Alberta Party
EverGreen Party
Liberal Party
New Democratic Party
Progressive Conservative Party
Social Credit Party
Wildrose Party
Alberta Party
Click here for Alberta Party candidate surveys.
1. What is your arts platform?
The Alberta Party’s vision for the future of Alberta’s creative industries is that our arts and culture community produces, fosters, and attracts world‐class talent, creativity, and innovation. The Creative Industries Policy is premised on:
- Recognizing the economic value of creative industries;
- Providing more sufficient levels of sustainable funding;
- Supporting the independence of the arts community in direction and discourse; and
- Supporting arts education at all levels and all life stages.
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
The Alberta Party recognizes the economic and social value of the arts industry and cultural communities to our province. Social investment made in the creative industries is one of the most immediate ways to diversify the economy. Simply investing when times are good, and scaling back when the economy lags is inadequate for the creative industries. In order to make the arts more viable and self‐sufficient, there needs to be a proper investment strategy – just as the oil sands saw initial public investment that blossomed into a massive private industry. By investing now in order to establish a strong foundation, Albertans will enjoy the benefits down the road.
The province’s needs a clear strategy for dealing with the arts, and the role the government will have. The Alberta Party will work with stakeholders to establish clear long‐term goals and a plan that focuses on funding expectations, public and private investment, and accounting the creative industries contribution to Alberta’s economy. Ideally, the province will provide adequate support for the arts while providing hands‐off funding and reduced administrative restrictions.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
The Alberta Party believes there should be more opportunities to learn about the arts, and to cultivate and encourage creative capacity‐building in our future generations. The people of this province deserve and demand a flourishing arts scene, and cultural recognition. The importance of an artistic component of education needs to be recognized. Adequate funding for educational purposes should be available to artists from kindergarten through post secondary and beyond. To ensure a role for the arts in education, the Alberta Party will:
- Ensure more educational artistic opportunities are available in Alberta’s K-12 education system;
- Ensure that socio‐economic status does not limit the capacity of an individual to learn about or train in the arts;
- Recognize the important role that arts institutes and organizations play in providing artists with the ability to make a living in Alberta; and
- Develop a cross‐ministry strategy to create an enhanced educational curriculum that adequately reflects the importance of creative development socially and economically.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
The Alberta Party believes that current levels of investment in community culture and the Creative Industries are inadequate. Money invested in arts and culture is recycled through
Alberta’s economy, and the majority of it stays in the province. Planning is difficult without a sustainable funding model, and year‐to‐year funding does not allow individuals or organizations to grow, nor to establish long range business plans. In order for the arts to expand and flourish, the province needs to provide long‐term, sustainable funding. The Alberta Party will:
- Work with stakeholders to develop a provincial arts strategy;
- Immediately increase in funding by 20% (In 2011‐12 this would have amounted to a $10.1 million increase, from $54.5 million to $65.5 million), and commit to steady and predictable increases as needed to establish the industry;
- Establish a more sustainable funding model, with minimum three year funding commitments for arts and culture organizations;
- Examine alternative avenues to encourage investment such as tax credits, incentives and interest‐free loans;
- Commit to fully funding and supporting the Alberta Multi‐Media Development Fund.
5. Any other comments?
The Alberta Party’s aim is to diversify our economy and make Alberta a more liveable place. A stronger arts and culture community, and strong creative industries will help us accomplish these goals. The Government needs to see the arts, culture, creativity, and innovation as a path worth pursuing seriously, both socially and economically, as a conduit for strengthening community culture, and building our Creative Industries as truly reflective of our world‐class status. The Alberta Party truly believes that a more adequately‐funded, well thought‐out creativity and innovation strategy will benefit all Albertans.
To learn more about the Alberta Party, check out our election platform.
EverGreen Party
Click here for EverGreen Party candidate surveys.
1. What is your arts platform?
The EverGreen Party of Canada believes that the arts are an essential building block of strong communities.
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
The province needs to support the arts at arms length, establishing a framework for delivering funds, but not interfering in how they are distributed. Drama and other arts in schools significantly increases young peoples capacity to communicate, learn and relate to each other.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
The arts are an essential part of a strong curriculum and should be fully and sustainably supported at all educational levels.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
The EverGreen Party would support the arts at arms length, we would also propose the establishment of a provincial income tax averaging plan and tax free earnings threshold to help artists balance their income, and invest in a new production tax credit system and incentives for creative activities.
Liberal Party
Click here for Liberal Party candidate surveys.
1. What is your arts platform?
The Alberta Liberals believe that the arts not only enrich our lives; culture and heritage attract investment, create jobs and encourage diversity in the economy and are a wise investment for Government.
