In case you missed it, here’s a link to the latest on the Canadian culture cuts - from today’s Globe and Mail:

“The Tories are committed to cutting $44.8-million in spending on arts and culture by April of 2010…”

Click HERE for an article that basically amounts to a long list of cultural programs to be cut.

Yesterday, VoCA spoke with curator Barbara Fischer, whose proposal of London-based artist Mark Lewis was selected as Canadian representative at next year’s Venice Biennale - arguably the most important and high-profile art biennale in the world.

Ms. Fischer expressed concern over the cuts and suggested that the future of Canada’s pavilion is in danger, since about one third of the money needed for the pavilion comes from government funding programs.

Nota bene: In 2001, Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller won a coveted prize at Venice for their installation, The Paradise Institute, which helped to catapult them into the stratosphere of global contemporary artists.

Fuse magazine editor Izida Zorde and publisher Heather Haynes (of Toronto Free Gallery) are organizing a Town Hall meeting in Toronto to address the recent and upcoming budget cuts to the arts.

Valuing Culture: TOWN HALL REGARDING CUTS TO CULTURAL AND HERITAGE GRANTING PROGRAMS

Who should come? Everyone concerned about the Federal Government’s blatant contempt for arts and culture.

Who will be speaking? Representatives from Government, visual arts, film, video, performing arts

What will we be doing? Strategizing on how to get our voices heard in the next election

Why is this important? Because the wave of cuts and policy changes are radically changing Canadian society.

Wednesday, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008 at 7pm.

The Theatre Centre
1087 Queen Street West, (South East Corner of Queen and Dovercourt)

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This Globe and Mail article quotes Canadian Heritage Minister Josée Verner:

“Culture is an essential element of the identity of a nation and in that sense, will always have its unfailing support,”

And yet…

“The Stabilization Projects, to be shut down in April, were established in seven cities from Victoria to Charlottetown to provide financial and administrative support to arts organizations….”

“The department also plans to end its annual contributions of $300,000 to the A-V Presentation Trust, $1.5-million to the Canadian Independent Film and Video Fund and $2.5-million to the National Training Program in the Film and Video Sector…”

Yes, it’s all good, Mr. Harper. Image: conservativehome.blogs.com

Andy Warhol, Dollar Sign, 1981. Image: smh.com.au

“Starting in 2008 each of the four runners up for the Award will receive a prize of $5,000…”

Read the full article HERE, but the title pretty much says it all.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper, hitting the arts where it hurts. Boo.
Image: boontastic.com

VoCA finds it depressing - no, it’s deplorable - to think, that at a time when virtually EVERYONE not living under a rock recognizes the importance and value of the arts, from former British PM Tony Blair (Cool Britannia, anyone?) to Toronto’s mayor David Miller (Nuit Blanche, Luminato…) to the late Ken Thompson (who gifted so many wonderful pieces to the AGO), to the thousands annually who crowd the streets at Canada’s arts festivals in every major city of the country…

…that our Prime Minister still doesn’t get it.

From Simon Houpt’s article in today’s Globe and Mail:

“Late on Friday, while attention was focused on the DFAIT cut, the government quietly said it was also ending Trade Routes, a $9-million program run by Heritage Canada to help artists take their work abroad.”

“It’s hard to overstate how low a profile Canada has abroad. If that’s the way the government wants it, that’s their decision.

But if we want our voice to have influence in the rest of the world, to be the moral beacon we believe it is, that requires marketing Brand Canada. Sending artists and writers abroad is an integral part of that marketing that happens to be extremely cost-effective…”

Read the full article HERE.

Read the full Canadian Press release HERE, and copied below.
VoCA warns that the Harper Government is spinning the issues, trying to deflect attention and hoping you won’t notice the dramatic cuts to the arts.

VoCA has noticed, and we don’t like it. We urge you to make your pro-culture vote count in the next election.

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Joseph L. Rotman, well-known for his gift of $36 million to U of T’s business school, now the Rotman School of Management, has been appointed Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts.

Joseph L. Rotman. Image: rotman.utoronto.ca

Mr. Rotman, a great champion of Canada and Toronto in particular, brought Richard Florida to the city.

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Wavelengths is a curated presentation of the best in recent international avant-garde film and video at the Toronto International Film Festival (September 4 - 13, 2008.)

This year’s Wavelengths features 26 films and videos by renowned and emerging artists, including James Benning, Olaf Nicolai, Pat O’Neill, Nathaniel Dorsky, Jennifer Reeves, Ben Russell and Jean-Marie Straub.

This year’s lineup reflects the remarkable staying power of 16mm and highlights the use of 35mm among emerging artists.

TICKETS NOW ON SALE.

For dates and screening times, please click HERE

The six Wavelength programmes will run from Friday September 5 to Monday September 8, 2008 at the Art Gallery of Ontario’s Jackman Hall, 317 Dundas Street West ( McCaul Street entrance).

Wavelengths 1: Films by Nathaniel Dorsky and Jean-Marie Straub

Image: tiff08.ca

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London-based film artist and VoCA favorite Mark Lewis will represent Canada at the 2009 Venice Biennale!

Mark Lewis, Isoceles, 2007. Image: marklewisstudio.com

Click HERE for the full article.

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The RBC Canadian Painting Competition, a barometer of emerging painters from across the country, has announced this year’s shortlist.

Eli Bornowsky, Untitled 2008. Image: front.bc.ca

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St. Catharines and the Niagara region is home to a good number of excellent artists and art-related spaces. Cram, the NAC and Brock University’s Rodman Hall Art Gallery (see links below) all have strong programming.

Perhaps the best-kept secret in the St. Catharines art community is the Teutloff Collection of Sculpture that exists across Brock’s campus. In 1988, then president Terry White reached an agreement with German art collector Lutz Teutloff to display his large-scale sculptures on campus. The collection includes work by Fabrizio Plessi, Ilan Averbuch, Reinhard Reitzenstein and Bucky Schwartz.

Ilan Averbuch, The Bleeding Harp. Image: collegepublisher.com

Please click HERE for more info.

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