Arts & Culture Policy

Saskatchewan has always had a rich and vibrant cultural sector that encompasses many disciplines including film, theatre, visual arts, writing & publishing, and music. And the Saskatchewan NDP has a long and noble history of supporting the arts in this province – from the creation of the Saskatchewan Arts Board in 1948 (the first organization of its kind in North America and second in the world) to more recent developments like providing funding to establish the Canada Saskatchewan Production Studios in 2002.

Such initiatives are important because whether it is Brent Butt on television, Maria Campbell’s books on an English 100 curriculum, The Library Voices or Slow Down, Molasses in concert, or Joe Fafard’s sculptures in a gallery, Saskatchewan’s artists help to share Saskatchewan’s unique culture with others, both within and beyond our borders.

But the successes of our best-known artists are often the exception. When many of Saskatchewan’s talented but lesser-known artists struggle to earn a living wage, obtain decent benefits or simply to be recognized as a vital, contributing part of our society, we’re not building a healthy society.

The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance reports:

  • Average earnings for artists in Canada are $23,500; in Saskatchewan, $15,341. This leaves artists in the lowest quarter of average earnings of all occupations; a 40% wage gap.
  • Female, aboriginal and minority artists have particularly low earnings.
  • Artists are highly educated, 40% hold university degrees (only 22% for others in the labour force) but university-educated artists earn on average half of the average earnings of university-educated workers in the overall work force.
  • Rates of self-employment are much higher in the arts than in the overall workforce, 44% for artists compared to 8% overall.
  • For certain artists in visual and performance fields the median income is as low as $10,000.
  • Artists often work in production areas where no benefits are available.

I believe in the principles stated in the 2006 Status of the Artist report http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/Status-Artist-EN:

  • That artist should make a fair living from their work;
  • That artists will be treated fairly by government and society as a whole;
  • That artists will have economic and social benefits like those available to others;
  • That education and training will be widely available;
  • That the public will have maximum access to the work of Saskatchewan artists.

Culture has a wide impact across society – people of all ages in all parts of the province are touched by the arts, even when they may not realize it. Perhaps they attend a music festival featuring local high school students, a craft fair featuring artists from across Saskatchewan or a dinner theatre put on by the local agricultural society – all are part of the cultural tapestry that connects us as a society.

There’s also evidence showing that the arts have a positive economic impact on a society. Statistics Canada has released figures that show the cultural sector as being responsible for 3% of Saskatchewan’s GDP in 2003. The cultural sector is the second fastest growing area of the national economy. A 2008 Conference Board of Canada report estimates Canada’s cultural sector generated $46 billion, or 3.7% of Canada’s GDP in 2007. A Canada Council study reported that every dollar invested in culture returned $3.50 to the economy.

As leader of the NDP, I would work with umbrella arts organizations including the Saskatchewan Arts Board, SaskCulture and the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance as well as other stakeholders to ensure that our artists and arts & culture organizations receive the support and recognition they deserve. I would also support the amendments to the Status of the Artist legislation that protect artists, including protection of artists through written contracts for the purchase of goods, services or intellectual property and support for self-employed professional artists to engage in enforceable collective bargaining.

Rural Saskatchewan and the Arts

Throughout this campaign I have met with many people concerned about how the NDP will reconnect with rural Saskatchewan. One important aspect of rebuilding that connection is recognizing that life in rural Saskatchewan goes beyond agriculture. People have to be able to make a living in the rural areas of our province, but they also need access to the very things that enrich our lives. Art, culture, and communities that come together are the joys of life that fade quickly when small towns decline.

The cultural sector is a growing industry in rural Saskatchewan. The Yorkton International Film Festival, the Moose Jaw Festival of Words, the Ness Creek Music Festival, the Station Arts Centre in Rosthern, the Shurniak Art Gallery in Assiniboia and many others are examples of accessible opportunities to participate in the cultural life of smaller centres and rural areas.

Our cities, small towns, farms and reserves are host to many talented artists. However, due to smaller markets and a concentration of funding in Saskatoon and Regina, it can be harder for artists in rural areas to access the support they need to share their gifts and establish themselves as working artists.

Dream Big: I propose a rural arts fund that dedicates grants for artists and programming based in rural Saskatchewan. These funds could be used to support the development of individual artists or venues for the production and presentation of art in rural Saskatchewan.

Further reading:

Dan Brown, "The Creativity of Rural America: Reports show how creative enterprises can help the economy of rural America," Daily Yonder.