At $29 million, the Alberta Foundation for the Arts currently makes up less than 0.1% of Alberta’s budget. AFA grants support festivals, book publishers, artist-in-residence programs, emerging artists, education, community events and exhibits, and provide a method for the government to invest directly in our arts and cultural industries.
The Alberta Liberals will double and then triple funding to the Arts from the current level of $29 million. We will ensure this funding is stable (and self-sustaining) for years to come, regardless of changing economic circumstances, by creating an endowment fund for performing and visual arts, into which we make annual contributions, guaranteeing perpetually increasing support.
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
The arts enrich our lives, they bring joy to our lives, and the help define who we are as a society; they should be a priority of government.
Under an Alberta Liberal government the arts would not be the first on the funding chopping block; we will create a self-sustaining endowment fund from resource revenue so arts and culture can thrive in Alberta for decades to come.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
The arts enrich our lives. They can give life meaning. Great art brings joy, understanding and new challenges. This is true for Albertan’s in every stage of life including, and especially, when they are being educated in Alberta’s schools.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
For every dollar government invests in the arts, it is estimated that almost $12 dollars of economic activity is created; there is no denying that investment in the arts is not just a wise social investment, but also a wise economic investment.
The Alberta Liberals will double and then triple funding to the Arts from the current level of $29 million per year; and we will ensure this funding is stable for years to come, regardless of changing economic circumstances, by creating an endowment fund for performing and visual arts into which we make annual contributions, guaranteeing perpetually increasing support.
5. Any other comments?
Both culture and sport are ways of being more sure of who we are as a society. They make us healthier, happier, and more appreciative of ourselves. They’re worth fighting for. The Alberta Liberals will fund and champion Alberta’s cultural and amateur sport communities.
Not only will the Alberta Liberals create an endowment for performing and visual arts, we will also create a Heritage Fund endowment to finance amateur sport, and provide “bridge” funding of up to $25 million a year between now and when the endowment is of size to pay a meaningful dividend.
New Democratic Party
Click here for New Democratic Party candidate surveys.
1. What is your arts platform?
The NDP would:
Improve funding
- Raise Foundation for the Arts funding to $90 million in four years
- Support public art by investing 1% of capital project funds in art
- Create an endowment for social sciences, arts, and humanities research
- Ensure support for film and television production
- Fund public libraries to ensure they can fill a significant role in community life
Enhance place of arts in schools
- Require fine arts as a curriculum element from Kindergarten through Grade 12, with the necessary funding support for teachers, equipment, and supplies
- Strengthen fine arts training in post-secondary institutions
Support career success for artists
- Enact Status of the Artist legislation
- Develop a program to enhance and expand working spaces and studios for artists
- Create opportunities for the Alberta Foundation for the Arts collections to be shown in public spaces
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
Government support is needed for the arts to thrive and grow. Communities are stronger, safer, and more livable when the arts have a significant and visible place. The arts provide a substantial economic value to communities, directly and indirectly. A robust environment to support the arts arises from fine arts and culture having a healthy place in the education system. An investment of public money in fostering the arts will have economic and social benefits that will be greater over time. The example of a strong government enthusiasm for the arts in the life of the province will also have an inspirational affect on other sectors such as private business.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
The NDP understands that knowledge and appreciation of the arts contributes significantly to the quality of life for all Albertans, both as individuals and as members of communities. The arts are an important part of a well-rounded education. Opportunities to actively participate in a range of artistic experiences needs to be part of this.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
The NDP would
- Raise Foundation for the Arts funding to $90 million in four years
- Support public art by investing 1% of capital project funds in art
- Create an endowment for social sciences, arts, and humanities research
- Ensure support for film and television production
- Fund public libraries to ensure they can fill a significant role in community life
5. Any other comments?
The NDP recognizes that large government cuts have hurt the arts in Alberta. The 2008 promise to increase funding for the Foundation for the Arts was reversed in 2009. Many talented people in the arts have left Alberta to find career success elsewhere. Providing support for artists so they can make a living from their art is an important step the government can take to foster a more thriving arts community. We recognize funding for the arts is an investment which benefits Alberta in many ways.
Progressive Conservative Party
Click here for Progressive Conservative Party candidate surveys.
1. What is your arts platform?
Arts and culture are intrinsic to everything we do. They are vital to the quality of our life that Albertans enjoy. Right from early childhood, participating in arts and cultural activities benefit children and families. These activities educate, they inspire, and they make connections between individuals and the world and people around them. Whether it’s piano, dance, art lessons or touring museums on-line or in person, all Albertans should have the opportunity to experience and participate in the cultural life of our province. The PC party will continue to work with thousands of partners to foster the development of Alberta’s cultural identity, and open the door to cultural experiences for Albertans, no matter where they live.
