Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Vancouver City Council

FROM:

Director of the Office of Cultural Affairs

SUBJECT:

2002 Cultural Grant Requests: Diversity Initiatives and Community Play Project

 

RECOMMENDATIONS


GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report reviews and presents recommendations on one special Project and six Diversity Initiatives grant requests.

SUMMARY

Staff have reviewed the six applications received for the October deadline for Diversity Initiatives grants and are recommending funding as listed in Table 1.

Table 1
Recommendations
2002 Diversity Initiatives Grants: 2nd Deadline

Organization

Activity

Request

Recommen.

Coastal Jazz & Blues Soc.

mentorship

$5,000

$5,000

Satellite Video Exchange Soc.

residency

$9,445

$5,000

Soc. for Disability Arts & Culture

development project

$10,000

$0

Urban Crawl Performance Soc.

development project

$7,000

$0

Van. Dance Centre Soc.

residency

$10,000

$5,000

Visceral Visions*

development project

$6,000

$4,000

TOTAL

  

$47,445

$19,000

*Sponsored by A Western Theatre Conspiracy Society

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Staff have also reviewed Vancouver Moving Theatre's $10,000 grant request for the community play that the company is co-ordinating in the Downtown Eastside to celebrate the Carnegie Centre's 100th anniversary. Approval of the full amount is recommended.

BACKGROUND

Diversity Initiatives Grants:

Six applications were received for the October 4, 2002 deadline of the Diversity Initiatives grant program, which supports artistic development in distinct communities (as defined by race, ethnicity or disability). The program includes grants for the following types of activities:
· Artistic leadership training: for internships and mentorships in the areas of curation, artistic direction and artistic production.
· Artistic development projects: for projects contributing to the development of a professionally led arts group from one or more distinct communities, as articulated in a long-term plan. Applicants are eligible for up to three grants in this category, subject to successful completion of previously funded projects.

· Cross-cultural artistic residencies: for residencies for artists from distinct communities, hosted by a non-profit society from a mainstream or other distinct community and including a community outreach component.

Community Play Project:

As a result of the "Artists and Communities" pilot program that the City co-sponsored in 1998 with the Canada Council and other funding agencies, the Project grant category now includes guidelines for evaluating this type of partnership between artists and community members engaged in a collaborative creative process that results in a public presentation. In addition to the general evaluation criteria for Project grants, proposals are assessed for artistic interest, the strength of the proposed collaborative process, and the merits of a project as a vehicle for public expression of community interests and collective experience. Vancouver Moving Theatre's request for assistance with community play it is co-ordinating in the Downtown Eastside has been reviewed in the context of these guidelines.

DISCUSSION

Diversity Initiative Requests:

As summarized in Table 1 and detailed in this section, staff are recommending approval of four of the six Diversity Initiatives grant requests reviewed in this report.

Coastal Jazz and Blues Society

The society, producers of the Vancouver Jazz Festival, will provide a six-month mentorship to Robert Benaroya, artistic producer of the Caravan World Rhythms Society. This organization is an emerging leader in presenting and producing culturally diverse music and dance programs, and building informed audiences for diverse local and international artists. The request is part two of a mentorship plan, following up on previous work with Ballet BC focussed on general management, board development and sponsorship. The current request will strengthen capacity in marketing, membership development and festival production. A grant of $5,000 is recommended.

Satellite Video In Society

A grant of $5,000 is recommended towards an artistic residency by a deaf video artist. The society has hosted deaf video makers through an extensive internship program which bridged a number of technical and social barriers facing video makers from this community. As a next step, this more in-depth residency is designed to enable dialogue with artists and others from the deaf and hearing communities about inclusion and mutual support, and help to inform the creation and distribution of a new work to be completed by the resident artist.

