Local organizations Benefit from Funding for Arts and Culture in British Columbia

News Release

Minister Shelly Glover announces support for community organizations throughout British Columbia

July 31, 2014 – Surrey, British Columbia – Department of Canadian Heritage

The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced $1,916,334 in funding for arts and culture in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland and surrounding communities.

The projects receiving support today—which include theatre upgrades to enable the presentation of technically sophisticated shows, promoting the vitality of the province’s French-speaking minority communities, celebrating festivals, and ensuring access to a diverse range of Canadian-authored books in Canada and abroad—are diverse, support the local economy, and provide significant potential for communities throughout British Columbia.

Quick Facts

Arts, culture, and heritage represent close to $50 billion in the Canadian economy and over 630,000 jobs across the country.
In Budget 2014, the Government of Canada announced the permanent renewal of cultural programs including the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Music Fund, and arts funding delivered through Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts.
Three organizations will receive support totaling $40,600 through the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage program, which provides Canadians with more opportunities to take part in activities that present local arts and culture and celebrate local history and heritage.
The Kay Meek Centre for Performing Arts is receiving $19,738 to improve its main stage lighting console and upgrade flooring through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. The Fund seeks to improve physical conditions for artistic creativity and arts presentation or exhibition. It is also designed to increase access for Canadians to performing, visual, and media arts, and to museum collections and heritage displays.
Three Surrey- and Burnaby-based recipients will receive support of $238,198 through the Canada Book Fund. The Fund aims to ensure access to a diverse range of Canadian-authored books in Canada and abroad.
Five publishers will receive total funding of $1,263,798 through the Canada Periodical Fund, which provides print magazines, non-daily newspapers and digital periodicals with the financial support they need to produce and distribute high-quality Canadian editorial content for Canadian readers.
The Société francophone de Maillardville will receive funding of $354,000 through the Development of Official-Language Communities Program. This program aims to foster the development of Canada’s minority Anglophone and Francophone communities and enable them to participate fully in all aspects of Canadian life.

Quotes

“Thanks to our investment, these recipient organizations will be more able to provide rich cultural experiences to British Columbia’s residents and visitors. We are re-affirming our Government’s commitment to supporting arts, culture, and heritage across Canada.”

—The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages

“Heritage House has published books by Canadian authors for 45 years. Along with its affiliates, TouchWood Editions and Rocky Mountain Books, we have introduced over 500 new titles in the past two decades. This achievement would not have been possible without the vital contribution of Canada Book Fund initiatives that support our editorial efforts, technology training, and export marketing. These initiatives will aid our Surrey-based distribution centre deliver over 400,000 books across North America this year.”

—Rodger Touchie, President and Publisher, Heritage House Publishing Co. Ltd.