Toolkit for advocacy meetings with your MLA
Your Script for Speaking with your MLA:
Key point #1: Lifeline - The arts, and specifically the live performance sector in Nova Scotia must be provincially recognized as a “hardest hit sector” that requires critical emergency investment immediately to bridge the gap to the recovery phase of the pandemic crisis.
Key point #2: Recovery - The Operational Support for Cultural Organizations Program has not seen a meaningful budget increase in over 20 years. Since then, inflation has grown 50% and continues to grow as a result of the pandemic. New investment for operations from the Department and NS Arts Council will facilitate increased stability, welcome new organizations, and include avenues to recognize and sustain self-producing artists, all required for a successful economic recovery in the post-pandemic world. Such investment will positively impact on the sector, and therefore individual artists.
We are asking for a doubling of support for operating programs this year and the program to be indexed to inflation in subsequent years.
Key point #3: Building Back Better - New and sustained investment in equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, along with more and new robust sponsorship matching, live presentation programs, human resources, and consumer confidence marketing projects will stimulate an efficient, equitable, and robust recovery.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- Start your meeting by introducing yourself and that you’re hoping to talk about the crisis situation the arts and culture sector in NS is currently facing and the small investment needed in this year's budget to turn it around.
- Briefly explain your role or perspective on the arts (audience member, board member, cultural worker, business person affected by culture in your community).
- Remind them of the importance of culture, making sure to highlight your connection and engagement with your local community, and any arts or culture org you care about.
- Highlight your favourite arts organization's connection and engagement with your local community, as well as your own relationship to them as a community member yourself!
- Remind them that the arts have been one of the hardest hit sectors at every stage of the pandemic. Many arts and culture organizations province-wide have spent much of the past three years totally or partially closed. Some are facing complete shutdowns, struggling with hiring, and getting back to full operations in uncertain times. Individual artists may have been unable to work because their venues are closed, or they don’t have access to new technologies to share their work, etc.
- Highlight the importance of including these three recommendations inspired by the BBB report in the new budget (which would total just over $4 million):
Key point #1: Lifeline - The arts, and specifically the live performance sector in Nova Scotia must be provincially recognized as a “hardest hit sector” that requires critical emergency investment immediately to bridge the gap to the recovery phase of the pandemic crisis.
Key point #2: Recovery - The Operational Support for Cultural Organizations Program has not seen a meaningful budget increase in over 20 years. Since then, inflation has grown 50% and continues to grow as a result of the pandemic. New investment for operations from the Department and NS Arts Council will facilitate increased stability, welcome new organizations, and include avenues to recognize and sustain self-producing artists, all required for a successful economic recovery in the post-pandemic world. Such investment will positively impact on the sector, and therefore individual artists.
We are asking for a doubling of support for operating programs this year and the program to be indexed to inflation in subsequent years.
Key point #3: Building Back Better - New and sustained investment in equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, along with more and new robust sponsorship matching, live presentation programs, human resources, and consumer confidence marketing projects will stimulate an efficient, equitable, and robust recovery.
- Engage in a two-way dialogue with the MLA. Keep it concise to allow room for discussion and questions. Keep in mind your reason for meeting, and choose points that relate back to this reason.
- Ask your MLA if they can commit to the Building Back Better report, and use these three recommendations to support the performing arts and wider cultural sector in NS in this next budget.
- Be sure to thank them for their time.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- This government was elected on a platform to fix health care, but they always have to keep other aspects of the province running.
- They have invested more than $7 million of new money in the film industry (which is fabulous) but that doesn't help the arts and culture organizations, so there is a will to invest other than in health care - we need to help the Premier embrace what the arts and culture can do for NS.
- Investment in Arts and Culture has significant and documented positive health impacts, it is a driving or economic development, social cohesion and a recruitment tool for new immigrants including health care workers.
- It is a promise to our future as a vibrant, modern society, and one that can keep our young creative thinkers at home.