Wednesday April 19, 2023 | VICTORIA, BC
By Mary P Brooke / Island Social Trends
A three-year boost of $42 million to BC’s creative industries was announced today by Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport Minister Lana Popham, during Creative Industries Week.
Creative Industries Week is an industry-led initiative established in 2015 to celebrate and raise awareness of B.C.’s creative industries. This year it runs 2017-2021.
She was addressing a crowd of over 200 people who packed themselves into the Hall of Honour at the BC Legislature for a mini trade show, refreshments and speeches.
The funds are to support employment in motion picture production, music, publishing and interactive digital media sectors.
One of today’s speakers highlighted the importance of helping to maintain a clean environment, as natural spaces are the workspace of creative visual arts, particularly motion pictures. Another speaker commended Minister Popham for her work as the previous Minister of Agriculture and Food for helping maintain the land for natural food growing. This also aligned with a presentation by Indigenous members of the film sector who remarked on staying true to culture and land.
The funds announced today were already part of Budget 2023 that was announced on February 28.
“We know the pandemic has been especially hard on the people in this area and that not every business has fully recovered. We want to help them recover, move forward with success and strength, and continue to create the content we all love,” said Popham.
“It is exciting to have the opportunity to support B.C.’s creators,” said Bob D’Eith, Parliamentary Secretary for Arts and Film. “Whether they are performers, producers, designers or publishers, people and businesses in the creative industries tell our stories and share our culture with the world, and we are proud of the amazing work they do every day.”
Funding spread:
Within the $42 million, the money flows four ways:
- $22.5 million over three years for Amplify BC and $15.9 million for music talent recruitment, retention and skill development. There is $3 million earmarked for supporting BC owned interactive digital media companies to innovate and grow.
- $15.9 million over three years to support B.C.’s domestic motion picture productions, workforce and creators, which includes $900,000 for programs that focus on developing workers’ skills, recruiting more workers from under-represented groups, and supporting practices that are environmentally friendly;
- $3 million over three years for a new program to support innovation and growth for independent B.C.-owned interactive digital media companies; and
- $600,000 over three years for the publishing industry, as announced on April 17, 2023, to address immediate supply-chain challenges and provide additional support for a sustainable future.
Always ready with a smile, Minister Popham caught the camera’s eye as she was getting a professional makeup glam job done by makeup artist Pearl, during the pre-speech mingle portion of the event.
Supporting employment:
New funding to the creative sector supports BC businesses and jobs, and maximizes value for local communities. The Province heard from the sector that the music and publishing industries were continuing to struggle and that the motion picture and digital media industries needed support to take advantage of new opportunities.
The funding will strengthen the entire sector to better weather global shifts, making it more competitive and sustainable in the years ahead.
Selina Robinson, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills was quoted in a news release: “Developing talent locally is important to strengthening BC’s creative sector. We must ensure that British Columbians can access the education and skills they need to pursue rewarding, vibrant careers in the creative industry.” Robinson is rolling out various aspects of a provincial Future Ready direction.
Creative BC:
“We are absolutely thrilled for the sector for this new investment of $42 million into BC’s creative industries,” said Prem Gill, CEO, Creative BC. “This multi-year strategic funding could not come at a better time to help elevate the province’s creative sector. From film and music to publishing and digital media, this support will position B.C. storytellers and their companies for success at home and around the world.”
Nearly 120,000 people work in BC’s creative industries. The funding will support content creation by local creators and businesses. It will also help attract business and promote more activity in BC, while fostering development, innovation and partnerships. That means more opportunities for BC creators and more secure jobs for people throughout the province.
The creative sector helps promote and showcase BC on the global stage, and it supports the province’s reputation as a prime destination for tourists, as well as talent and creators from around the world. The sector also plays an important role in building healthy and vibrant communities by providing jobs, inspiring youth and fostering opportunities for community connections through festivals and events that support local businesses and workers.
===== ABOUT THE WRITER & ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Mary P Brooke is the editor and publisher of Island Social Trends as published daily at islandsocialtrends.ca.
Ms Brooke has been covering politics, business, education and communities through a socioeconomic lens since 2008 on south Vancouver Island (previously as West Shore Voice News, and before that both Sooke Voice News and MapleLine Magazine).
Ms Brooke followed and wrote extensively about the COVID pandemic during 2020-2022, and continues to follow the topic as new developments arise. She has covered Sooke School District 62 (SD62) in depth since 2014. Mary P Brooke has covered BC government news and political issues since 2017, and now reports with the BC Legislative Press Gallery.
Among other qualifications, Ms Brooke holds a health sciences B.Sc., a university Certificate in Public Relations, and an industry certificate in digital marketing. In the 1990s she was a co-founder of the Professional Editors Association of Vancouver Island and wrote the curriculum for the Writing for Business and Journalism Program at the Western Academy of Photography in Victoria, BC.