New Brunswick’s arts, culture, and heritage sectors are facing unprecedented financial hardships, according to a new report.
Kelly Hill, president of Hill Strategies, explains their latest findings from a survey they started in early 2023.
“We found that more than half of our survey respondents said that they have a real challenge with getting adequate Government funding but also obtaining donations or sponsorships,” Hill said.
This final report is part of a collaborative research project to help provide insights into the challenges impacting the province’s cultural venues.
The research included various activities:
- Profiling 2,700 professional artists in New Brunswick based on 2021 data.
- Surveying 71 cultural venues.
- Interviewing 13 senior staff members from these venues.
- Analyzing additional data on the province’s arts and culture.
Cultural venues across New Brunswick continue to deal with financial difficulties.
According to the survey, 59 per cent of the venues identified insufficient government funding as a top concern.
Sixty-two per cent of respondents went even further to cite it as the most important factor in their future development.
The lack of funding has led to instability and insecurity, hindering long-term sustainability for the venues.
Julie Whitenect, executive director at ArtsLink NB, said the province, the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, and Heritage Canada are interested in seeing the data from this report.
“Hopefully this can be a tool that we can use to advocate for better support to address the specific challenges and move towards solutions,” Whitenect said.
Find more details in their report on the impacts and challenges of cultural venues in New Brunswick.
