No show of support for theates conference

By BOB BRUTON, BARRIE EXAMINER December 6 2010
The curtain could come down on a Canadian theatres conference in Barrie next spring.
City council has denied a $10,000 grant to the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT) for a May 24-29, 2011 conference.
“That might force us to move,” said Lucy White, PACT’s executive director. “Yes, that is a possibility.
“We are very disappointed because we had every expectation that council would see that our request was modest and perfectly in alignment with council’s priorities.”
The conference is for artistic directors, general managers and other executive staff of Canadian theatres which employ union actors. It’s expected to attract 175 delegates, cost $75,525 to put on and generate $131,875 in local revenue for restaurants, hotels and stores.
White said PACT has been trying to move its conference out of big Canadian cities, such an Vancouver and Montreal, into smaller ones to illustrate that arts and culture can be an economic driver.
PACT had asked that the city make a funding decision sooner rather than later.
“We are looking at the drop-dead moment now,” White said, when asked about a deadline for the city funding.
But when the $10,000 motion went to city council on Nov. 29, it lost on a 5-5 tie.
“I always envisioned conferences as something that were supposed to generate money, instead of costing money,” said Coun. Michael Prowse.
Coun. Barry Ward said the PACT conference could be a chance to showcase the Downtow n Community Theatre, where the event would be held.
He says the grant request is now likely out of council’s hands, but could go through the 2011 community grants program. The new council is sworn in Dec. 6 in a largely ceremonial meeting and the Dec. 13 meeting deals with committee appointments. Council is off Dec. 20 and 27 for the holidays, then returns Jan. 3.
“Once the new year is here, I believe council will be obliged to forward all such requests through the community grants program, which should be set up in 2011,” Ward said. “Although the PACT conference is a worthy cause, I believe such decisions should be made by an ar mslength funding body, once it is in place.”
But Coun. Lynn Strachan, who represents downtown Barrie, said there might be another way.
“I am supportive of funding for the PACT conference. In my opinion, it is a sponsorship,” she said. “The city sponsors many events and conferences through our various departments that assist community groups, have economic spinoffs or are seen as valuable to the community.
“Perhaps, there is something that the new council can do to help, and we would have to reconsider quickly due to holiday scheduling of council meetings.”
Talk Is Free Theatre was the successful bidder for the PACT conference in Barrie. Arkady Spivak, TIFT’s artistic producer, said the annual event traditionally has a contribution from the local government, as well as from local businesses.
But Spivak said there was great confusion when he applied for the funding, on behalf of PACT. He said the request has been bounced around, from the cultural department to the community grants program to council.
“They are behaving in a very inconsistent way. This really puts the city in a bad light,” Spivak said. “If the money does not materialize itself, I am not going to embarrass myself.
“I am going to pull out of the conference.”
White said PACT is still deciding how it will react to the city’s funding decision, to this point, and whether or not to go ahead with the conference.