ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: March 13, 2000
Author/Local: A. Niwinski/6007
RTS No. 01339CC File No. 2051
Council: March 28, 2000
TO:
Vancouver City Council
FROM:
Director, Office of Cultural Affairs
SUBJECT:
2000 Cultural Grants: Operating and Project Grant Allocations
RECOMMENDATION
THAT Council approve 78 Operating Grants amounting to $1,254,500 and 27 Project Grants amounting to $82,000, as listed in Appendix A, for a total of $1,336,500, including conditions on grants where noted. Source of funds to be the 2000 Cultural Grants budget.
COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.
POLICY
Council established the annual civic grants program in March 1978. City Council confirmed the criteria used in assessing Cultural Grant applications on February 3, 1987, and approved the current Cultural Grant categories (Operating, Project, Incentive, and Theatre Rental Grants) on December 14, 1989.
On November 22, 1994, Council approved a new two-step grant approval process whereby undisputed staff recommendations are approved first (and are the subject of this report), while applications under reconsideration are given a second review and are presented to Council at a later date.
Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.
SUMMARY
As listed in Appendix A, this report recommends approval of 105 Operating and Project grants totalling $1,336,500. All recommendations include any advance installments already approved by Council. No requests for reconsideration of Cultural grants were received this year.
In addition, a package including grant criteria, the application form, and the front pages of all applications with staff recommendations was sent to each City Council member in advance.
PURPOSE
This report presents recommendations for 113 Cultural Grant Operating and Project applications reviewed by staff.
BACKGROUND
This year, following the withdrawal of one applicant, 28 Project grant and 85 Operating requests totalling $1,728,000 were received. Project grants are designed to support the activities of arts groups that work on a project by project basis, as well as one-time initiatives. Operating grants are designed to help the city's more established non-profit arts and cultural organizations achieve the financial stability they need to develop and maintain quality programming. To qualify for operating funding, an applicant must have received a civic cultural grant for at least the past two years, and have a track record of competent management, artistic achievement, and ongoing activities in the community. Grants in both categories are available for a wide range of artistic activities based in different cultural traditions.
Following the review of these applications, staff concluded that seven applicants in the Operating category would be more appropriately addressed in Projects, either because they continue to work on a project by project basis, or because they do not have a long or stable track record of civic funding. In total, staff have recommended approval of 78 Operating grants and 27 Project grants, amounting to $1,336,500, with an unallocated balance of $21,000 in the Operating and $8,000 in the Project categories.
Applicants were notified of these recommendations in writing, and none requested reconsideration.
DISCUSSION
A summary of staff recommendations for all 113 applicants, together with the unallocated balance in the adjusted Operating and Project budgets is provided in Table 1, following.
Table 1
Funding Recommendations for Operating and Project Grants
Requested
Recommended
Unallocated Balance
Operating
$1,523,000
$1,254,500
$21,000
Project
$205,000
$82,000
$8,000
Totals
$1,728,000
$1,336,500
$29,000
Criteria
Staff recommendations are based on clearly articulated eligibility and evaluation criteria, including: activity level in Vancouver, artistic merit, organizational competence, diversification of revenue sources, financial need, accessibility to the broader community, and contributions to the health of the cultural sector as a whole. While no automatic inflationary adjustment have been proposed, increases as well as decreases have been recommended. As in the past, a number of grant recommendations to smaller and developing organizations have been made, focussing on support for diversity, artistic innovation, and community access.
A summary of the recommendations in this report compared to those in previous years is provided in Table 2, following.
Table 2
Overview of Recommendations
for Operating and Project Grants
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
Total No. of Groups
113*
131
132
136
143
Not recommended
8
22
25
29
24
Recommended:
105
109
107
107
119
Decreased
13
9
8
9
8
Held at same level
49
70
59
65
60
Increased
33
15
29
19
36
New or not funded last year
10
15
11
14
15
* First Project deadline only.
CONCLUSION
This report is the main report on Operating and Project grants scheduled for 2000. A report covering applications received for the second Project grant deadline will be presented to Council in late July. Reports on other Cultural Grant programs, including Diversity Initiatives, Arts Partners in Organizational Development and 2000/2001 Theatre Rental grants, which are the primary source of civic support for regular users of the Civic Theatres, will be presented later in the year.
- - - - -
APPENDIX A
City of Vancouver Cultural Grants 2000
Operating and Project Applications, Alphabetical List
(Column 1)
(Column 2)
(Column 3)
(Column 4)
Organization Name
Grant
2000
2000
1999
1999 Other
Type
Recomm.
Request
Grant
Civic Support
1
Aboriginal Art and Culture Celebration Soc.
PR
4,000
10,000
4,000
2
Alliance for Arts & Culture Soc. (formerly Van. Cultural Alliance)
OP*
40,000
40,000
39,000
VS
3
Artropolis (A. T. Eight Artropolis Soc.)
PR
7,500
10,000
4
Arts Club of Vancouver Theatre Soc.
OP*
85,000
100,000
75,000
VS
5
Artspeak Gallery Soc.
