Office of the Premier

Government releases Cultural Policy for New Brunswick (02/02/02)

NB 176

Feb. 27, 2002

FREDERICTON (CNB) - Premier Bernard Lord unveiled today a new Cultural Policy for New Brunswick that will enable all partners in the arts and heritage sectors to share a common vision for the development of culture in our province.

With this comprehensive framework, the culture budget will increase from $5,623,000 in 2001-2002 to $8,443,000 in 2004-2005, with an addition of $1.2 million in 2002-2003.

Premier Bernard Lord. (150 dpi image) Video- Quicktime Movie (1) (2)  Microsoft ASF (1) (2),   Audio - Quicktime (1) (2) (3) - (more audio/video)

"For the first time, New Brunswick has a clear and comprehensive direction for the cultural sector and consensus to work for its protection, development and sustainability," Lord said. "The Cultural Policy is part of Greater Opportunity: New Brunswick's Prosperity Plan, where we recognize that cultural industries are important to our quality of life and to the economic prosperity of our province."

Based on four interrelated pillars, the policy addresses: Culture in Everyday Life; Professional Artists and Cultural Professionals; Our Collective Heritage; and Culture and the Economy.

With the goals that address each pillar, the Cultural Policy for New Brunswick will:

• Improve access to and awareness of culture in New Brunswick, increase participation in cultural activities and increase the cultural educational opportunities within New Brunswick's education system.



• Encourage excellence in the work of artists and cultural professionals and uphold the principle of freedom of expression.



• Preserve New Brunswick's culture and its cultural resources.



• Maximize the economic benefits of culture in order to improve New Brunswick's position in the global economy.

As part of the launch of the first of its kind cultural policy in New Brunswick, Lord announced three specific initiatives representing a $460,000 investment this year.

Three major initiatives were announced for arts organizations and associations, professional artists, and the museum community in 2002-03. An amount of $210,000 will be invested in Arts Organization Development to assist arts organizations and associations achieve long-term stability.

The principle of arm's-length funding and peer evaluation will be enhanced by $150,000 additional funding for professional artists through the New Brunswick Arts Board Program Grants.

Finally, there will be an investment of $100,000 for Development of a New Brunswick model for a Museum Network to address the roles and responsibilities of provincial community heritage institutions, in consultation with the museum community, and to initiate the implementation of the network.

"With the input of our partners in the arts and heritage sectors, and many stakeholders, a common vision has been achieved," said Education Minister Dennis Furlong, Minister responsible for the Culture and Sport Secretariat. "We are putting in place initiatives to continue the growth and development of the arts and heritage in New Brunswick."

A working group, composed of a cross-section of the arts and heritage communities, worked with government to assist in defining policy directions and to identify key initiatives.

The report can be found online at: http://www.gnb.ca/culture.

02/02/27

EDITOR'S NOTE: A backgrounder and fact sheets on the initiative are attached. MEDIA CONTACTS: Amanda Harpelle or Étienne Allard, communications, Office of the Premier, 506-453-2144.

Cultural Policy for New Brunswick
Backgrounder
Background Chronology

• Since the late 1980s, the cultural community has been asking government to establish a cultural policy that will set a direction for New Brunswick's cultural sector. Although several policy papers were written and adopted, and have served as segments of a cultural policy, no single comprehensive policy has ever been approved in New Brunswick.



• In June 2001, officials from the Culture and Sport Secretariat conducted focused discussions with stakeholders of the cultural community.



• Following consultations, the minister responsible for the Culture and Sport Secretariat established a working group comprised of stakeholders from the cultural community and officials from the secretariat. The minister gave the working group a mandate to review the cultural policy and make recommendations to address concerns and issues of the cultural community. Committee members from the cultural community represented heritage, First Nations, museums, the NB Arts Board, the NB Museum, professional artists, art associations, community groups, the private sector arts community, and academia.

• The working group reviewed the policy with discussion of sensitive issues involving a great deal of collaboration by all members. As a result of this process, the working group reached a consensus on the Cultural Policy.



• A revised policy document was accepted by government in January 2002, with announcement of the Cultural Policy for New Brunswick by Premier Bernard Lord on Feb. 27, 2002.

Summary

The Cultural Policy is a tool to enable the Government of New Brunswick and all the partners in the arts and heritage sectors to share a common vision for the development of culture in our province. The policy belongs to all New Brunswickers, from professional artists and heritage professionals to individuals, school children, volunteers, organizations, associations and communities.

In order for the Government of New Brunswick to play a consistent and valuable role in the cultural sector, it must have broad cultural policy objectives and priorities through which it can formulate specific initiatives. To that end, the Cultural Policy provides a framework to clarify government's mandate and priorities.

The policy's vision, mission, beliefs, and guiding principles describe the foundation upon which the goals and strategies are established. The goals and strategies, in turn, identify the Province's mandate, with respect to culture and the general directions to be pursued.

