Frustration, apathy--these are two words that spring from the lips of those cultural workers in Toronto who are trying to stage "the good fight." The advocacy to which I am alluding is complex at best, particularly at this time of "Harrisment"-a time of reduced funding from the proverbial Public Purse, courtesy of Ontario's Mike Harris-led government.

The cultural sector throughout Canada, but specifically in Ontario and Toronto, has been taking a licking from the wave of government cuts. In real numbers, we are talking about the Canada Council gouging 50% from its administrative budget in order to maintain its grants budget, cutting/combining programs and terminating 65 out of 268 staff in less than one year. The province of Ontario has doled out similar slashes, amputating the Ontario Arts Council's budget to the tune of $12 million, taking it back to 1988 budget levels of $31 million. Although the Toronto Arts Council has managed to maintain 1995 grants levels and shoulder a 10% cut to administration costs over three years, Rita Davies, its Executive Director, predicts a return to 1984 operating funds for Toronto artists by 1997, with top-down effects from all levels felt deeply.

In an effort to lobby collectively against these cuts, many cultural workers in Toronto are involved with ARTSVOTE, an organization that has been working very much behind the scenes on behalf of artists for their right to public funding and recognition. Are you an artist? Have you heard of ARTSVOTE? (Details of the guiding principles of ARTSVOTE are included at the end of this article.)

ARTSVOTE recently coordinated the ten deputations that were given to Metro Toronto Councillors on January 25th, 1996. This involved strategizing around what combination of individuals would pack a punch with the relatively non-art-educated Councillors; contacting and getting commitments from, and then coaching, deputants so as to orchestrate a smooth and unified front for the politicians. All this to tip the scales in "our" favour when the budget slashing occurs.

Another component of the prep work for deputations centered around the mobilization of artists, cultural workers, individuals, "bums in seats," to fill the Council chambers and underscore the passionate pleas that actors, playwrights, CEO's, seniors, and Board Directors articulated that day.

All evidence points to the reality that there is frustration and apathy in the arts community. Many arts administrators who are drawing salaries were at Metro Council for the deputations. Many independent artists were not. We need everyone's support. One can only assume that the artists were at home working, not taking the time or energy to support their own interests. This might be swept under the carpet by suggesting that the artists simply did not know. Communication break downs, barriers, etc.etc. NOT--the arts service organizations have exhaustive means of networking and reaching artists in each respective discipline. Literally thousands of faxes and phone calls went out to the communities. Where were all the artists in this partially full room of 250 arts administrators?

On a more optimistic note, I must acknowledge that a healthy number of individual artists did come out to a "community sounding," which the Ontario Arts Council held in January. Unfortunately, this show of solidarity is wasted on the converted. There is, however, a certain sense of comfort in meeting with allies as opposed to adversaries. Nonetheless, Paul Hoffert, Chair of the Ontario Arts Council, states that they won't know how to deal with the $12 million dollar cuts in the last and current years until the questionnaires that we all diligently laboured over have been processed. (1) Sadly, even our own arts advocates in the board rooms of our arts councils may not necessarily grasp the profundity and profusion of the wounds to arts organizations and artists.

My feeling is that artists may be boycotting or simply avoiding such events out of a deeply ingrained sense of futility, coupled with the fact that the artists' communities have been "sounded out." The unfortunate outcome of these soundings has been a resounding fizzle. The link between effort and effect is all but corrupt. How can this breed anything but apathy?

To be fair, I must recount a more distant happening, which offered hope. On December 4, 1995, a group of committed and passionate artists decided to stage RISE UP! (see inset photograph) This particular artist-motivated demonstration specifically targeted the Harris government's cuts and was birthed in the aftermath of a rather frustrating pow-wow between artists of colour and their Canada Council rep, Angela Lee, the Equity Officer at Council. Our advocate, Ms. Lee, has been stymied by her own administrative superiors. Artists are mad. I couldn't help but get caught up in the fire and energy put out by artists. The unfortunate down side is that artists need help from the administrators and organizers in the cultural sector. I said help. This does not translate into abandon ship, it's too tough, we tried, gave it our best shot...

I realize that I am sending out theories and challenges, and asking many rhetorical questions. This is where the two-way interaction comes into play, as these questions beg answers over cyberspace waves. Answers, I might add, that we desperately need to uncover and that need to be heard.

I encourage all of you who would like to make a difference to get in touch with your discipline-specific or ethno-specific arts service agency and find out about the issues/impacts facing you and your peers. Write to federal Heritage Minister Sheila Copps, write to provincial Minister of Citizenship and Culture Marilyn Mushinsky, write to Toronto Mayor Barbara Hall and Metro Chair Alan Tonks. Call your local municipal, regional, provincial and federal representatives' offices. Call the ARTSVOTE committee (2) and ask what you can do to make a difference--then do it!

ADDENDUM ON ARTSVOTE:

The following Guiding Principles were published by ARTSVOTE upon their foundation in April of 1994. (3)

FOOTNOTES:

(1) OAC: Into the Future, OAC NOTEPAD, Winter 1996, published by the Ontario Arts Council.

(2) ARTSVOTE can be contacted through Rose Jacobson, Political Liaison at the Toronto Theatre Alliance, 720 Bathurst Street, Suite 403, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2R4; or e-mail tta@idirect.com. The phone number is (416) 536-6468.

(3) The co-chairs of ARTSVOTE are Susan Serran, at Theatre Passe Muraille, and Tim Jones, at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Other Steering Committee members include Myles Warren, Dance Umbrella Organization; Heidi McKenzie, St. Christopher House; Doug Perry, independent musician; David Parsons, Canadian Music Centre; Jane Marsland, Danny Grossman Dance Company; Jenny Ginder, Canadian Opera Company; Andy McKim; and Rose Jacobson, Toronto Theatre Alliance.

Heidi McKenzie is a Toronto-based freelance cultural analyst and writer. She is currently the Coordinator of St. Christopher House Music School, on the Board of Directors of YYZ Artists Outlet, a Steering Member of the Lectureship in Pluralism in the Arts, a Steering Group member of ARTSVOTE, and a member of the Mercer Union Writers' Arsenal.

Photos by Ali Kazimi