Final push to support the arts in city budget
In a last ditch effort to keep the arts alive in London, Ont., major arts organizations have banded together to ask for a larger piece of the city’s budget pie, or for council to find other ways to support the arts.
At Museum London, the situation is dire, according to Executive Director Julie Bevan.
“What it means for the museum is that we have to find ways to make cuts, reduce services, and ultimately it will involve staff layoffs,” she said.
Museum London is part of a coalition of arts organizations expressing concern about the city’s budget, as the budget process winds down towards final approval.
“Knowing that we have existing commitments to London-based artists, to organizations, to school children - we’ve got programs booked through the year. We don’t have flexibility within our budget to make reductions in terms of operations,” said Bevan.
In a letter to city council, the group is calling for councillors to explore shared or in-kind services to support the organizations.
Julie Bevan, executive director of Museum London, seen on Feb. 26, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
“This letter specifically addresses how we can partner with the city in a better way to provide better information so they can make informed decisions in a better way, not based on their own bias,” explained London Arts Council Executive Director Eunju Yi.
Janet Antone, who serves as the London Art’s Council’s Speciality for Cultivating Allyships, said the city is not living up to its commitment to truth and reconciliation.
“The arts play a direct connection to that through colonization. And with the implementation of residential schools arts and culture was one of the first things that was stripped of us,” said Antone.
In the 2024 budget, the Grand Theatre sees no increase to its funding. The London Arts Council sees an increase of $115,000 to the base funding it has received for more than two decades. The London Public Library receives an extra $5.8 million in one-time funding to stave off library closures. Museum London sees an increase of 3.9 per cent, short of the 8.1 per cent it sought.
“What we asked for is just the money we need to maintain our existing services,” said Bevan.
The tax hike currently sits at 8.7 per cent. The public has one final chance to weigh in with a public participation meeting on the budget set for Tuesday at London City Hall beginning at 4:00 p.m.
Eunju Yi, executive director of the London Arts Council, seen on Feb. 26, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6976926.1721883767!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
AS IT HAPPENED Wildfire reaches Jasper Wednesday night, causes 'significant loss'
One of two wildfires threatening Jasper National Park reached the townsite Wednesday night and caused 'significant loss.'
Alberta calls in army to assist with wildfire situation
Alberta has called in the Canadian Armed Forces to help assist with the worsening wildfire situation in the province.
Biden explains why he ended re-election bid in Oval Office address
U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday delivered a solemn call to voters to defend the country's democracy as he laid out in an Oval Office address his decision to drop his bid for reelection and throw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Norad intercepts Russian and Chinese bombers operating together near Alaska in apparent first
The North American Aerospace Defence Command (Norad) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska Wednesday in what appears to be the first time the two countries have been intercepted while operating together.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Vacations, meals, booze: Contractor used $100K of charity's money for personal expenses, B.C. court finds
A B.C. man who was hired to help a non-profit build a food hub but instead spent the money on personal expenses – including travel, restaurants, booze and cannabis – has been ordered to pay more than $120,000 in damages.
Male, female killed, 2 others injured in 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.