by Dr. Natasha Caverley and A.Gortan, Citizen Journalists

If one municipality decides to fund the arts through tax dollars, should neighbouring municipalities feel obliged to follow suit?

The Town of Sidney represents one of eight municipalities in the Capital Regional District (CRD) that contributes to the CRD’s Arts Development Service, a regional body that provides grants for funding of the arts.

As the lone contributor to CRD arts funding on the Saanich Peninsula, the Town of Sidney provided $15,000.00 in 2013 to the CRD arts fund in a “Group 2” category, with a minimum voluntary contribution of $500.00. Metchosin and the Highlands are also “Group 2” contributors.

Saanich, Victoria, Oak Bay, Esquimalt and View Royal are “Group 1” contributors. They fund the program through a formula based on populations and property assessments.

So far in 2013, the eight participating municipalities collectively contributed $2,283,831.00 to the CRD arts fund.

As a result, 81 CRD arts grants were awarded across the eight participating municipalities. The top four highest grant recipients were the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Pacific Opera, The Belfry and the Victoria Symphony totaling $1.23 Million.

Three recipients were Sidney-based arts organizations: Community Arts Council of the Saanich Peninsula, Mary Winspear Centre and the Sidney Concert Society, totalling $11,000.00.

Sidney Councillor Marilyn Loveless, who is also the Council liaison to the CRD Arts Committee, acknowledges that the majority of grant money is awarded to Victoria-based organizations, but also notes that people across the CRD travel to Victoria to enjoy a variety of events, and believes neighbouring municipalities should contribute.

“It’s not a question of a fixed return on investment. It’s a regional approach to creating a quality community. Part of a community’s responsibility is to support the agencies that make it a great place”, says Coun. Loveless.

From 2009–2013, the Town of Sidney contributed $35,000.00 and in return, Sidney-based arts organizations received $56,500.00 in grants from the CRD’s arts funding programs.

Not a bad return on investment says Chair of the CRD Arts Advisory Council Patrick Fleck, who questions if Sidney’s neighbours should not be pitching in. “With the Districts of Central Saanich and North Saanich not contributing to the CRD arts fund, I am concerned that it creates perceived resentment by participating municipalities like the Town of Sidney who are, in a sense, subsidizing ratepayers from these communities who attend various CRD sponsored-events across the region but whose municipalities are not current contributors. This does not seem fair nor equitable in sustaining the arts on the Peninsula and in the broader Capital Region.”

Central Saanich Councillor Zeb King recognizes the cultural value of the arts, but is hesitant to increase property taxes. “Provincial and Federal governments have cut spending on the arts over the years. For municipalities to pick up the slack through property taxes is too much for families and small businesses, already hit hard by the downturned economy” says Coun. King.

At their upcoming annual strategy session in October 2013, Sidney Mayor and Council will be discussing arts funding and the recommendation made by the CRD Arts Development Service to increase the minimum contribution for their “Group 2” category from $500.00 to 30% of the “Group 1” category.

This recommended increase would result in Sidney spending an additional $20,736.00 above their 2013 contribution of $15,000.00, for an annual contribution of $35,736.00.

Metchosin and the Highlands have already accepted the CRD Arts Development Service’s recommendation in principle, with the understanding they could reach their 30% level of contribution over the next two or three years.

According to the CRD Arts Development Service, this recommended change in the annual contribution is intended to “level the playing field” and address inequities between the participating municipalities in the “Group 1” and “Group 2” categories for arts funding.

Districts of North Saanich and Central Saanich along with Colwood, Langford and Sooke have the option of opting in or out of funding the Arts Development Service via CRD Bylaw No. 2884—A bylaw to establish the giving of arts and cultural grants as a service.

Only time will tell if raising the minimum contribution level for municipalities to participate in the CRD arts funding program will result in more money available for the arts, or have the unintended consequence of deterring municipalities from participating in the program.

CRD Arts Development Service Contributors (2013)

Group 1 Contributors:

Saanich $1,033,420.00

Victoria $   831,297.00

Oak Bay $   197,519.00

Esquimalt $   109,612.00

View Royal $     87,183.00

Group 2 Contributors:

Sidney $15,000.00

Highlands $  5,000.00

Metchosin $  4,800.00

Non-Contributors:

Central Saanich

Colwood

Langford

North Saanich

Sooke