Arts sector getting lost in the shuffle
Edmonton – Laurie Blakeman, Official Opposition Culture and Community Spirit Critic, says that while artists and patrons across the province are looking forward to Alberta Arts Days, the province’s arts and culture sector faces significant challenges the provincial government must address – including an imbalance of provincial support between Edmonton and Calgary.
“Edmonton is still waiting for a replacement for the Kaasa Theatre, while in the interim Calgary gets the Vertigo and the Grand,” Blakeman says. “And the Varscona, the busiest theatre in Canada, is still waiting for capital funding for renovations from the province. The city has ponied up, the feds are in – where’s the province?”
Blakeman is pleased by the support Calgary is getting, including plans for a Creative Arts Hub in that city. But she questions why Culture and Community Spirit Minister Lindsay Blackett has neglected Edmonton’s theatrical stage venues, as well as Film Alberta Studios, Edmonton’s major purpose-built film studio and sound stage.
“If we want to seriously develop a film industry in this province, the Minister needs to increase his awareness of all the possibilities,” Blakeman says. “We’re talking about a 50,000 square-foot space with offices, a darkroom, workshops, hair and makeup areas – the works. It’s crazy for the Minister to overlook a facility that has hosted major films and television series. We’ll draw a lot more productions to Alberta if we foster the success of studio space in both major cities.”
Blakeman also notes that Blackett’s ministry has been a little lax in monitoring where its money goes. She cites the film Rodeo: Life on the Circuit, which completed some work in Alberta but then moved to Toronto with a change of production staff – and yet received its Alberta Multimedia Development Fund cost reimbursement grant anyway. Blakeman wrote Blackett regarding the issue, but the minister responded simply that funds are approved before production begins.
“That seems like a pretty big loophole to me,” Blakeman says. “What’s to stop production companies from starting work in Alberta, getting their grants, then cutting out for other provinces? Why are Alberta taxpayers subsidizing what’s become an Ontario production? Clearly we need more careful oversight of these funds.”
Alberta Liberals support a substantial increase in funding to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and Official Opposition Leader Raj Sherman says he admires Blakeman’s strong and lifelong support of the arts and culture sector.
“The arts are the heart and soul of our communities and a significant economic force,” Sherman says. “People move to Alberta because of our nationally renowned arts community. I’m glad Laurie is standing up for Edmonton and for artists across the province.”
The Alberta Liberal Caucus…There’s a better way.
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