SAA Bulletin – April 2011 – Sask Federal Election Edition

April 5, 2011

In this issue…

Toolkits for Election Time
Candidate Questionnaire
Tracking the Election Using Social Media
Provincial Budget Details
Introducing SAA’s New Communications and Outreach Officer

TOOLKITS FOR ELECTION TIME
With the federal election in May and the provincial election coming up this fall, candidates will be keen to listen to your concerns. Two toolkits created by national organizations for the federal election have ideas to get you and your candidates talking and thinking about the arts:

• The Canadian Arts Coalition developed the Arts Vote Toolkit with questions and tips to get the conversation rolling and provide feedback on your candidates’ responses. The Coalition is also following the election on its Facebook page – Canadian Arts Coalition.
• Imagine Canada’s Election Kit 2011 helps individuals and organizations involved in the not-for-profit sector engage in the election process. Extensive information is found here, including a “Do’s and Don’ts for Non-profits” section.

CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE
As in past elections, SAA will send out a questionnaire to each Saskatchewan candidate running for federal office, then collect and distribute the results to you.

TRACKING THE ELECTION USING SOCIAL MEDIA
Stay on top of the latest news from election frontlines and communicate with individuals of shared interests with social media. Here are tips from the Canadian Conference for the Arts:
Follow each political party or their leaders on Twitter:

Bloc Québécois: @BlocQuebecois and @GillesDuceppe
Conservative Party: @PMHarper
Green Party: @CanadianGreens and @ElizabethMay
Liberal Party: @liberal_party and @M_Ignatieff
NDP: @jacklayton

When tweeting and looking for election related tweets, use the following hashtags: #elxn41, #cdnpoli, #fed2011 and #artsvotecan. If you’re tweeting about a specific political party, you can also use the following hashtags:

Conservative Party: #cpc
Green Party: #gpc
Liberal Party: #lpc
NDP: #ndp

Follow each party or their leaders on Facebook:

Bloc Québécois
Conservative Party
Green Party
Liberal Party
NDP

PROVINCIAL BUDGET DETAILS
As a follow-up to the SAA Bulletin of March 23, more details of the new provincial budget are now available from the Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport (TPCS).

The new Main Street® program supports revitalization of “historic downtowns as hubs for commercial and cultural activity.” Four communities will be selected for cost-shared funding for three years, beginning in 2011-12.

There are details on Saskatchewan film production volume, and the new SaskFilm Series Incentive Initiative. Government intends to build on the work of the Film Industry Task Force and work with Enterprise Saskatchewan to look into options to strengthen our film industry.

There will be a provincial marketing campaign in conjunction with Prairie Scene, a major arts festival showcasing Saskatchewan and Manitoba artists in Ottawa, April 26 – May 8.

Culture on the Go and the Creative Industry Growth and Sustainability programs will be evaluated, in collaboration with the Saskatchewan Arts Board. Support continues for the Community Initiatives Fund.

The Ministry has adopted a “Lean” culture in the delivery of programs and services to reduce Government’s footprint, including:

• changes to the Film Employment Tax Credit to streamline business to create financial savings for producers
• work with the Saskatchewan Arts Board to streamline granting processes.

In addition, government will promote healthy, active families and community vitality through sport, culture and recreation. It will:

• monitor strategic priorities identified in the Lottery Agreement, including youth leadership development and Aboriginal inclusion, with SaskCulture, Sask Sport Inc. and Saskatchewan Parks and Recreation Association
• partner with SPRA to make after-school opportunities for children and youth accessible and available
• lead the federal, provincial and territorial working group on after-school physical activity for children and youth
• monitor the Active Families Benefit program, which provides a refundable tax benefit for children involved in cultural, recreational or sport activities.

INTRODUCING SAA’S NEW COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH OFFICER
SAA welcomes David Sereda as our new Communications and Outreach Officer. The Edmonton-born Sereda honed his skills in public relations and communications through working with graphic design agencies, in creative and administrative work with the community arts company Sheatre, and in his extensive work as an independent artist in music and theatre. He looks forward to hitting the road to learn more from you about the cultural scene in Saskatchewan.