To applause from the gallery Wednesday night, four local arts organizations received council support for an additional $200,000 in 2025 funding.
Eli Klasner, executive director of the Community Arts Council, Marnie Hamagami, artistic producer of Theatre Northwest, Sue Judge, executive director of the Coldsnap Festival and Ken Hall, executive director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra appeared before council to make their case.
In 2024, the four organizations received $354,276 from the federal government, $310,160 from the province and $267,528 from the city.
The city's contribution has been as high of $298,570 in 2020 to as low as $260,833 in 2023. “The city has gone from being the top funder on that list to the bottom one over seven years,” Klasner said.
He told council that the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George funds its arts organizations at about $25 per capita, on par with the national and provincial average. Prince George funds the arts at $7 per capita.
The timing is crucial, council heard, as federal and provincial COVID funding increases for the arts are winding down.
“We’re already feeling the squeeze,” said Klasner.
Hamagami said “we’re hearing there will be reductions.”
Mayor Simon Yu noted the comparisons the report made to other BC cities, particularly the fact that Kamloops funds its arts at $80 per capita. “They spend 10 times as much as we do,” he said. “We have to correct that.”
Coun. Brian Skakun pointed out that cities like Kelowna and Kamloops pay far less for snow removal than Prince George, one of the many key differences in funding needs faced by northern communities.
But he said he supports the idea of increasing the funding. “Arts are definitely underfunded and we have to move that needle in the right direction,” he said.
He suggested moving the request to the budget process, or first to the finance and audit committee and then to the budget process. “We have a budget coming up that’s going to be pretty brutal,” he added.
The topic of the recent decision by Kamloops council to fund a new arts complex as part of a $275-million capital plan came up. “What Kamloops has announced takes bold leadership,” said Coun. Kyle Sampson. “A robust arts community leads to better development. I think it’s extremely important that those things are offered in our community.”
Coun. Cori Ramsay agreed, pointing to the population growth in Kamloops and Kelowna as something Prince George needs. “I think (the arts) are a factor in that growing population,” she said. “People are drawn to a community where arts and culture are appreciated.”
Beyond the increase, Klasner told council, the city needs a long-term arts strategy that will set goals and provide funding without groups having to come back before council again and again.
“We don’t have a plan. That’s the issue here,” said Yu. He said PG prides itself on being the Northern Capital, a hub for industry, travel and commerce. “We must become the hub for art, no question,” he said.
The additional dollars would bring the city’s annual contribution to $467,528. The increase would amount to an additional $1.40 for every $1,000 in property taxes, finance director Kris Dalio told councillors.
Wednesday's meeting also included a discussion about a new policy to manage the city's multiyear grants, which go to the four arts organizations represented at council.
The policy was passed by council, with applications to be first considered by the committee of the whole.
Council voted in March to transfer $263,152 from the MyPG grant program budget to a separate budget for multiyear grants, with the aim to return the MyPG grant funds to $550,000 by 2027.
