The following letter was sent to Minister of Arts, Tourism and Culture Kevin Krueger and copied to Coast Reporter.
On behalf of the hundreds of cultural volunteers on the Sunshine Coast who make possible the Festival of the Written Arts, the music festivals, the Arts Centre, the dance and drama societies, I want to tell you that we are deeply offended by your characterization of those in the arts community who protest your policies as "vicious" and acting like "needle-wielding junkies."
Your government tries to control the B.C. Arts Council by denying it the arms length relationship from government found in other provinces. Next, it arbitrarily slashed funding without notice twice in the past two years. Finally it tied $10 million funding to mandated "Spirit Festivals" to be held for the next three Februaries.
You were smart to listen to the so-called "junkies" and shift $7 million back to the Arts Council of B.C. to distribute last week.
Now about this Spirit Festival idea, why not visit the Sunshine Coast? You will find plenty of spirit here for arts, tourism and culture, and we know how to do it without your ministry telling us how and when.
Sheila Page
Sechelt
