(File photo/Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

Arts and Culture Sector Recovery

Arts funding to benefit Vernon/North Okanagan groups

Apr 1, 2022 | 1:59 PM

The arts and culture sector in Vernon and the North Okanagan will benefit from new provincial investments.

The B.C. Government is committing $7.9 million to the B.C. Arts Council to assist over 300 organizations across the province with their operations and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Three local groups are COVID-19 Resilience Recipients through this program: the Arts Council of the North Okanagan ($24,000), the Greater Vernon Museum Archives ($24,000) and the Vernon Public Art Gallery ($25,600).

The province is also allocating $4.5 million to top up the Arts Impact Grant program, which enables applicants to prioritize activities that provide the greatest and most meaningful impact to their organization, practice or community.

Two local societies are benefiting from the Arts Impact Grants: the Okanagan Screen Arts Society ($15,670) and the Caetani Cultural Centre Society ($30,000).

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“We are so lucky in the North Okanagan to have arts and culture organizations and museums that do such incredible work engaging and enriching our communities,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee.

“And I’m grateful that our government is there to support them with regular funding as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic. I’ve recently visited the Vernon Public Art Galley with my colleagues, and have visited the museum as an MLA and with my children. I look forward to visiting again soon.”

The province said the B.C. Art Council’s budget is at a record high of $39.6 million, which can be used to support more than 600 organizations and hundreds of artists and cultural practitioners in British Columbia.

“We know the hardships and severe impacts artists and creative people have faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.

“This additional funding responds to a call to action to empower people to overcome challenges brought on by the pandemic. We know that this funding is crucial for B.C. artists and cultural organizations to begin their road to economic recovery and to rebuild a thriving and dynamic sector that supports our communities’ economic and social well-being throughout B.C.”