Write your MLA: Increase arts spending now!
Budget day is March 22, 2023.
The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance continues to remind the provincial government that the arts are still here and that the arts matter! We are asking our members and those in the arts community to write to their MLA, the Premier, and/or the Minister of Parks, Culture, and Sport about the critical role the arts have in our province and to increase arts spending.
The Saskatchewan Arts Alliance has created a sample letter below that you can either edit or send to your representatives unchanged.
By writing letters, you will make a bold statement that arts and creativity are integral to our way of life and the lives of our children – that arts matter to the people of Saskatchewan – that through artists and arts organizations, the arts are made and remain accessible to all of us.
The more letters mailed to our elected officials, the better.
You can find your local MLA constituency contact information here: https://www.legassembly.sk.ca/mlas/
And don’t forget to CC Premier Scott Moe (premier@gov.sk.ca) and Hon. Laura Ross, Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport (minister.PCS@gov.sk.ca).
Please write your elected officials today and share your love of the arts
Click here for the word document of the letter: Letter to MLAs: Increase Arts Funding Now!
<Date goes here>
Dear <insert name of MLA here>,
As a constituent in your riding, I would like to thank you for your increased investment of $17.5 million to Creative Saskatchewan for the Feature Film and Television Production Grant Program. This increased funding to the film industry in Saskatchewan will result in new productions that will create jobs, generate revenue for local businesses, and build skill sets in Saskatchewan.
I am writing today to ask the Saskatchewan Government to continue its amplified investment in the arts and increase funding to SK Arts.
The arts play a crucial role in mental health and well-being. Still, with the rising cost of living and the six percent increase in ticket prices due to the PST expansion, the arts have become less affordable and, therefore, less accessible to many individuals and families living in this province.
With the PST expansion in place, the arts and culture sector is contributing more than ever to the province’s revenue. I ask that this be met with a return investment – increased support to SK Arts by an amount that correlates with the provincial Consumer Price Index (CPI) rate for the past five years (the period that the general revenue fund allocation to SK Arts has been static at $6,610,000).
This would mean, in the upcoming budget, raising funding to SK Arts by just over $1 million a year, increasing the allocation by $1,346,620 to a projected level of $7,956,620. If the annual allocation would have kept pace with CPI increases, the average increase each year over the last 5 years would have only been $224,437. This is a realistic, achievable outcome for the Saskatchewan Arts community.
Thank you for the great start you’ve made in elevating Saskatchewan’s cultural sector.
Creativity and innovation are key to the arts and telling Saskatchewan stories by Saskatchewan people. The arts must be critical to your plan to cultivate a strong and healthy Saskatchewan.
Thank you for your consideration and support.
<Signature + name of organization (if applicable) goes here>
