Acadian arts community joins federal funding debate
Published Tuesday October 7th, 2008
Members of the arts community in northern New Brunswick say the federal election campaign has given new life to the debate over the importance of art and culture in society.
The Conservative government's $45-million cuts to arts programs in August has sparked criticism from opposition parties and artists across the country.
But the recent media attention has also prompted artists in northern New Brunswick to reflect on the role of the state in fostering an artistic community, and more broadly the role of art in society.
In Caraquet, often called the cultural capital of Acadia, many artists say the recent focus on the arts has helped remind people of its importance.
"It's an opportunity to open the debate," said Daniel Thériault, the director of Festival acadien de Caraquet, whose organization wasn't affected by the cuts.
Thériault said state-funded programs have given artists the opportunity to create less commercially driven art.
"That's the kind of thing that pushes a society forward," he said.
"What's marginal today is popular tomorrow."
In Thériault's case, federal funding has made it possible to produce a festival that has gradually grown in size and significance since it started 46 years ago.
The festival received an increase in funds from the federal government this year.
"If we had no funding we'd have to do shows with a mass-appeal or appeal to a small, exclusive minority," Thériault said.
"This way we can do a lot of interesting shows that may not have been possible otherwise."
Elisabeth Marier, a sculptor who recently moved to Caraquet from Montreal, agreed.
"We shouldn't cut something to leave a hole," she said. "When you cut something you replace it with something else."
Several high-profile members of the arts community have argued Canada needs to shift toward a more privately funded model, where artists rely on philanthropists and art collectors rather than the government.
Thériault said such a transition would take time, and that artists shouldn't be left in the lurch in the meantime.
On Monday, Liberal MP Bob Rae visited Moncton, once again criticizing Prime Minister Stephen Harper for cutting arts programs and reiterating his party's commitment to culture.
"He thought he was just trying to be clever in saying ordinary people don't care about arts and culture, it's only for a few rich people and big galas," Rae said at a rally at Moncton's Capitol Theatre. "Well, was he ever surprised."
Rae was quick to point to the economic value of the arts, which represents eight per cent of the gross domestic product.
Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion has said, if elected, his party would restore the cut programs and double funding for the Canada Council for the Arts to $360 million.
The NDP, Green Party and Bloc Québécois have also said they would restore the programs and invest million more in the arts.
The Conservatives say the cut funds will be reallocated back into other arts and cultural programs ranging from official language projects to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"I certainly want to see how we can improve the arts and culture," said Daniel Allain, federal Conservative candidate for the riding of Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe. "People in arts and culture provide us great opportunities and I want to make sure they have access to those opportunities."
Allain said the Conservatives have increased funding to arts overall, adding that the Maritimes has benefited from a large contribution to the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, a group that was practising while Rae spoke in the Capitol Theatre's front hall.
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