OP*
10,000
11,000
9,000
6
Astrid Dance Soc.
PR
4,500
8,000
4,000
7
Axis Theatre Soc.
OP*
12,500
15,000
11,500
8
B.C. Book Prizes
(West Coast Book Prize Soc.)OP
3,500
5,000
3,500
9
Ballet B.C. (Pacific Ballet B.C. Soc.)
OP*
80,000
90,000
80,000
TR $61,650
10
Bard on the Beach Theatre Soc.
OP*
9,500
15,000
9,500
VS
11
Barking Sphinx Performance Soc.
PR
0
1,000
12
Battery Opera Peforming Arts Soc.
PR
2,000
5,000
2,000
13
Boca Del Lupo Theatre Soc.
PR
2,500
5,000
14
Burney Ensemble Soc.
PR
1,000
2,000
15
Can. Craft Museum Assn.
OP*
24,000
27,000
24,000
VS
16
Can. Music Centre - B.C.
OP*
11,000
12,000
11,000
17
Carousel Theatre Soc.
OP*
21,000
25,000
19,000
18
Centre Culturel Francophone de Vancouver
PR
3,000
5,000
2,500
19
Chamber Music Festival
(Van. Recital Soc.)OP*
10,000
10,000
10,000
20
Children's Arts Umbrella
OP*
15,000
20,000
15,000
21
Children's Festival (Can. Institute of
the Arts for Young Audiences)OP*
116,500
121,000
116,400
VS
22
Chinese Cultural Centre of Van. (Theatre Group)
PR
3,000
5,000
4,000
CAP $50,000; VS
23
Chor Leoni Men's Choir
OP
1,500
3,000
1,000
BAX $4,100
24
Cineworks Independent Filmmakers Soc.
OP*
15,000
20,000
15,000
VS
25
Coastal Jazz and Blues Soc.
OP*
10,000
30,000
10,000
TR $7,300
26
Contemporary Art Gallery Soc.
OP*
38,000
38,000
38,000
27
DanceArts Vancouver Soc.
OP*
27,000
30,000
27,000
28
Dancing on the Edge Festival Soc.
OP
6,500
6,500
6,000
29
Dragon Boat Festival
(Can. Intl. Dragon Boat Festival Soc.)OP
5,000
10,000
5,000
30
Early Music Vancouver
(Van. Soc. for Early Music)OP*
15,000
17,000
15,000
OD $1,000; VS
31
EDAM Performing Arts Soc.
OP*
10,000
11,000
9,000
32
Edgewise ElectroLit Centre Soc.
PR
1,000
5,000
1,000
33
Electric Company Theatre Soc.
PR
6,000
10,000
5,000
34
Elektra Women's Choir
OP
2,000
2,000
2,000
35
Federation of B.C. Writers
OP
2,500
5,000
2,500
36
Felix Culpa
(Grinning Dragon Theatre Soc.)PR
3,500
6,000
2,000
37
Firehall Theatre Soc.
OP*
37,000
38,000
35,000
DI $10,000; VS
38
Green Thumb Players Soc.
OP*
30,000
32,000
30,000
39
Grunt Gallery - Visible Arts Soc.
OP*
9,000
12,000
8,500
40
Hard Rubber New Music Soc.
PR
2,500
3,000
2,000
41
Headlines Theatre
(Theatre for Living Soc.)OP*
11,500
13,000
11,500
42
Hispanic Community Centre Soc. of BC
PR
0
20,000
43
Holy Body Tattoo Soc.
OP
9,000
14,000
7,000
44
India Music Soc.
OP
2,500
5,000
3,000
45
Intertribal PowWow Committee
(Assn. of Neighbourhood Houses of Greater Van.-Cedar Cottage N.H.)PR
1,500
2,000
1,500
46
Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards Soc.
PR
0
4,000
47
Joe Ink Performance Soc.
PR
6,000
9,000
5,000
48
JumpStart Performance Soc.
OP**
4,000
8,000
6,000
49
Karen Jamieson Dance Soc.
OP
7,000
13,500
13,500
50
Katari Taiko Drum Group Assn.
OP
2,500
2,500
2,500
51
Kokoro Dance Theatre Soc.
OP*
10,000
15,000
10,000
+ one-time supplemental grant
1,500
52
Latino Theatre Group
(VIEW, The Performing Arts Soc.)PR
2,500
5,000
53
Little Chamber Music Series That
Could Soc.OP
1,500
1,500
1,500
54
Lola MacLaughlin Dance Soc.
OP
7,500
7,500
6,500
55
MainDance Projects Soc.
OP
4,000
5,000
4,000
56
Malaspina Printmakers Soc.
OP
4,000
5,000
4,000
57
Mascall Dance Soc.
OP
7,500
10,000
7,500
OD $1,000
58
Modern Baroque Opera Soc.
OP
5,500
9,000
4,000
59
Mortal Coil Performance Soc.
PR
3,000
8,000
60
Moving Images Distribution Soc.
OP*
9,000
10,000
9,000
61
Music in the Morning Concert Soc.
