News Release Archive

EDUCATION/CULTURE--ARTS COUNCIL RECOMMENDATIONS RELEASED
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  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