Orchestras Canada

Nominations for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards for 2012 are being accepted from now until September 23, 2011. The process is simple and you can do it online. A letter of recommendation and a short biography of the nominee are all that are required for your favourite Canadian performing artist to be in the running.For complete details, visit
www.ggpaa.ca.

The Canada Council for the Arts has announced a September 30 deadline for the 2011 John Hobday Awards in Arts Management. The Awards, named after a past director of the Canada Council (and a long-time friend to Canadian orchestras), are awarded annually to experienced managers and  future leaders in arts management, in the categories of Professional Development and Renewal; and Mentorship. To learn more about the awards, please visit: www.canadacouncil.ca.

Congratulations to cellist Kaori Yamagami, who is the 2011 recipient of the Virginia Parker Prize, administered by the Canada Council for the Arts. The $25,000 prize was established in 1982 by Virginia Parker for Canadian performers of classical music under the age of 32, who demonstrate outstanding talent and musicianship. “I am extremely honoured to be the winner of the 2011 Virginia Parker Prize. I hope to live up to all the expectations which come with this honour,” said the internationally recognized cellist. “One of my largest hopes is to be more present as an artist in Canada. I am eternally grateful for the support of the Canada Council for the Arts which made a significant difference in my development as a musician and played a huge role in where I am today.”

Our condolences to the family and friends of composer Malcolm Forsyth who passed away on July 5. His artfully scored, rhythmically vital music was popular with audiences and performers alike. He will be missed.

We also extend our thoughts to the family and friends of the late Pierrette Alarie, the celebrated Canadian soprano who died on July 10. The purity and conviction of her interpretations of the music of Mozart will shine as long as humans have ears.

On a cheerier note, congratulations to Laura Thomas, recently named Music Director of the Dundas Valley Orchestra. She succeeds Dr. Glenn Mallory, who retired from the role at the end of the 2011 season.

We continue to post program updates for the National Orchestras Meetings in Vancouver in June – and you can find the latest information about the gathering on our website, here.

If electronic media and digital strategy interests you, we’ll spend time on that on Day 1, June 13. We’re especially excited about Revenue Day – Tuesday, June 14 – during which fundraising and marketing experts from across North America will join us to lead sessions on subscription growth, social media applications, legacy fundraising, fundraising ethics, developing a compelling case for support, talking to donors, and a full update on the Patron Growth Initiative. And we’re making time on June 15 for the peer group discussions that you most value – along with the opportunity to help set Orchestras Canada’s advocacy and programming priorities for the year – and years – ahead.

None of this happens without the help of some very special people and companies. (As many of you are accustomed to writing in your fundraising materials, “ticket revenue covers only a small portion of the costs of presenting this concert.” We’re the same.)

The Canada Council for the Arts has generously underwritten travel subsidies for the meetings, and we thank them on your behalf.

We’re thrilled to announce that again this year Great West Life has come on board as a sponsor for the National Orchestras Meetings. Their support will sponsor translation for the conference sessions, June 13-15 and for the creation of multimedia presentations (in both languages) for distribution to orchestras across Canada following the meeting. Our sincere thanks to Great West Life for their continued support.

And we are humbled to acknowledge a significant gift from Dr. George Freundlich, in support of the national meetings. Dr. George has been a long-time and valued friend and advisor to OC, and we really could not do what we do without him.

The Canada Council has announced a June 1 deadline for submissions for the Jules Leger Prize for New Chamber Music, a competition for Canadian composers that is designed to encourage the creation of new chamber music and to foster its performance by Canadian chamber groups. For more information, please visit canadacouncil.ca/prizes/jules_leger.

On Wednesday afternoon in Toronto, the Canada Council for the Arts released its new strategic plan, entitled Strengthening Connections. The plan covers the period 2011-16, and builds on “Moving Forward”, the Council’s previous 3-year plan.

In brief, the plan will:
• Continue with the five directions outlined in its 2008-11 plan.
• Reinforce the Council’s commitment to individual artists working alone or collaboratively, as the core of artistic practice in Canada.
• Broaden the Council’s commitment to arts organizations to strengthen their capacity to underpin artistic practices in all parts of the country.
• Enhance the Council’s leadership role in promoting equity as a critical priority in fulfilling Canada’s artistic aspirations.
• Make partnerships with other organizations a key element to the Council’s approach to advancing its mandate.
• Enhance the Council’s capacity to support the arts and implement change by strengthening its structure, staffing and services.
• These five directions will have an overlay of three themes:
• Facilitate greater synergy within the existing arts infrastructure to enhance sustainability and adaptability.
• Increase Council’s focus on the impact of the transition to a digital society on the arts.
• Advance a public conversation on the value that art and artists make to everyday life
In the coming weeks, Orchestras Canada’s advocacy committee will be considering the implications of the plan for the country’s orchestras, and we’ll report in once those deliberations have taken place.

