CITY OF VANCOUVER
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: |
November 4, 2003 | |
Author: |
Alice Niwinski | |
Phone No.: |
604 871 6007 | |
RTS No.: |
03760 | |
CC File No.: |
2051 | |
Meeting Date: |
November 18, 2003 |
TO: |
Vancouver City Council |
FROM: |
Director, Office of Cultural Affairs |
SUBJECT: |
Grant request: Downtown Eastside Community Play |
CONSIDERATION
That Council approve a grant of $12,000 to Vancouver Moving Theatre for the Downtown Eastside Community play, source of funds to be unallocated funds in the Celebration Grants budget.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services submits the foregoing for CONSIDERATION.
COUNCIL POLICY
Approval of grant recommendations requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE
This report presents a recommendation for a one-time grant to Vancouver Moving Theatre for the Downtown Eastside Community Play.
BACKGROUND
Together with the Carnegie Centre Association, Vancouver Moving Theatre is producing a unique community play, In the Heart of a City, to celebrate the Carnegie Centre's 100th anniversary. In presenting the story of the Downtown Eastside's peoples, history and culture, the play has mobilized a cross-section of artists, organizations, and residents from the area, encompassing Gastown, Chinatown, Strathcona, Main and Hastings, Japantown and Victory Square. Its year-long development process included nine weeks of rehearsal and will culminate in eight performances starting on November 27th.
Although the organizers have raised $151,000 of the projected budget of $178,000 from all three levels of government and the private sector (not including in-kind contributions), additional funds are needed to address priority needs in the areas of production personnel; sets, light and sound equipment; and documentation. The organizers have asked the City for assistance with addressing these needs, requesting a grant of $12,000. Last year Council approved a Cultural grant of $10,000 towards the research, outreach and development costs for the play. This year, due to pressures on the Cultural grants budget, the City provided a smaller Cultural grant of $3,000 to help with production and presentation costs.
DISCUSSION
In the Heart of a City is a good illustration of the role that collaborative creative partnerships between artists and community members can play in articulating a community's interests, issues and collective experience. It has provided natural opportunities to build new relationships among different segments of the community: among people of different cultures and ages, and among local agencies and arts organizations. The end result promises to be a valuable experience for local and city-wide audiences, and an affirmation of the creative abilities that exist in the Downtown Eastside.
To help ensure a fully successful realization of the play, staff recommend that Council approve an additional grant to Vancouver Moving Theatre in support of the upcoming production of the DTES Community play. As discussed in the Financial Implications section, the unallocated balance of $16,000 in the 2003 Celebration Grant budget would be the source of funds.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
As a result of the late cancellation of the First Night Celebration for 2003, there is a balance of $16,000 in the Celebration grants budget. Staff note that, although the DTES Community play is an event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Carnegie Centre, as a performing arts activity, it would not normally be reviewed in the Celebration grants process. However, given the need, scale and importance of this event for the City, staff recommend that the unallocated balance in the Celebration Grants budget be the source of an exceptional, ad hoc grant of $12,000 to Vancouver Moving Theatre, to assist with the costs of producing the Community Play. Approval would leave an unallocated balance of $4,000 in the Celebration Grants budget.
CONCLUSION
In the Heart of a City, the first community play of this type and scale to take place in Vancouver, will be a highlight event for the Downtown Eastside. At the same time, the project's outreach process, its community skill building, and the valuable experience it has given artists interested in working with communities, have paved the way for future activity of this kind. The Strathcona Research Group is conducting an assessment of the project, and this will be a resource for artists, social agencies and others interested in pursuing this type of community cultural development.
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