Artists to rally at B.C. government's 2010 budget consultations

The B.C. arts community is stepping up its fight against the province's cuts to arts funding, with another rally planned for Monday (September 28) calling for the resignation of Arts Minister Kevin Krueger.

At 12:30 p.m., artists and supporters will convene on the SFU Wosk Centre for Dialogue, where the provincial government is holding a public hearing as part of its 2010 budget consultations.

Organizers of the rally note that Krueger will not be in attendance, but insist, on a Facebook event page, that "his [Krueger's] friends who hold the purse strings will. It was on Krueger's watch that the decision to cut arts by 90% in two years was made, and furthermore he has been evasive, misleading and missing in action. He must resign."

According to a memo circulated by NDP Arts Critic Spencer Herbert, the public hearings on the 2010 budget were announced at very short notice. "The Finance Committee have provided less than five days' notice for arts and culture organizations in Vancouver to participate in the first public forum they are hosting," he wrote on September 23.

Members of the public are able to participate in the finance committee's consultations written submission, participation in an online survey, video or audio submission, or by taking part in a public hearing.