canadian coalition now includes member festivals and FAME is delighted to welcome the arrival of these four new association members to the fold: expenditures, they usually only generate Heritage programs were glaring, recognized, events of all sizes in most Canadian provinces. revenues for three to 10 days, as a general and well-documented. It was estimated that It also has associate members, such as rule. Already, significant deficits are emerging there were at least 40% more applications than Événements Attractions Québec (300 festivals among those who–often with only a few available funds. The only way to accept new and events in Québec); the Ottawa Festival weeks or months’ notice–have decided to “clients” who had emerged in the last decade Network (some 100 festivals and events in the cancel their activities and among those who was by cutting grants to existing clients. region); the Regroupement des événements have simply followed public health guidelines. majeurs internationaux (27 major Québec Événements Attractions Regroupement des Ottawa Festival Atlantic Presenters In 2017, and even more so in 2018, Festivals events and six affiliate members); the Atlantic Québec événements majeurs Network Association FAME is currently trying to persuade the federal and Major Events Canada, along with many Presenters Association (more than 30 festivals government to provide festivals and events allies, conducted an intensive advocacy in the four Maritime provinces) and Event The Québec association has internationaux The Ottawa Festival Network, The Atlantic Presenters with much needed assistance through specific campaign. Finally, in early 2019, the Minister Atlantic (with upwards of 40 members some 300 member festivals RÉMI has 27 active members which is well established in the Association (APA) is the measures that are in addition to those being of Finance confirmed millions of dollars in Atlantic Canada). We will continue to throughout Quebec, of all and 6 affiliated members in federal capital, brings together regional arts presenter’s provided for all companies and workers. We in new support in his budget. In the end, work diligently to create a better business sizes and missions. Québec. about 100 events. organization for the hope that our appeal will be heard this time. $7 million was added to the $17.7 million environment for all, with a focus on growth, four Atlantic Provinces: budget of the Building Communities through security (and public health!), and creativity. Newfoundland and Labrador, I say, “this time,” because the survival of the Arts and Heritage Program, and $8 million Prince Edward Island, Nova industry, which includes hundreds of small was added to the $32.5 million budget of MARTIN ROY Scotia and New Brunswick. community events, is at stake. “This time,” the Canada Arts Presentation Fund. Some Some 30 events are members. because it is absolutely essential to avoid the 1,350 festivals and events benefited from And of these three new members: indecision and inaction that has too often, and these announcements in 2019-2020, and for too long, characterized the last decade. again in 2020-2021, although this second season has largely been cancelled due to the Let us remember, for example, that for more pandemic. After that? For now, nothing. than 10 years now, all cultural stakeholders have 1. *During the membership period, from been advocating, with greater intensity each This means that, if nothing more is done soon, Vancouver Fringe Festival Latin Sparks Festival TD Sunfest April 1st 2019 to March 30th 2020 year, for a reinvestment in Canadian Heritage. by 2021, festivals and events could again The Liberal Party came to power in 2015 on receive from these two programs the same the promise of providing better support for grants that they were getting back in 2018. 4 5 SUPPORT FROM ACROSS CANADA NEW STUDY SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE For two years, dozens of cities, Association of British Columbia, the Support was also received from many associations, festivals, events and elected Alliance de l’industrie touristique elected officials from all levels of officials have been demonstrating their du Québec, the Tourism Industry government and from various parties, OF FESTIVALS AND EVENTS FOR THE support for FAME’s campaign calling Association of New Brunswick, the such as the mayors of Montréal and on the Government of Canada to finally Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Québec City, 25 members of the House create a better business environment that the Office de Tourisme du Québec, of Commons, as well as ministers of the ECONOMY AND TOURISM would benefit everyone. Festivals et Événements Québec, the Government of Québec, namely Nathalie Ottawa Festivals Network and the Support increased as never before. About Regroupement des événements majeurs Roy at Culture and Communications and Highlights of the KPMG study released on May 31, 2018 100 letters were sent to the Minister of internationaux. Other signatories include Caroline Proulx at Tourism. Finance and to officials responsible for the Manitoba Hotel Association, the Public Safety, Canadian Heritage and In a letter, the Minister of Canadian The study, commissioned by the Regroupement des événements majeurs internationaux (RÉMI), covers Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Heritage himself, Pablo Rodriguez, Tourism. All signatories supported FAME’s Association, the Hotel Association confirmed to FAME that it could “count on nine members of FAME and concludes that the Government of Canada received 1.78 times what it position of keeping festivals and events of Greater Montreal, the Canadian [his] support in [its] campaign to request safe, of ensuring their continued growth, Association of Fairs and Exhibitions, invested in events through taxes. While it subsidized 17 events with up to $9.7 million, the federal and of the importance of “creation.” Tourisme Montréal, Tourisme Mauricie, a revision, or even an increase, of the government received $17.3 million, before even considering the economic impact and the creation or budget envelope of the CAPF”- the Plan’s Letter signatories include major players Tourism Toronto and Montréal maintenance of jobs for the middle class. in the tourism industry in Canada such International. The cultural sector is “Focus on creation” component- which as the Tourism Industry Association also represented through the Canadian resulted in significant announcements in of Canada, the Tourism Industry Arts Coalition. the 2019-2020 federal budget. THE BENEFITS $66.6M $290.8M 4,606 in government The New Democratic in added value for the jobs created or tax revenues SUPPORT FOR EVENTS IS Party would initiate a Québec economy maintained by study on the impacts that major events NOW UNANIMOUS AMONG and festivals have on the tourism the events (full-time industry and would explore the idea of equivalent) adding a major events section to the FEDERAL PARTIES Canada Experiences Fund (CEF).