Sudbury arts organizations call for more funding from the city

At the corner of Elgin and Larch streets in downtown Sudbury, a mural reminds pedestrians, "Walk safe, don't slip."

The mural was created by artist Trevor Wheatley in 2015 as part of Up Here, an up and coming art and music festival held in August.

Without public money, the nearly two dozen murals the festival has helped create over its four-year run might not exist.

Co-founder Jen McKerral says government grants are "enormously" important to the festival.

"It makes up a really significant chunk of our revenue structure. Without them, we really couldn't do this," she says.

Arts organizations like Up Here are getting ready to apply for funding from the city this fall, but some groups are concerned there won't be enough money to go around.

Grants being cutback

Each year, the city offers grants for projects and operating funding through the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC). In 2018, 36 organizations were awarded almost $575,000.

Some of those organizations are seeing cutbacks, including several that have recently faced financial hardships.

The Sudbury Theatre Centre had its annual grant reduced from $55,000 to $30,000. Last October, the theatre centre received $200,000 in emergency funding from the city.

"The $200K I'm sure played a part in it and we're not the only ones that the city cut. But it was a huge shock," says artist director John McHenry.

"Now we have to change our planning and maybe make cutbacks from what the city is giving us."

The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, which also received emergency funding in the spring, received $30,000, down from $38,000 the previous year.

'You can't just start giving everybody less'

Even organizations that have had a lot of success are feeling the effects.

YES Theatre received $1,000 less than it did in 2017, while the budget for its annual festival increased by $150,000. Artistic director Alessandro Costantini was troubled by the news.

"The response was that, there's a lot of applicants, right? So everyone had to get a little bit," he says.

"And my response to that is, well, the city needs to increase the arts funding. Because if there is more projects that deserve funding, you can't just start giving everybody less."

Costantini isn't alone.

Others in the arts community also want to see greater investment from the city.

"Just having a young person with a great idea and the drive to do something different — they should be able to do that," McKerall says.

"And I hope they get the support that they need, while also kind of respecting some of the organizations that have been here for decades. They do really important work as well."

Changes on the way

Changes to the grant process are coming for 2019, according to Meredith Armstrong, the manager of tourism and culture with the GSDC.

She explains that grant applications are reviewed and adjudicated by two volunteer juries, based on the pillars of artistic excellence, community outreach and engagement, and financial organization and health.

"More than anything these days ... we're also looking for healthy governance," Armstrong explains.

"So do they have a succession plan? Not only for replacing board members, but for replacing staff. Is there redundancy built in? Does the board understand its fiduciary duty?"

A report presented to city council in July details enhancements to the grant application process for the upcoming year. Organizations will need to demonstrate "fiscal oversight, strategic planning and board governance structures."

There will also be more due diligence when organizations exhibit "red flags" like operating deficits.

Shifting the conversation

Armstrong says the GSDC is additionally looking to provide training and networking opportunities to help with strategic and financial planning, and board recruitment.

While it remains to be seen if arts spending in Sudbury will increase, she says the city will need to have a conversation about investing in the arts going forward.

That conversation will be one focus of an upcoming panel discussion hosted in partnership with The Arts Advocate, a publication that focuses on public policy in the arts and culture sector.

"I think we have to shift how we look at return on investment," Armstrong says.

"Really the reason the GSDC board has taken on the grant program is that it's recognized that the arts and culture sector plays a crucial role in the quality of life — what makes Sudbury liveable, what helps us attract talent, skills to the city, and thereby enriching the economy."