“I explain it this way: arts grants fund the R&D wing of our cultural operations. Just like research and development in the scientific community, this allows for new methodologies and new strategies to be investigated without having to turn a profit. But in science, experimentation is a valued part of the process. When an artist is called “experimental,” it’s often derogatory. There’s this idea that if it’s not understandable to a mass audience or a layperson, it’s fraudulent.
– Jim Munroe, in defence of arts grants in Eye Magazine
With a federal election rapidly closing in, Canada is at a cultural crossroads. Just because culture isn’t being talked about, doesn’t mean it’s not in danger. In fact it means the exact opposite.
Some of our most cherished institutions are in danger. Public broadcasting, arts grants and generally a view that goes beyond the ‘bottom line’ have always been the hallmarks of a civilized society, distinctly Canadian and unfortunately something we’re taking for granted.
As I posted yesterday (very briefly), the Conservative Party of Canada has made it clear that they would be willing to privatize certain portions of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), our national broadcaster and biggest weapon in the fight for Canadian culture. In a news conference on May 18th in Winnipeg, Conservative leader Stephen Harper is quoted as saying about the CBC:
“And I think when you look at things like main English-language television and probably to a lesser degree Radio Two, you could look there at putting those on a commercial basis.”
To talk of Canadian culture has become an enigmatic joke among Canadians. We struggle to define exactly what Canadian culture ‘is’ but we are never at a loss when explaining what it ‘is not’. Our Canadianism is often described as ‘not being American’. While I think this is definitely short of the mark, it is a good place to start. We as a country have made a lot of ground toward defining ourselves against the shadow of the American mono-culture exported around the globe and it has much to do with government funding of the arts.
Without strict Canadian Content rules there would be no Canadian music industry. Dictating to radio stations that they must play a certain amount of Canadian music everyday may seem draconian to an outsider, but without it the world wouldn’t have Brian Adams, Celine Dione or Avril Lavigne (okay – I may not be helping my argument with these artists but you get my meaning.)
These Canadian stars of the world stage didn’t just spring from nowhere. As Jim Munroe points out in his latest piece in Toronto’s Eye Magazine:
“But mass culture doesn’t spring from a vacuum. The arts and the sciences are both communal activities — everyone’s building on and reacting to the stuff around them. So that neat camerawork in a blockbuster summer movie was inspired by some more obscure film the director saw, which in turn was inspired by an underground photo exhibit, which in turn was inspired by something else… but only the person at the end of the chain of inspiration gets paid — the guy at the head of the line is the only one who isn’t invisible.”
Chandrasutra (as usual) expresses the dangers of dismantling Canadian public arts institutions much better than I can:
“But in these times of corporate media monopolies, public broadcasting bodies all over the world are fighting for survival. Without a public voice, our Canadian heritage and culture will take a back seat to commercial and corporate interests.”
Inspired by the I Believe in the BBC campaign created by Bloggerheads, Chandrasutra and I have created our own blogging tool to support of the Public Airwaves campaign to fight for a public CBC.
If you want to keep the CBC strong and free from private interests, then take part and vote for a stronger CBC. Click on this link and send an email to the leaders of the Canadian political parties, telling them to keep the CBC in public hands.
When you’ve done that, announce your support by placing the image on the left prominently on your website or blog. Grab the code below and drop into your page. The code links the image to the stronger CBC petition page, so your readers will know that you support the CBC and they’ll have a chance to show their support.
Grab this code:
Spread the word. Blog about, tell your friends and tell us. Trackback to this post or send an email to me here: odonnellliam[AT]hotmail[DOT]com .
Help keep the CBC in public hands and Canadian arts strong, funded and Canadian.