Premier Redford has worked hard to ensure that Albertans have the opportunity to share and participate in the rich cultural fabric of the province and its people. Our vision has consistently been to position Alberta as a place where we celebrate our heritage, embrace a unique sense of belonging and pride, and work together in building healthy communities. This would not be possible without the incredible contributions of Alberta’s artists, writers, publishers, community, non-profit and volunteer-based organizations, and all those who take up the challenges and opportunities Alberta has to offer.
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
The PC promise with regards to fostering the arts can be summed up by our Spirit of Alberta Policy.
The Spirit of Alberta cultural policy has four objectives:
- That Albertans, no matter where they live, or their level of income, have access to a range of cultural activities;
- That communities have the capacity to support cultural activities and endeavours;
- That artists and creators are able to strive toward excellence; and
- That government policy encourages the cultural industry’s capacity, sustainability, and development.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
Many Albertans are passionate about and inspired by the arts through music, dance, drama, or visual art. Some of the most active members of this province’s arts community are youth, and their involvement in the arts often starts in school. Our party’s position is that a well-rounded education is fundamentally important for our youth. Our party sees the province’s role as funding schools and developing a comprehensive curriculum that teaches Alberta children all the skills they will need in adulthood. Alberta’s education system is recognized as one of the best in the world and we believe that choice is a key component of that excellence.
One specific initiative, however, that is being undertaken by the PC party is to establish an arts teacher bridging program. Similar to bridging programs for teachers of trades and CTS courses, this undertaking would aim to see professional artists—art, drama, and other specializations—supported to complete Bachelor of Education credentials and teach within our K-12 education system. This would be one supporting human resource tool for Alberta’s school divisions. Details on feasibility of such a bridging program are still being investigated at this time.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
A new PC government will work with organizations to develop a long-term plan for the sector.
The plan will:
- Recognize the link between culture and the social and economic wellbeing of Albertans;
- Support the development of creative clusters and emerging cultural scenes – from Rosebud to Grand Prairie – demonstrating that local arts and culture programs are not confined to Alberta’s largest cities;
- Look at current efforts to promote arts and culture activities with a view to understanding how they might be leveraged regionally, nationally and internationally; and
- Consider the best mechanisms, incentives and approaches that would provide greater long-term sustainability, certainty and stability for the sector – including the development of business risk management programs and tools to support skills development and greater stability and certainty.
- We will not only work with local governments to explore innovative solutions to keeping public libraries viable and responsive to their communities, including the designation of public libraries as multi-use facilities and ‘community hubs’ – but return responsibility for libraries back to this ministry.
- We are also committed to increasing the allocation to the Alberta Foundation for the Arts by $10 million a year starting in 2013/14.
5. Any other comments?
A PC government organized Culture Forum 2012, which brought together almost 400 community leaders from across the province in a first-ever, cross-disciplinary discussion. Delegates included those from the following sectors: nonprofit/voluntary, heritage and museums, multicultural, creative industries, arts and corporate.
The goal was to find innovative solutions to common challenges, while capitalizing on opportunities to build a sustainable future for the culture sector. Delegates heard from speakers, presenters; and participated in 20 concurrent workshops covering topics such as ‘What does a healthy and sustainable Culture Sector in Alberta look like?’; ‘What are the challenges?’; ‘What strategies do you suggest?’; and ‘Where do you see priorities?’. A broad range of ideas, best practices and new innovations were discussed.
We are proud of our collective accomplishments and look forward to achieving more. The PC party values the arts and culture sector as a vital, home-grown sector that has a tremendous impact on Albertans. This impact is in terms of enriching our lives and enhancing our communities. Furthermore, we know that government investment in the industry yields multiple, quantifiable economic benefits.
Social Credit Party
1. What is your arts platform?
The Alberta Social Credit Party emphasizes that artists are in the entertainment business. Artists should be trained and mentored to become entrepreneurs.
2. What do you believe is the province’s role in fostering the arts?
Business courses should be included in the arts schools’ curricula. Arts cooperatives should be encouraged and supported by low-cost loans from the Alberta Treasury Branch.
3. What do you believe is the role of the arts in education?
More time should be spent teaching and promoting the arts in K-12, especially in the choral, speech and acting arts.
4. What plans do you have to provide provincial funding and/or encourage private funding for the arts?
Marketing training and mentoring should be provided to assist artists to get seed capital to develop their projects and sell them to the public.
5. Any other comments?
Sometimes artists have to produce paintings, sculptures, plays, concerts, ballets, records, movies, etc. that match current tastes of the public even though these do not fully satisfy their creative instincts. By selling this “bread and butter” produce, they will be able to support themselves and fund more creative, experimental projects.
Wildrose Party
Click here for Wildrose Party candidate surveys.
This party has not yet submitted its survey responses.
