ARTS AND CULTURE

Protecting the cultural spaces and local artists that help define our identity

We’ve lost too many arts venues over the past decade. Logan’s, the VEC, the Copper Owl, and so many more icons of Victoria have disappeared due to rising costs. The biggest barrier facing the arts community right now is a lack of available space. The city should explore ways to activate underutilized spaces like school gyms to host small community arts and culture events, providing local artists with a low or no-cost space to showcase and practice their craft.
Victoria’s arts community is not only a source of significant joy and community, it’s also a huge economic driver for the city, from large events like Ska and Reggae Fest to small community-driven shows. Investments in arts and culture pay off significantly in many different ways, and increasing funding to support the arts is a no-brainer.
As difficult as it can be to acquire space, that’s often only half the battle. Turning that space into something that can actually be used by artists can be extremely expensive and time-consuming. The city should explore every possible avenue to make the creation of new arts spaces as easy and low-cost as possible, removing unnecessary barriers and fees wherever possible.