Society for Disability Arts and Culture

The society is requesting an artistic development project grant in pursuit of its mandate to create performances for artists with disabilities. Two previous Diversity grants have supported projects intended to develop the organization's artistic and organizational capacity. However, staff note that the applicant has not provided a long-term development plan contextualizing the current project's role in the organization's development. Such a plan is a requirement of second or third-time grant applications in this category, and is especially important given the difficulties the society experienced in carrying out its previous project as it was originally planned. Since the current proposal does not meet the requirements or objectives for Diversity Initiatives funding, a grant is not recommended at this time.

Urban Crawl Performance Society

This artistic collective has requested a grant for the second (production) phase of Maharajah's Daughter, a multidisciplinary work based in early 20th century India. The first (creation) phase of the project was supported by a Diversity Initiatives grant in 2001. Staff note that the applicant, a recently incorporated group, has not articulated the production's role in the group's evolution, nor provided a long-term development plan for the organization, which is a requirement of second or third-time applications in this Diversity Initiatives grant category. Staff are not recommending funding, but have advised the Urban Crawl Society that it is eligible to apply for a 2003 Project grant for this initiative.

Vancouver Dance Centre

The Centre has applied for assistance with a cross-cultural artistic residency for Byron Chief Moon and his Coyote Arts Percussive Performance Association. The residency will include the development of a new work, Quest, and a series of workshops and public rehearsals designed to build bridges between this Aboriginal arts organization and the public at large. Coyote Arts' manager will also have the opportunity to work on the administrative infrastructure of the Association, assisted by experienced staff at the Dance Centre. A grant of $5,000 is recommended.

Visceral Visions (Western Theatre Conspiracy Society)

Visceral Visions company, under the auspices of Western Theatre Conspiracy Society, has applied for assistance with its first production, The Malaysia Hotel. In keeping with the company's mandate to champion diverse artistic voices that struggle to be heard, the play addresses such issues as appropriation, immigration policies and prostitution. While the company is new, the artists involved are experienced. Staff recommend a grant of $4,000 for this initiative.

Vancouver Moving Theatre Society

Vancouver Moving Theatre is co-ordinating the development of a play for and about the residents of the Downtown Eastside in collaboration with the Carnegie Centre, DTES residents, artists and a range of cultural organizations. The play, which will highlight the rich history of the area and the interests of its current residents, will be presented in November 2003 as part of the celebrations planned for the Carnegie Centre's 100th Anniversary. The collaborative process involved is necessarily an intensive one, beginning with research, interviews and story development, continuing with the creation of sets, props and costumes, and involving community members in the production itself, helping to build links among community members and add to community pride.

At the same time, the society is co-ordinating provision of rehearsal spaces, finding equipment and materials, and securing the necessary funds. To date $47,500 has been confirmed, and further funding is being sought, for example from the Canada Council. The proposal meets the Project Grant criteria for Artist in Community projects by providing clear plan for collaboration, by bringing experienced artists into the process, and by demonstrating the support of community partners essential to fostering a collective experience and public expression. A Project Grant of $10,000 is recommended.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Diversity Initiatives:

Of the $50,000 earmarked for Diversity Initiatives component of the 2002 Cultural Grants budget, a balance of $19,000 is available to address requests received for the October deadline. Approval of the four grants recommended in this reports will leave no unallocated balance.

Community Play:

Funds to address Vancouver Moving Theatre's request for assistance with the Downtown Eastside community play are available in the 2002 Cultural Grants budget because a conditional $10,000 Cultural grant approved for the Canadian Craft Museum (CCM) was not paid out when the institution ceased operations earlier this year. Reallocation of these funds to Vancouver Moving Theatre will leave no unallocated balance in the Operating and Project grant categories of the 2002 Cultural grants budget.

CONCLUSION

With the approval of the grant recommendations in this report, nine projects will have been supported through the Diversity Initiatives program this year, including three mentorships, three residencies and three development projects. Staff have been working to expand awareness about the program in different distinct communities, and the fact that four of this year's initiatives involve First Nations artists is an encouraging indication of the program's current accessibility and value.

* * * * *

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