On Spec magazine struggles with loss of Canada Council funding

Spring 2014

On Spec, the sci-fi and fantasy quarterly, has been receiving funding from the Canada Council for most of its 25 years of existence. Now, the magazine is facing tough times as funding for 2015 has been withdrawn. In the past it has received between $17,000 and $20,000 annually.

According to a story in the Edmonton Journal the reasons given by the arm's length jury was low quality of writing, poor production, design and layout and frequent typos -- all things that managing editor Diane Walton disputes. She says that On Spec has very few errors and the volunteer editorial staff selects only the highest quality content.

“We can’t understand what their criteria is. We just keep getting good stories as far as we’re concerned, but it’s not as far as they’re concerned. It’s so subjective.”

Canada Council spokesperson Tara Lapointe, while not commenting on the specific application, said that On Spec had received notices twice before that "funding could be reduced or withdrawn" -- intended to encourage improvements.

Walton said the magazine is cutting costs that it hopes won't sacrifice quality; the worst case scenario is that it would turn itself into a digital magazine, though "print is our tradition". The withdrawal of funding has helped to rally the troops.

“We’re angry and we’re motivated now. It’s a kick in the teeth but it’s like, Hey! We can do this! We have to push forward. We’re getting a lot of moral support from the community.”

Ontario Arts Council celebrates 50th anniversary

The Ontario Arts Council is celebrating  its 50th anniversary this year (its founding legislation was passed April 26, 1963) and it's worth celebrating its development and sustaining of nationally important literary and cultural magazines. 

Through its Grants to Periodicals program and through ancillary programs such as Compass, it has quietly strengthened magazine publishing in this country. (See the list of recent grant recipients.)

Access Copyright announced $300,000 in new funding for research and professional development

Access Copyright Foundation has announced $300,000 in new funding in 2011, directed to the creation and dissemination of publishable Canadian works. It's the second year for the grants, which are being administered nationwide in partnership with the Saskatchewan Arts Board, but it holds out major opportunities in two new categories for Canadian magazine writers, in research and professional development.

The funding for the grants comes from a one-time $3 million from royalties accumulated by Access Copyright from copyright licenses it administers to cover the copying of Canadian books and magazines. This will be topped up annually by 1.5% of the annual copyright licensing revenues. A release says

Each year, the Access Copyright Foundation will award grants to Canada's writers, visual artists and publishers to support professional development opportunities, research projects and events. All three activities are vital to ensuring that Canadians will continue to create new cultural works that will be enjoyed by their fellow citizens, and those around the world.

"Canada's writers, visual artists and publishers are cornerstones of this nation's cultural identity. They work hard telling Canada's stories, both nationally and internationally. The Access Copyright Foundation is committed to supporting this essential work through these new grant programs," said ACF Founding Chairperson, Michael OReilly, a Thunder Bay-based writer and communications consultant.

Last year, 11 grants were made for events  (to organizations seeking to support creativity through deepening appreciation of Canadian culture). This year two new categories are being added: for professional development (e.g. attending events that will develop or refine their craft); and for research (to cover expenses for magazine articles, books or exhibitions). Eligible for the research category are creators (up to $7,500) and organizations and publishers (up to $10,000).Applications are available at the ACF website and submissions are due by February 1.

The Tyee offering fellowships to promote B.C. investigative reporting

The Tyee, the excellent online newspaper published in Vancouver, has announced a proposal call for $5,000 fellowships for independent journalists who want to do investigative or "solutions reporting" on important issues in British Columbia.

Entries are due Dec. 15, 2007 and will be judged by an independent advisory board who will share only the winning entries with Tyee editors. Winners will be announced Jan. 31, 2008.

The resulting series -- each one consisting of three or more articles of at least 1,000 words each -- will be published on The Tyee, and made available to other publications, pending approval by the authors.

The Tyee Fellowships for Investigative and Solutions Reporting are largely funded by Tyee readers, who last year gave over $21,000 in charitable deductible donations to the paper's foundation, the magazine said. Donation was spurred by an offer from the Endswell Foundation to match the first $15,000 donated, dollar for dollar.

Among the series published already as a result of the fellowships:

• Rough Weather Ahead: How global warming will hit BC by science writer Chris Woods.
• Reconciling with First Nations: How the 'New Relationship' is faring in the Fraser Valley by Sandra Shields .
• No Fares! Time for a free ride on public transit by Dave Olsen.
• Soon to be published: Rhiannon Coppin's investigative series on an international legal tangle centred on a B.C. mining firm.

Information on how to apply, and an application form, can be found here.

Canada Council gets permanent $30 million increase

In a surprise announcement, Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda today announced that the one time funding made available to the Canada Council for the Arts in 2006 will now be made permanent. This means that the annual allocation to the Council will grow by $30 million to $181 million a year.

At the news conference in Toronto and a press release, Minister Oda spoke about the very strong outcomes of the arts community, and their contribution to communities across Canada. “For 50 years, the Canada Council for the Arts has supported talented artists in achieving their dreams. It has helped our arts organizations, our creators, our communities and our country,” said Minister Oda.

Canada Council Director Robert Sirman was delighted with Minister’s announcement. “This is wonderful news, not only for the Canada Council and the community, but for all Canadians whose lives are touched by the arts” he said.

In its 2006 budget, the government announced additional funding of $50 million over two years for the Canada Council - $20 million in 2006/07 and $30 million in 2007/08. In the spring, the Council made grants of $33 million to all the arts (about $620,000 to 36 magazines) out of this one-time grant. Now the funding has been made permanent.

Presumably a portion of this funding will find its way every year to the literary and cultural magazines that are the Canada Council's clients.