Almost three quarters of a million dollars was distributed to arts, future and heritage projects across the Columbia Basin for the 2012-2013 season, and some of that funding found its way into the Columbia Valley via a number of lucky grant recipients.
A total of $706,000 was given to the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance by Columbia Basin Trust to support a wide range of projects, and out of the over 160 arts, culture and heritage projects that were funded, the local recipients in the valley were: Advanced Workshop – Terry Isaac — Leslie Cartwright ($690); Bellydance Intensive — Arabian Mountain Spice Middle Eastern Dance ($4,060); CB Culture Tour Project — Headwaters Art Society ($270); Chamber Music Festival — Columbia Valley Arts Council ($1,500); Completion and Exhibit of Bronze Portraits — Pat Luders ($2,500); Innovation Art Show — Joshua Estabrooks ($1,970); Oil Painting Colour in the Landscape — Rowena Sinha ($1,110); Reaction to Reactions — Leslie Rowe-Israelson ($1,770); Workshop with Ted Nuttall — Paula Cravens ($2,960); CV Arts Website Upgrades — Columbia Valley Arts Council ($2,000); Sound Equipment Upgrade – Pynelogs — CV Arts Council ($1,500).
“It gives people an idea of the scope CBT is contributing to this sector,” said Natasha Smith with the Nelson-based West Kootenay Regional Arts Council, the organization that manages the CKCA contract and the CBT funding for the arts, culture and heritage sector in the Columbia Basin.
The CBT funding is approved on an annual basis, with the funds released to the Columbia Kootenay Cultural Alliance (CKCA) usually in January, so individuals and organizations may want to start thinking about downloading an application form from the CKCA website for the 2013-2014 season, which runs from June 2013 to May 2014.
“Based on the timeframe of previous years, usually it’s in March for the deadlines,” Smith said. “Some of the organizations that are maybe thinking about a major capital project, some of that takes a lot of planning so if they’re thinking about this, sometimes it’s good for them to start getting things a little bit in order with the hope that the program will still be offered in the same way.”
For the 2012-2013 applications, there were ten different funding programs available including: support to communities through community arts councils, minor capital project funding, support to touring, arts and heritage mentoring/master classes, organizational development, major project, artists in education 2, and major exhibition. Smith said anyone can download an application and that the CKCA website is the best resource to see what types of funding are available.
Visit www.basinculture.com, click on the Funding Programs tab then the Arts, Culture & Heritage Funding Programs brochure on the right for comprehensive information on each of last year’s ten funding programs.