With a late afternoon sun streaming through the windows of the BC Legislative Assembly, I watched as Martha Wade, executive director of the BC Alliance for Arts and Culture, made her way to the microphone. The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services sat arrayed before her, some members already looking weary after a full day of budget consultation presentations.
“The current funding model is unsustainable,” Wade declared, her voice steady despite the frustration evident in her posture. “BC artists are leaving the province in unprecedented numbers.”
This moment captured the growing tension between British Columbia’s arts community and provincial funding priorities as the committee collects public input for the 2026 budget cycle. Behind the polite formalities of the consultation process lies an increasingly urgent situation for the province’s cultural sector.
The alliance, representing over 400 arts organizations across BC, presented stark figures showing provincial arts funding has remained essentially frozen for nearly two decades when adjusted for inflation. Their analysis indicates per capita arts funding in BC hovers around $7 compared to Quebec’s $19 – a statistic that drew audible murmurs from committee members.
“We’re not just talking about paintings on walls,” Wade emphasized during our conversation after her presentation. “This is about economic development, community wellbeing, and maintaining BC’s competitive edge in creative industries.”
The numbers support her case. Arts and culture contribute approximately $7.9 billion annually to BC’s GDP according to Statistics Canada data, employing over 98,000 British Columbians – more than forestry, mining, and oil and gas extraction combined.
Yet despite these economic impacts, the BC Arts Council’s core funding has remained virtually unchanged since 2008 when adjusted for inflation and population growth. The council’s 2024-25 base budget sits at $39.6 million, an amount the alliance describes as “woefully inadequate” compared to similar jurisdictions.
When I spoke with Kevin Williams, artistic director of the Nanaimo Arts Collective, he described the real-world impact of the funding shortfall. “We’ve lost three staff members to Ontario and Quebec in the past year alone. They didn’t want to leave BC, but they simply couldn’t make ends meet here. Every artist I know works multiple jobs just to survive.”
The budget consultation hearings revealed other concerning trends. Many smaller communities outside the Lower Mainland report their cultural organizations facing potential closure. In Prince George, the local symphony recently reduced its season by two concerts, while a prominent gallery in Kelowna has cut its community outreach programming by 40%.
“It’s becoming a cultural desert in some regions,” said Regional District of East Kootenay representative Sarah Mitchell during the hearings. “When we lose these cultural institutions, we lose a piece of our community identity.”
The alliance’s presentation to the committee included three key recommendations: increase BC Arts Council base funding to $65 million annually, create a dedicated infrastructure fund for cultural facilities, and establish tax incentives to encourage private sector support.
Government response has been measured. Finance Committee Chair Janet Peterson acknowledged the economic case for arts funding but noted competing priorities. “Every sector that appears before us makes compelling arguments for increased funding,” she told me. “Our challenge is balancing these needs within fiscal constraints.”
Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport spokesperson Rebecca Chen pointed to recent one-time funding injections, including a $5.3 million boost announced last year. However, arts advocates counter that temporary funding fails to provide the stability needed for long-term planning and growth.
“One-time grants don’t allow us to retain staff or develop multi-year programming,” explained Williams. “We need predictable, sustainable funding to build capacity.”
The issue has sparked broader conversations about British Columbia’s cultural identity and economic future. A recent poll by Insights West found 76% of BC residents believe arts and culture are important to their community’s wellbeing, while 68% support increased government funding for the sector.
“This isn’t just about supporting artists,” said Wade. “It’s about what kind of province we want to be. Do we value creativity, innovation, and cultural expression? The budget will tell us.”
The standoff comes at a time when neighboring Alberta recently announced a $100 million investment in their provincial arts foundation, creating what some fear could become a talent drain from BC.
Local business leaders have also joined the chorus supporting increased arts funding. Vancouver Board of Trade chair Patricia Mohr highlighted the connection between cultural vibrancy and economic growth. “Companies looking to relocate consider quality of life factors, including cultural amenities,” she noted in a recent op-ed supporting the alliance’s position.
As the consultation process continues through November, the alliance has launched a public awareness campaign encouraging citizens to contact their MLAs about arts funding. They’ve collected over 15,000 signatures on a petition urging government action.
For now, the future of BC’s arts sector remains uncertain as artists and cultural workers await the committee’s recommendations and the subsequent budget announcement in February. What is clear is that the decisions made will have lasting implications for British Columbia’s cultural landscape and creative economy.
Wade’s parting words to the committee seemed to hang in the air long after she left the microphone: “A province that neglects its cultural sector neglects its soul. The question isn’t whether we can afford to increase arts funding – it’s whether we can afford not to.”
