Arts and culture not a priority in 2021-2022 Budget

March 17, 2021- Saint John, NB- On behalf of the ArtsLink NB membership, we wish to express our disappointment in the inadequate level of recovery funds allocated to the arts and culture sector in the 2020-21 budget, presented on March 16, 2021.

The COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the arts and culture sector and meaningful investment is drastically needed to stave off further decline. This can be illustrated in the province’s budget revision of tourism revenues, from $6.1 M to $1.8 M in 2020.1 Additionally, between January 2020 and January 2021, 17% of jobs in the information, culture and recreation sector were lost in New Brunswick. The Canadian arts, entertainment, and recreation sector suffered a 50% loss in generated revenues between December 2019 and December 2020.2

1 https://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/fin/pdf/Budget/2021-2022/main-estimates-2021-2022-budget-principal.pdf

2  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FdkYwe_uye2Mi3Fkks1XQHWFPA-g1GHj/view

ACT NOW!: The Arts and Culture Sector Needs Help

March 9, 2021 – ArtsLink NB and the Association acadienne des artistes profesionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick (AAAPNB) are publishing today the English version of the report entitled ACT NOW! For the Survival of the Arts and Culture Sector (MAINTENANT AGISSONS pour la survie du milieu des arts et de la culture). This report is the result of two rounds of consultations with 250 artists, arts and cultural organizations and businesses in New Brunswick to outline a plan to revive the sector.

“Between January 2020 and January 2021, 17% of jobs in the information, culture and recreation sector were lost in New Brunswick. The Canadian Arts, entertainment, and recreation sector suffered a 50% loss in generated revenues between December 2019 and December 2020. Help is needed more than ever in the sector. We would expect measures in the next budget to help the industry.” Carmen Gibbs, Executive Director of AAAPNB.

Upon reading of the report MAINTENANT AGISSONS, ArtsLink joined forces with the AAAPNB to translate the report as they recognized the issues, needs, and solution propositions were alike in the Acadian and Anglophone communities.