Halifax Regional Municipality’s (HRM) budget committee voted in favour of boosting arts funding on Wednesday, after an overwhelming show of support from community members.
Dozens of Halifax residents attended last Friday’s budget meeting, calling for the rejection of a proposed 55-per cent cut to arts funding and their support for art programming.
“To see them actually sort of coalesce around this motion that was sort of put forward by Councillor Waye Mason to actually increase funding to the arts over the next two years in the budget was really exciting,” says Greater Halifax Arts Coalition member Stephanie Domet.
The Bus Stop Theatre Co-Operative executive director Sébastien Labelle was relieved to see the quick change in tone of direction by council members.
“From ‘should we cut’ to ‘should we invest, increase,'” says Labelle. “That’s a real testament to public response to the potential cuts to arts funding.”
In a 13 to 3 vote, budget committee approved an increase of $125,000 to professional arts grants this year, with a recommendation for a further $125,000 increase next fiscal year.
Domet says these changes would bring tax spending on the arts per Halifax resident to $1.40, increasing to $1.65 the following year.
“So it’s still a very small investment compared to other cities across the country, which are more around the seven dollar mark,” Domet says.
The small change will offer operating support for about 37 art organizations, employing more than 1,400 people.
“We need to see it as an essential component of a healthy society that there is a vibrant, artistic sector,” says Labelle. “Which really helps alleviate the stress on other parts of our society like the health care system or the justice system.”
Domet says that the less artists have to worry about core funding, the more they’ll be able to use creativity and resourcefulness towards making incredible events for people to experience.
“Here in the Halifax Regional Municipality, you know, we do have such incredible artists. We’re so fortunate, we have this kind of amazing cultural life. And that is unique to our place. The stories that we tell here are the stories about us and we need to hear those. We need to tell them and we need to hear them.”
A final municipal budget will not be decided until March, but local artists hope this commitment by councillors will encourage the province to look into arts funding, too.
Investments in operating assistance to arts organizations have been frozen by the province for nearly two decades.
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