For more information, and to read the plan, please visit canadacouncil.ca.

The Canada Council for the Arts and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada are accepting nominations for the 2011 Molson Prizes. Two prizes, worth $50,000 each, are awarded annually – one for the arts, one for the humanities or social sciences. For more information about eligibility and procedures, please visit canadacouncil.ca.

Earlier this week, the Canada Council for the Arts announced the creation of the Canada Council Michael Measures Prize to recognize promising young performers of classical music through a partnership with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada (NYOC). The award is being established thanks to a $1 million bequest to the Canada Council from the late Michael Measures, a music enthusiast and long-time volunteer in the Ottawa arts community. The prize will be awarded annually to a single recipient from the income generated by the endowment – and the first $15,000 award will be presented in 2011.

The NYOC will coordinate and supervise the administration of the competition and selection of the annual winner. A recipient, between the ages of 16-22, will be chosen from those who have successfully completed the annual summer training program.

“This is excellent news for young musicians from across the country, as it will allow the recipients to kick start their careers on the Canadian stage,” says NYOC Chair Randy Barber. “The opportunity to win such a large prize will also allow the NYOC to draw a high caliber of applicants, thus ensuring that we will continue to foster the careers of this country’s most talented young musicians by providing them with a top quality orchestral experience.”

For more information about the award, please visit the NYOC’s website.

Late last week, Joseph L. Rotman, Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, announced the reappointment of Robert Sirman as Director and CEO of the Canada Council for a second four-year term. Mr. Rotman characterized this as “excellent news. Mr. Sirman’s leadership over the last four years has been exemplary…Under Mr. Sirman’s leadership, the Council underwent two significant reviews: a Special Examination by the Auditor General of Canada, which said the Council was doing a good job of managing its affairs, and a Strategic Review of all of its programs, which resulted in the 2010 federal budget stating that the Council’s programs were aligned with the priorities of Canadians. The Board and I look forward to drawing upon Mr. Sirman’s wealth of experience and expertise in our continuing efforts to ensure that Canadians enjoy an abundance of arts experiences of exceptional quality across the land.”

Congratulations to Maestro John Morris Russell, Music Director of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, who has been presented with the Herb Gray Harmony Award by the Multicultural Council of Windsor, recognizing the diverse and inclusive concert series and musical programs he has developed to celebrate and promote multiculturalism in Windsor/Essex. In the announcement of the award, he was cited in this way: Maestro Russell is an advocate for Windsor/Essex and strives to reach out to all members of society. Music has given him a means of connecting with the residents of Windsor/Essex and increasing the quality of life. His diverse programming has given cultures a voice and a way through which to educate others. His education concerts specifically target students to create an awareness of other cultures early on and give composers from different cultures a medium to present their work. John Morris Russell has made Windsor/Essex a welcoming place for artists from different cultures and a city with diverse artistic talents.

The Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition in piano has announced its 2010 winners. The laureates include grand prize winner Claudia Chan, a 20-year-old pianist from Ottawa currently studying in Toronto; second prize and Brandon Prize winner, Andrea Lodge of Bonavista, N.L.; third prize winner, Christopher Morano, originally of Sault Ste. Marie ON.  As well, the Canadian Music Centre and Canadian League of Composers presented its Friends of Canadian Music Award to Montréal-based conductor Véronique Lacroix - also founder and artistic director of the Ensemble contemporain de Montréal – who has conducted over 200 Canadian works during her career.

We’ve had some great funding news in the past few days, and we’d like to share it with you!  Our heartfelt thanks to

• The Canada Council for the Arts, which has granted us funds to ensure that personnel from smaller-budget orchestras can join the national discussion in Winnipeg;
• The Department of Canadian Heritage, which has granted funds in support of the simultaneous interpretation at the meetings, and translation of documents available at the meetings; and
• coffee break sponsors Dean Artists Management, Domoney Artists, and Long and McQuade.

Information about the Canada Council travel funds has been sent to qualifying orchestras earlier this week.  If you think that you qualify and you haven’t heard from us, please let Orchestras Canada executive director Katherine Carleton know – by email at Katherine [at] oc [dot] ca.

