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.
“ACT NOW! For the Survival of the Arts and Culture Sector will be a key guiding document for
the recovery of New Brunswick’s arts and culture sector, and reflects tireless hours of
consultation and research. ArtsLink NB recognizes the importance of disseminating the
recommendations broadly to strengthen and protect the arts sector. We look forward to working
alongside our partners on the action items identified in the report.” Julie Whitenect, Executive
Director of ArtsLink.
The consultations were carried out, in June and October 2020, through the round tables of
the Renewed Global Strategy for the Integration of Arts and Culture into Acadian Society in New
Brunswick. This structure enabled the AAAPNB to quickly consult artists from all disciplines,
festival and event organizers, presenters and other artistic, cultural and heritage organizations,
as well as cultural businesses in the music, music and entertainment sectors, media arts and
publishers.
This report proposes six main courses of action for the sector to come back to life, ensuring that
all elements of the artistic ecosystem can survive the crisis. For the sector to succeed in the
short, medium and long term, the following recommendations should be followed:
• Ensure a solid foundation for the arts and culture sector, in particular thanks to the adoption by
the Government of New Brunswick of a law on the status of the artist, and provide for the
alignment of the procedures implemented with those federal government, and urging the federal
government to complete the review of the Copyright Act.
• Allocate a stimulus fund and new investments for the arts and culture sector, and tax foreign
web companies to finance these funds and investments.
• Strengthen artistic and cultural organizations and industries, in particular by providing more
funding for the basic operations of artistic and cultural organizations.
• Foster creation, distribution and professional development by increasing funds for the creation
and production of new works, by increasing funding for creative residencies, by granting an
additional amount to all presenters to ensure the maintenance of their activities and by creating
a fund to help artists and cultural workers to enable them to take the necessary training or have
access to professional resources to promote themselves on the Web.
• Stimulate demand for cultural products by putting in place a series of measures to restore
public confidence, encourage local purchasing and provide transport assistance.
To read the report: aaapnb.ca or artslinknb.com
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For interviews
Julie Whitenect
Executive Director
ArtsLink NB
506-608-9914
julie@artslinknb.com
Jean-Pierre Caissie
Directeur adjoint
AAAPNB
506-852-3313 ext 224
jeanpierre.caissie@aaapnb.ca