Lunchbox Theatre said it’s financially in trouble after the Alberta Foundation for the Arts (AFA) adjusted its grant installments for 2019.
Now, the Calgary arts venue is hoping to get the funding it needs some other way.
Shari Wattling said the theatre depends on annual grant money in a one lump-sum payment from the AFA but that funding is now split up in installments.
“That $95,000 is now divided up through quarters, starting in June of this past year and leading into the new year of 2020,” Wattling said. ”The change in the AFA has challenged us from a position where we were already operating at a deficit and operating without the level of donation support that we really needed to sustain ourselves.”
AFA funding accounts for 12 per cent of Lunchbox Theatre’s operating budget.
Wattling said it now needs to fundraise $45,000 to be able to continue with its 45th season.
“We’re in a cash flow problem, we need additional support from our community,” Wattling said.
“We may have to either not proceed with the season that we have planned or, worse yet, have to shut our doors.”
Lunchbox Theatre was paid 25 per cent of AFA funding in June: $23,564.94 of the $94,259.75 expected.
Global News spoke with other arts groups to compare.
Rosebud School of the Arts received 50 per cent of its funding in July ($37,500 of $75,000).
The Youth Singers of Calgary Society received its full grant this past March, which was $55,000.
The Calgary Fireworks Festival Society “GlobalFest,” eventually received 85 per cent of its funding after a successful appeal in July. The group was paid $63,750 of $75,000 so far. It’s expecting the other 15 per cent in December. Initially the Fireworks Festival Society was going to receive 50 per cent in the first installment.
GlobalFest producer and CFO, Ken Goosen, said he’s grateful for the reconsideration in funding given uncertainty around the upcoming provincial budget.
“When all of a sudden you’re short $37,500 in funding, and you’re about to launch a four-week program with immigrant refugee youth, and that money was going to help on the cash flow side to support that, we were in a crisis situation,” Goosen said.
“So there was a huge sigh of relief.”
In a statement to Global News, the AFA said: “The AFA receives its annual allocation of funding from the government of Alberta as part of the budget process.
“As the announcement of budget 2019 is delayed this year due to the recent change in government, the AFA is currently operating on interim supply pending confirmation of this year’s budget.
“The board has made the decision to adjust the usual grant payment process for operational funding clients to have them paid in installments as opposed to one lump-sum payment.
“Organizations were encouraged to contact us should this result in serious concern over their continued operation or cash flow,” AFA stated.
“Times are tough and we’re all struggling,” Goosen said. “The only thing I can ask is the community continue to support all of us.”
Lunchbox Theatre has written to the AFA to appeal the installments, requesting at least 90 per cent of its annual funding instead.