On-line registration for the meetings is now open, and you can register here.

Federal Budget 2010: Arts Sector Key to Canada’s Economic and Social Prosperity

The Canadian Arts Coalition is pleased to see that arts and culture investment has been sustained in Budget 2010 and that the Government will continue to deliver on stimulus measures for the cultural sector identified in the Economic Action Plan. In particular, we commend the Government for wisely protecting investment to the Canada Council for the Arts, and look forward with interest to the unveiling of the Canada Prizes with hopes that this initiative will focus on celebrating the exceptional talent of our Canadian artists.

Budget 2010 makes repeated reference to the need to keep Canadian businesses competitive in the global marketplace. While no measures were introduced to advantage Canadian cultural products, it is hoped that going forward, initiatives such as a new support for international market access and development and increased investment to the Canada Council for the Arts will be introduced – ensuring Canadian cultural content maintains and enhances its presence and competitiveness at home and on the world stage.

As Canada embarks on a path of economic recovery, the arts sector is poised to play a key role in the revitalization of Canadian communities as an efficient engine of job creation across a number of sectors including industry, hospitality and transportation,  that benefit from increased cultural activity. There is a growing consensus among leaders in all economic sectors that arts investment is a cost effective catalyst for high economic returns and we hope to see the Government lever this tremendous opportunity through new and increased investment in the arts going forward. The Conference Board of Canada has noted that cities rich in cultural resources are hotbeds of creativity, economic wealth generators, and magnets for talent across all sectors of the economy.

As part of the creative, knowledge economy, the cultural sector is growing at a rapid rate.  Cultural workers, including artists exceed 600,000. “One in every 30 people in Canada has a cultural occupation. That’s twice as many people as work in the forestry sector and more than twice as many as work in Canadian banks,” said Eric Dubeau, co-chair of the Canadian Arts Coalition. “We need to be part of the plan going forward.”

The Canadian Arts Coalition is Canada’s largest ever group of artists, business leaders and volunteers assembled from across the country. We are united in the knowledge that greater public investment in the arts is essential to Canada’s future. We believe that the high quality of life, for which Canada is known, depends on a rich, vibrant and diverse arts and heritage community.

British Columbia Budget 2010

(We provide this excerpted report courtesy of the Greater Vancouver Alliance for Arts and Culture)

Emerging from [Tuesday’s] budget lockup at the BC Legislature, Alliance for Arts and Culture Executive Director Amir Ali Alibhai, Victoria Symphony Executive Director Mitchell Krieger, and ProArt Alliance of Greater Victoria Coordinator Scott Walker expressed disappointment at the budget’s half-hearted support for the arts in British Columbia.

“Premier Gordon Campbell and Finance Minister Colin Hansen seem to have largely disregarded the recommendations of their own Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services and continue to ignore the importance of the creative sector ” said Mr. Alibhai.

“The Cultural Olympiad was a significant achievement for Canadian artists” Mr. Krieger added. “With this budget, however, it appears that what we have recently experienced was only a moment in time, as support for the arts continues to fall to record levels.”

At first glance, the 2010/11 Budget for arts and culture does appear to fully restore funding to 2008/09 levels, as recommended by the Standing Committee.

On further exploration, however, the arts community spokesmen noted that funding for the Royal BC Museum ($12.1M) is included in the figures presented this year; previously it has not been included. There is also a “mystery” $10M allocation, which is currently not fully defined nor allocated to any existing funding organization, such as the BC Arts Council.

“We would welcome the opportunity to work with the government to make the most effective use of this investment,” said Mr. Krieger.

The following table attempts to compare “apples to apples” and gives a summary of our interpretation of the 2010 Budget. Gaming funds for arts and cultural allocations as well as funding for BC Arts Council grants are significantly lower than in 2008/09.

“Why not just restore BC Arts Council to the $19M level of 2008/09″ asked Mr. Alibhai. “Where has the $7M cut from Gaming funds to the Arts and Culture gone?”

“Artists, arts organizations, community partners, corporate sponsors and our audiences throughout will respond to this budget in a forceful manner” predicted Mr. Alibhai.

“We’ve shown the world what BC artists can do,” concluded Mr. Walker. “What we were hoping for was that the government would learn from the past two weeks and continue to invest in the Arts. When all those visitors return – as the government tells us they will – what they’ll find with this budget is a lot of closed doors and cancelled arts programs.”