Artists planning on creating their own organization - look for the announcement in March

By Pepper Parr

January 25th, 2017

BURLINGTON, ON

It began as a mild protest about the way parts of the arts community was being ignored by the city. It grew into an organization that had more than 500 members communicating with each other through Facebook and then meeting regularly at a local watering hole to exchange ideas and support each other.

Trevor Copp, the Burlington actor who mobilized the arts into a Collective makes a point on leadership while Barb Teatero, Executive Director of the Burlington Museum’s operation listens.

The group was able to get a better level of support from the Performing Arts Centre; some, albeit pitifully small support from the city.

They grew from a Facebook based organization into what they might be calling an Arts Council that is being organized as a not for profit corporation that will have membership fees and direct services for its members.

Sometime in March an announcement is planned.

The Artists Collective was very clear – they want the Parks and Recreation people out of the culture business. They want people with training on something other than a trampoline, preferably with degrees in the arts and practical experience as well.

What is the next step?

The city has a Manager of Arts and Culture who works under the supervision of the Director of Planning. Angela Paparizo works with a half time assistant and a budget that wold fit into a very small envelope.

City hall has always had a problem with the cultural file. It used to be run out of the Parks and Recreation department where the fit was awkward. The artists had no time for the gymnasts and the gymnasts didn’t understand the artists. It was a very poor working arrangement.

The city did in the past have well qualified people handling arts matters – but none of them lasted very long.
The arts needed their own organization.

And the city needs to give it the same level of support it gives for splash pads and sports team.

Both the Art Gallery of Burlington and the Performing Arts Centre operate without significant, local, professionally recognized artists from the community.

Art, like sports grows from small groups that are not “business” people. The kid who turns out to be a fine baseball player or a hockey player learned the sport through hours and hours of practice.

A musician, an artist, a weaver or a dancer honed their craft through hours and hours of practice.

There seems to be a disconnect between those striving to improve and grow their talent and those who hold the purse strings or they keys to the doors where art is performed for the public.

The creation of an Arts Council is a good first step. Properly organized the group will be able to go after grants from the Canada Council for the arts as well as the provincial government and the Trillium Foundation.

Several annual events in this city take place with very little support from city hall; the Lowville Festival is one example.

Ribfest and the Sound of Music get major dollars from the city. The smaller groups have to struggle.

With an organization of their own they should be able to approach city council and argue for the same level of support the sports groups get.  They might want to think in terms of a joint venture with the city – other groups do that quite successfully.