BC Arts Council grants are being distributed throughout the province. $223,264 in funding will benefit organizations in the Nelson-Creston riding including the following:
- West Kootenay Regional Arts Council: $24,000
- BC Touring Council: $86,100
- Langham Cultural Society: $20,700
- Nelson & District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery And Historical Society: $28,320
- Nelson Fine Art Centre Society (Oxygen Art Centre): $20,700
- Creston & District Historical & Museum Society: $20,000
- Nelson & District Arts Council: $19,217
- Creston, Community Arts Council Of: $4,227
The funding is meant to create new programs that encourage more inclusivity and accessibility in the creative sector. That also includes programs that support emerging Indigenous artists. Nelson-Creston MLA Michelle Mungall states “creative expression is important in the lives of healthy individuals and is at the heart of healthy communities.”
This year’s Provincial budget announced an additional $15 million over the next three years to the BC Arts Council, bringing its annual budget to $34 million in 2019-20.