[This post has been updated]The Canada Council for the Arts has apparently quietly dropped the so-called "
Lola clause" from its guidelines that has for several years allowed controlled circulation arts and literary magazines to qualify for funding based, in part, on their advertising support.
Previously, and apparently from this year on, the Council will follow its longstanding requirement that a publication needs to have 50% paid circulation to qualify. The so-called "
Lola" provisions, which were instituted in 2002, named after a
now defunct Toronto art magazine, allowed eligibility if a magazine "maintain(s) at least a 25 per cent ratio of revenues from paid circulation or advertising"; the principle being that advertisers would not support a magazine that was not read. It's not known how many publications are affected by the change in the guidelines, which applies to 2010 applications that are due on March 1.
The change has been reported in
a posting on the website of a magazine affected,
La Scena Musicale in Montreal. Publisher and editor Wah Keung Chan said that the reversion to the previous 50% paid rule was a step backward, particularly as the Ontario Arts Council had revised its eligibility criteria last year to allow -- for the first time -- controlled circulation arts magazines and journals to qualify. The OAC criteria put a cap on circulation (30,000 copies) and the publication may carry no more than 40% advertising.
For La Scena Musicale, the issue is a matter of principle and transparency. Although controlled-circulation arts magazines represent a minority, they have been innovators in outreach for the arts and should be eligible for funding. The fact that the change was made without consultation and that concerned parties were not notified indicates a lack of transparency in the process. La Scena Musicale is planning a campaign to reverse this policy change, including an online petition and a Facebook group.
[Update: The Canada Council says that the changes to the eligibility rules were published on the website in December, a paper package went to all CC clients in January and in an electronic version 2 weeks later. It is not the practice to send out notifications to previously unsuccesful applicants or to people not considered clients. (Another rule change made program guides were excluded.)
The change was recommended by peer juries who did not feel the provision was a good fit and felt that they did not want to frustrate applicants who had little chance of being successful.
The new rule affects, at most, 1 to 3 existing clients and, in those cases the peer juries have the ability to recommend an exception be made.
The so-called Lola clause was brought in internally, without public consultation, and didn't even result in a grant being given (see comment below)since the publication that sparked it felt four times as much was what was needed. (Note: the average beginning grant for most CC clients is about $7,000.) Ultimately the magazine went out of business.]
Labels: Canada Council