Cultural Policy Pillars

The policy is developed along four pillars, each pillar depending on the strength of the others, with strategies to support the goal.

1. Culture in Everyday Life

Goals:

-To improve access to and awareness of culture in NB and to increase participation in cultural activities.

-To increase the cultural educational opportunities within New Brunswick's education system.

2. Professional Artists and Cultural Professionals

Goal: To encourage excellence in the work of artists and cultural professionals and to uphold the principle of freedom of expression.

3. Our Collective Heritage

Goal: To preserve New Brunswick's culture and its cultural resources.

4. Culture and the Economy

Goal: To maximize the economic benefits of culture in order to improve New Brunswick's position in the global economy.

Government Investment in Culture

The Government of New Brunswick's annual investment in culture will be increased by $2.8 million at the end of three years, with an increase of $1.2 million in the first year. This will represent a total investment of 6.1 million new dollars in the cultural sector over the next three years.

Initiatives:

A series of initiatives will be announced in the next weeks and months, including:

Arts Organizations Development: The current funding model will be evaluated and adjustments made to the funding formula based on the results of the review. The establishment of an Arts and Heritage Stabilization Program for New Brunswick will be actively pursued in partnership with Canadian Heritage, the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation, and the private sector to help stabilize major arts organizations.

NB Arts Board Program Grants: Enhancement of the principle of arm's length funding and peer evaluation for professional artists.

Planning of the Museum Network: Initiation of planning and the start of implementation of the Network, addressing the relationship between heritage institutions and the roles and responsibilities of various partners. It will also identify collaborative opportunities, in consultation with the museum community.

Fact Sheet
Arts Organizations and Associations Development
($210,000 in 2002-03)
Background

The Culture and Sport Secretariat through the Arts Development Branch administers programs to arts organizations and associations. Presently, these grants are allocated to 19 professional organizations, 10 provincial community arts organizations, and one professional artists' association. In the last years, new organizations, associations and initiatives have emerged, which also require operational funding.

The infusion of this new funding for the development of the arts sector will be managed strategically. In the next fiscal year, an evaluation to measure the existing funding program will be conducted and modifications made to the funding formula based on the results of this review.

New initiatives, such as the development of a Stabilisation Program for New Brunswick in partnership with Canadian Heritage, the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation, and New Brunswick's private sector will be pursued. These initiatives will help sustain our arts organizations and associations, and support artistic creation and excellence.

This additional funding will assist New Brunswick arts organizations and associations to adapt and thrive in a changing environment and to achieve long-term viability. Thus, they will continue to contribute to the growth and development of our cultural community.

Fact Sheet
Additional funding to the New Brunswick Arts Board
($150,000 in 2002-03)
Background

The arm's-length New Brunswick Arts Board administers eight core granting programs for professional artists. All grants are awarded by artist juries on the basis of artistic excellence. In 2001-2002 these juries will award a total of $528,000 to professional New Brunswick artists and to post-secondary students enrolled in arts training. In addition, the board recently introduced a $60,000 pilot program for aboriginal arts.

Implementation

The base funding provided to the New Brunswick Arts Board will be increased by $150,000 in 2002-03. In 2001 the Arts Board undertook a full program review and developed proposals for new funding provided as part of the cultural policy initiatives. This additional base funding, while it does not address all the needs, will strengthen the Arts Board's programs for artistic creation, arts scholarships and professional development over the coming years. This announcement represents an important step in the Board's three-year plan to raise the profile of the arts in New Brunswick both at home and outside the province, and it builds upon the Province's successful introduction in 2000 of an arm's length peer-review system for arts funding.

With these additional dollars, the professional artists of New Brunswick and those studying for cultural professions will have access to essential new resources. Investing in New Brunswick artists through the independent Arts Board enhances their capacity to help realize to New Brunswick's full cultural and economic potential.

Fact Sheet
Development of a model for a
Museum Network for New Brunswick
($100,000 in 2002-03)

Background

The Province of New Brunswick directly funds and operates a number of key heritage institutions. This entire group of large and small institutions and societies (over 80 groups) has been functioning over many years without a system in place to help clarify roles and responsibilities of the province with respect to its involvement or level and type of support.

Implementation

The secretariat will develop, in consultation with the community, a New Brunswick model for a Museum Network. The model will show how the larger institutions can better support the community, and how the province will establish the level and type of support it provides to museums and historical societies.

The first year of implementation will allow for the funding of the development of the model and the consultation process that is critical to the success of the initiative, and funding for the initial implementation of the model.

The model will formalize a relationship between the various provincial institutions while balancing their roles and responsibilities with the valuable contributions of the 80+ community museums, associations and societies.

Subsequent years of Cultural Policy implementation will see additional funds going to the community to help develop their strengths and to leverage other funding programs that are available to museums.

02/02/27