Arts and the City (of Ottawa)

There ought to be a movie poster to go with a title like that.

Someday for that, if I can line up the right models to pose for the shoot. (Yes, this is a call for volunteers.)

Meantime...

From Dwight's photos

There was a meeting at the SAW Gallery two nights ago, this past Wednesday. It was announced on Facebook, a couple of days prior, as a follow-up on the gathering at City Hall on Monday.

(You may never have heard of SAW, so: it's located off of Waller near Daly, behind and under the Arts Court complex next to the Rideau Centre in the Byward Market section of downtown Ottawa. It all used to be the city's main court house. Vancouverites reading this are pre-emptively excused from charges of wrongful accusation if they suspect that Arts Court was based on something that Vancouver did first, as I also suspect it was based on their Art Gallery idea.)

From Dwight's photos

The meeting was a skull session, strategies and tactics for meeting the challenge of a staff budget proposal making the rounds at City Hall with an eye on FY 2009 to contain tax increases by slashing the arts/heritage/cultural support budget very nearly to nothing. Festivals, local museums, art shows and schools...yep, the full range.

It lasted about 90 minutes. Short, lively, and well-attended. You will likely see some of the ideas discussed put into motion between now and December 1st, where City Council will be receiving submissions from the public on why the proposed cuts are either a good or a bad idea.

For myself...well, I've already admitted my biases, else this bit of opinionation wouldn't be posted here. The line item covering the city's support of arts/heritage/culture events and institutions, and grants for specific artists as well, barely makes for what I've heard cited as 0.2 % of the city's budget overall at present.

You've already heard the "One dollar in, twenty-one dollars repaid to the city" line.

From Dwight's photos

I'm wondering if we can't boil it down more simply: let's not let the kids here grow up thinking this is a boring town. Or that it ought to be boring.

Because it doesn't have to be boring. Just happily exhausting.