Minister Kevin Krueger
Former B.C. Arts Council chair Jane Danzo did the premier a favour by quitting in August
It’s easy to understand why Jane Danzo quit her position as chair of the B.C. Arts Council. This year, the B.C. Liberal government seriously slashed funding to the arms-length council, leaving Danzo hanging. In the last budget, Finance Minister Colin Hansen also announced $30 million in new arts-legacy funding over three years. “Even after the announcement, the [...]
B.C. arts cuts called ‘strategic error’
The board of governors of the Canadian Conference of the Arts says British Columbia is making a “strategic error” in cutting spending in the arts sector. Kathleen Sharpe, the president of the national arts organization, has written to B.C. Culture Minister Kevin Krueger on behalf of the CCA expressing concern over the cuts and over [...]
Who needs a BC arts council when we have the Liberals?
Jane Danzo, in her letter of resignation as Chair of the BC Arts Council and in various exit interviews that followed, has confirmed what most of us already suspected: that the Liberal government now sees itself as arbiter of all things cultural in the province. At last, we can begin to see the future. In her [...]
B.C. government letter now hints at how it will hand out other Legacy funds to arts groups
Arts groups are starting to receive letters from the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism saying some Legacy funding will be made available to the B.C. Arts Council’s “annual operating clients“. But to be eligible, their events must meet certain requirements and “reflect the vision of the Legacy”, according to the letter. The letter, signed [...]
BC Spirit Festivals News Release, guidelines and application forms available
The Province is providing $3 million this year to support arts and cultural festivals in more than 150 communities across British Columbia through the 2010 Sports and Arts Legacy, announced Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Kevin Krueger. “We created the Legacy to celebrate and renew the pride and excitement British Columbians experienced during [...]
Olympic party stays alive with annual ‘spirit festivals’: B.C. government to fund local music, arts and theatre events in communities across the province in February
In a bid to keep the Olympic spirit flowing, the provincial government plans to fund arts-centric festivals, dubbed “spirit festivals,” throughout B.C. in February. Building on the success of the Cultural Olympiad, the festivals will showcase local music, art and theatre in individual communities across the province, said Kevin Krueger, minister of tourism, culture and [...]
Festivals will help arts groups get over cuts, minister says: Culture groups describe idea as a poor substitute
A series of government-sponsored community festivals to retap the spirit of the 2010 Olympics is a way for cultural organizations to get over recent cutbacks in their funding, according to Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Kevin Krueger. “We do think it’s important that these groups find new ways to build their sustainability. This is a new [...]
Bulk of $10-million arts legacy fund going to B.C. Spirit Festival Days, NDP MLA says
The bulk of the new $10-million arts legacy fund that B.C. Liberals promised in its March budget is earmarked for a new B.C. Spirit Festival Days, NDP MLA and culture critic Spencer Chandra Herbert says he has discovered. Chandra Herbert said Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Kevin Krueger made reference to the new event at the [...]
Province takes feds to task on heritage
It might come too late to reimburse Victoria’s big bill to Rogers’ Chocolates, but the province is lobbying to protect municipalities from bearing liability for historic sites. “Offering financial assistance to municipal governments tasked with protecting nationally-recognized gems like Rogers’ Chocolates will ensure ongoing stewardship of heritage resources at the community level,” wrote B.C. Minister [...]
Still no clear word on funding plan for arts in B.C.
Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Kevin Krueger proclaimed the annual B.C. Arts and Culture Week at an event in Victoria on April 19, but he did not, as expected, make an announcement about how a new $10-million arts legacy fund will be dispersed. In the provincial budget at the beginning of March, it was [...]
Strings attached to arts funding in B.C.: Most of $10 million in legacy money must go to youth programs: Krueger
Arts groups, still reeling from deep cuts to their funding, should expect $10 million in government legacy money this year to be mostly earmarked for youth programs, says the B.C. arts minister. “We do want an emphasis for a substantial portion of it on mentoring young artists and helping them get their start in their [...]
Arts minister no TV head
He might oversee B.C.’s film and television industry, but Kevin Krueger admits he doesn’t really watch movies or TV. The Tourism, Culture and the Arts minister said he’s seen “not very many” of the shows his government touted in a press release this week about the booming film and TV production industry. The list included [...]
If not for certain projects, B.C. could fund arts and culture
In your March 11 article, “Arts groups face another tough year,” it was curious to read Tourism, Culture and Arts Minister Kevin Krueger saying: “It‘s kind of silly to say that government’s doing cuts when you know that revenues have been drastically cut by forces beyond our control.” This shows a complete lack of understanding [...]
Arts Sector Receives $3.4 Million from BC Arts Council
Artists and arts organizations in communities across British Columbia are receiving more than $3.4 million in BC Arts Council grants, Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Kevin Krueger announced today. “The arts are an important social and economic force in communities across the province,” said Krueger. “These grants provide operating support for B.C. arts organizations [...]
NDP’s Spencer Herbert releases a chart that offers clarity on B.C. Liberal arts cuts
Since the last provincial budget was announced on September 1, none of the B.C. Liberal cabinet ministers responsible for arts funding has returned calls from the Georgia Straight to discuss this issue. Finance Minister Colin Hansen, Tourism, Culture and the Arts Minister Kevin Krueger, and Housing and Social Development Minister Rich Coleman have all gone into hiding. Fortunately, the [...]
