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.
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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