OP
6,500
10,000
6,500
OD $500;
TR $5,700+ one-time supplemental grant
1,000
3,000
62
Native Daughters of B.C., Post No. 1
OP
3,500
6,000
3,500
VS
63
New Orchestra Workshop Soc.
OP
2,500
4,000
2,500
64
New Performance Works Soc.
PR
0
2,000
0
65
Norman Rothstein Theatre
(Westside Theatre Soc.)PR
4,500
5,000
4,500
VS
66
Or Gallery Soc.
OP*
9,000
10,000
9,000
67
Pacific Baroque Orchestra Soc.
OP
3,000
5,000
3,000
OD $1,500
68
Pacific Cinémathèque Pacifique
OP*
20,500
22,000
19,500
OD $250; VS
69
Pacific Theatre
(First Pacific Theatre Soc.)OP
2,500
10,000
1,000
VS
70
Palme's Performing Soc.
PR
1,000
3,500
71
Pink Ink Theatre Productions Assn.
OP*
8,000
12,000
8,500
72
Pitt Gallery (Unit/Pitt Soc. for Arts
and Critical Awareness)OP
7,500
10,000
7,500
73
Playwrights Theatre Centre
OP*
15,000
15,000
15,000
74
Powell Street Festival Soc.
OP
4,000
6,000
9,000
OD $2,000; VS
75
Public Dreams Soc.
OP*
12,500
20,000
12,500
VS
76
Rogue Folk Club (Folk Alliance 2001)
PR
2,500
10,000
77
Ruby Slippers Productions Soc.
OP
7,000
8,000
6,500
78
Rumble Productions Soc.
OP
7,000
7,500
6,000
DI $8,000
79
Satellite Video Exchange Soc.
OP*
16,000
17,000
15,500
80
SMcK Dance Soc.
PR
0
3,000
81
Soc. for A Celebration of Women Composers
PR
500
1,000
82
Spring Break Theatre Festival
(Van. Professional Theatre Alliance)PR
0
4,000
3,500
83
Standing Wave
OP
1,500
2,500
1,500
84
Summer Pops Youth Orchestra
PR
0
5,000
85
Théâtre la Seizième
OP
6,500
12,000
6,000
86
Theatre Terrific Soc.
OP
6,000
10,000
6,000
VS
87
Touchstone Theatre Soc.
OP*
20,000
20,000
20,000
88
Uzume Taiko Drum Group Soc.
OP
7,500
12,000
7,000
BAX $3,950
89
Van. Access Artist Run Centre
PR
2,000
5,000
2,000
90
Van. Asian Heritage Festival Month Soc.
PR
5,000
16,000
3,000
91
Van. Cantata Soc.
OP*
12,000
15,000
14,000
92
Van. Chinese Instrumental Music Soc.
PR
1,000
2,000
93
Van. Co-operative Radio
(Community Radio Edn. Soc.)OP*
8,000
12,000
8,000
CAP $75,000
94
Van. Dance Centre Soc.
OP*
18,000
18,000
15,000
95
Van. East Cultural Centre
OP*
69,000
70,000
67,000
VS
96
Van. Folk Music Festival Soc.
OP*
55,000
55,000
55,000
OD $3,000; VS
97
Van. Fringe Festival
(First Van. Theatrespace Soc.)OP*
31,500
38,000
32,000
98
Van. Intl. Comedy Festival Soc.
OP
7,500
10,000
7,500
99
Van. Intl. Film Festival Soc.
OP*
17,500
25,000
17,500
100
Van. Intl. Writers Festival Soc.
OP*
20,000
22,000
20,000
OD $150
101
Van. Moving Theatre Soc.
PR
2,500
4,000
2,000
102
Van. New Music Soc.
OP*
23,000
25,000
23,000
BAX $5,925
+ one-time supplemental grant
1,500
103
Van. Opera Assn.
OP
14,000
50,000
14,000
TR $292,850
104
Van. Pro Musica
(Pro Musica Soc. of Van.)OP
1,500
2,000
1,500
105
Van. Soc. of Storytelling
OP
4,000
6,500
4,000
106
Van. Summer Festival Soc.
PR
3,500
7,500
4,000
107
Van. Symphony Soc.
OP*
46,000
55,000
46,000
FIN $100,000; TR $597,738
108
Van. Youth Theatre Soc.
OP*
8,000
10,000
10,000
OD $1,000
109
Vetta Chamber Music and Recital Soc.
OP
2,500
3,000
2,500
110
Western Front Soc.
OP*
18,000
20,000
17,500
111
Wild Excursions Productions Soc.
PR
3,500
6,000
5,000
112
Word on the Street Festival
(Van. Book & Magazine Fair Soc.)PR
0
3,000
0
113
World of Children's Choirs
PR
2,500
5,000
Totals
1,336,500
1,728,000
1,297,400
** Conditional grant:
Jumpstart Performance Soc.
Given the reduced level of eligible activity that Jumpstart is planning for the coming year, a decreased grant of $4,000 is recommended. The grant is SUBJECT TO confirmation of the resources to proceed with the development of 2 Tantes.* * * * *
(c) 1998 City of Vancouver