Chair, Stan Hamilton's Message
On behalf of the BC Arts Council, I want to say how privileged we are to work with such a breadth of artists, as well as cultural and community leaders who are committed to supporting and advancing the arts in British Columbia and sharing our strengths with other provinces and countries.
The arts are a powerful force that helps us to understand who we are and who we can be – a custodian of our cultural heritage and a creative window to our future. Art takes many forms and we must strive to ensure all are given an opportunity to fulfill these roles and contribute to the quality of life in our communities.
The Council’s mission is to engage all British Columbians in a healthy arts and cultural community that is recognized for its excellence. To help fulfill this mission, Council has a legislated mandate to consult with the arts community to develop cultural policy and long-term arts strategies, to help ensure that the Province’s commitment to the long-term viability of the arts sector is informed, funded and focused on the strategic priorities of the sector and to distribute the funds provided to Council in an independent, neutral and transparent manner.
With strategic direction from an appointed 15-member board, representative of the regions and the artistic communities of British Columbia, Council is a powerful voice for the arts sector – connecting artists and arts organizations across disciplines and throughout communities in every region of the province.
In terms of funding, our impact has been substantial. Since 2001, Council has distributed over $150 million supporting thousands of artists and hundreds of arts organizations representing a range of disciplines that includes, media arts, publishing, literary arts, creative writing, theatre, performance art, music, museums, community-engaged arts, visual arts, arts administration, arts training and the sustainability of not-for-profit cultural and artistic enterprises.
As we move forward, the BC Arts Council will continue to work closely with its partners and clients in the arts sector, seeking advice that will help Council direct the development of strategic arts policy for B.C. Together we can ensure arts are – and will remain – a strong core of our communities.