News Release Archive
EDUCATION/CULTURE--ARTS COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS RELEASED ------------------------------------------------------------ Education and Culture Minister John MacEachern today released the final report of the steering committee for the creation of the Nova Scotia Arts Council. The report was prepared by 15 artists appointed by Premier John Savage to provide program and policy recommendations to government on the creation of the province's first arts council. Bill No. 36, "An Act to Establish the Nova Scotia Arts Council" has passed third reading in the Nova Scotia Legislature and is expected to be proclaimed as law very shortly. "I congratulate the committee and those who have worked on previous reports concerning the creation of an arts council in Nova Scotia," said Mr. MacEachern. "Your work will help raise public awareness of arts and artists and the significant contribution they make to the province's social, cultural and economic welfare." The report's principal recommendation is the establishment of the Nova Scotia Arts Council/Conseil des arts de la Nouvelle-Ecosse, which would provide funding based on peer-review and artistic merit. Such a system would ensure that artists and their work are evaluated by people with the knowledge and experience to make the right decisions and to support excellence. Another key recommendation is the creation of the Nova Scotia Arts Endowment Fund. The fund would grow through private and public support and would eventually allow the arts council to become less reliant on government funding. The report also recommends the council support artists working in the visual arts and crafts such as: media arts (experimental film, video and electronic art), literary arts, performing arts (music, theatre and dance) and multi-disciplinary art forms. However, the steering committee advised the council not be directly involved in cultural industries such as: commercial film and video production, sound recording, publishing and commercial design or production crafts. In addition, the report recommends a grant system with three tiers of funding for the creation of new works of art, research, travel, training, professional development and presentation. The report also examines funding to arts organizations, most of which are supported by the cultural affairs division of the Department of Education and Culture. The report suggests the council provide operating, touring and commissioning grants to these organizations as well as programs in community arts and the area of arts education. To aid in the smooth transfer of grant programs, the report recommends a phased-in approach to be overseen by a liaison committee made up of division staff and representatives from the council. These recommendations are currently under discussion. The steering committee states it sees the need for both a strong arts council and a strong cultural affairs division, with complementary yet distinct functions. -30- NOTE TO EDITORS: Copies of the act and report are available at the Nova Scotia Government Book Store, 1700 Granville St., Halifax, 902-424-7580 or 1-800-526-6575 and the Cultural Affairs Division of the Department of Education and Culture 902-424-6392. Highlights of the steering committee's report are available by calling 902-424-4492 or 1-800-670-4357; or on the Department of Education and Culture's Home Page: HTTP://WWW. EDNET.NS.CA Contact: Lisa Bugden 902-424-2795 trp Dec. 07, 1995