Quote, unquote: Sucking and blowing: BC arts cuts

“[They’re] sucking the oxygen out of the one room and filling up some bright balloons in another. And the room they’re sucking the oxygen out of is the ongoing arts groups that have supported the development of all kinds of arts and cultural activities in the province for many years, and they’re dedicating money to this three-year program that perpetuates the feelings that were generated in the Cultural Olympiad. Well, in our view, you get more culturally and artistically if you support the kinds of ongoing activities that foster the arts in a more broad sense than that. The priorities aren’t quite right.”

-- Federation of B.C. Writers' president, Craig Spence, quoted in the Georgia Straight commenting on the sweeping arts funding cuts. The federation sees its grant cut by 80% while some $3 million is being pumped into "Spirit Festivals".