Metro Vancouver’s regional culture committee has recommended funding for all but one of the 17 groups that applied for the 2009 Cultural Grants for Region-Serving Arts and Culture Organizations.

In a report to be discussed next Friday (October 16) by the regional district’s board of directors, the following organizations were identified for grants under the program’s total funding of $100,000.

Ӣ Arts Club: $8,500

Ӣ Axis Theatre Society: $5,000

Ӣ Carousel Theatre Society: $6,000

”¢ Chor Leoni Men’s Choir Society: $3,000

Ӣ Dream Rider Theatre Society: $5,000

Ӣ Greater Vancouver Professional Theatre Alliance: $3,000

Ӣ Green Thumb Players Society: $8,500

Ӣ Pacific Cinematheque: $6,000

Ӣ Pacific Theatre Society: $2,000

Ӣ Playhouse Theatre Centre of British Columbia: $6,000

Ӣ Presentation House Gallery: $5,000

Ӣ Richmond Gateway Theatre Society: $3,000

Ӣ Vancouver East Cultural Centre: $6,000

Ӣ Vancouver Opera Association: $12,500

Ӣ Vancouver Symphony Society: $14,500

Ӣ Vancouver TheatreSports League: $6,000

According to a staff report, the Matsqui Sumas Abbotsford Museum Society was “deemed ineligible due to the location of the Museum and the audiences serviced as outlined in their application”.

The City of Abbotsford is a member of Metro Vancouver with respect only to the provision of regional park services.

The organization noted in its application that its Abbotsford-based museum had a “total audience” of 74,486 in 2008, of which 10 percent came from “outside Abbotsford”.

The arts subsidy is available for groups that operate region-wide programs and services, which serve all Lower Mainland residents, according to an earlier press release from the regional district.

The Metro Vancouver board can either approve or revise staff’s recommendation.