Lək̓ʔəŋən [LEKWUNGEN] TERRITORY / VICTORIA, B.C. — Leader of the BC Greens and candidate for Saanich North and the Islands Emily Lowan and BC Greens candidate for Cowichan Valley and film maker Justin Douglas, alongside B.C. actors, announced the party’s plan to support B.C. artists, protect local venues and make it easier to film, perform and create here.
“Arts and culture are frequently underfunded and unsupported by all levels of government,” said Lowan. “Systemic under-investment and the crushing cost-of-living crisis has led to the closure of beloved community arts spaces and downward pressure on the artists who make this province vibrant.”
“I know first hand how hard it is to make it in the entertainment industry in this province,” said Douglas. “It’s time government recognized the cultural and economic value of investing in the arts.”
British Columbia is home to a vibrant and diverse Arts and Culture industry, fueling over 88,000 jobs and $8.3 billion in output.
“From music and sound recording to motion picture development and theatre, BC’s creative ecosystem has the potential to be a leader in multiple artistic endeavors,” said Lowan. “With the affordability crisis and the rapid proliferation of AI, government must move beyond a simplistic cost/benefit analysis. Investment in this sector’s work, and the labour of artists, can collectively shift our priorities and improve our economic and collective health in ways we have yet to imagine.”
Douglas concluded: “it’s time to make the B.C. the easiest place in the country to create jobs, develop inspiring projects, and fuel the arts. That’s why the BC Greens will roll out the red carpet, and cut the red tape, on the arts and culture sector.”
The BC Greens will:
- Make BC the easiest place in North America to actually get a permit and start rolling cameras, by working across all levels of government to ensure faster location approvals and simplified studio-use rules across all of BC’s production hubs.
- Create a dedicated “small live venue” licence class, with lower fees and simpler zoning for smaller venues booking local artists.
- Increase the annual BC Arts Council budget by over 50% to $65 million to enhance support for arts and culture initiatives.
- Collaborate with sector professionals to identify and develop legislative responses to the impacts of AI on the creative sector.
Please click here to read our full Arts and Culture policy brief.
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Media contact
Prym Goodacre, Media & Campaigns Officer
+778 650 0597
newsroom@bcgreens.ca