Has the B.C. Liberal government diluted arm’s-length funding of culture by taking away the B.C. Arts Council’s ability to write the cheques to arts organizations? Under the Arts Council Act, the B.C. Arts Council must “allocate the money appropriated annually for the Council by the Legislature”.

But in the September 1 budget, the B.C. Liberal majority in the legislature didn’t allocate any money to the B.C. Arts Council to be distributed to arts groups. Instead, the government has decided that cheques to arts groups will be distributed by the gaming and enforcement branch after the B.C. Arts Council vets applications through its peer-review process, according to the council’s submission to the legislative committee on finance and government services.

Kevin McKeown, communications director with the Alliance for Arts and Culture, told the Straight that there is no legal mechanism in place for gaming funds to be turned over to the B.C. Arts Council. This creates ambiguity in his mind about the role of gaming staff in funding decisions. “Who is actually making the decision is anyone’s guess,” McKeown said.

Lawyer Jonathan Baker, a former Vancouver cultural planner, said that it “might be a bit of a problem” if the B.C. Arts Council distributed gaming funds, because this is not permitted under the Arts Council Act.

On November 13, the legislative committee on finance and government services recommended that provincial arts funding be restored to 2008-09 levels in the next budget.