Penticton Art Gallery Director / Curator Paul Crawford in front of the Japanese Gardens.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

Penticton City Councillors will be taking a second look at their decision to cut funding to the local art gallery.

The Penticton Art Gallery requested a $130,000 operating grant for 2023 but Council only approved $55,000. The gallery had received $105,000 to $125,000 over the five previous years.

Curator Paul Crawford expressed his disappointment through a Facebook post on March 23.

“This abrupt cut of over $70,000 from last year's grant will have significant consequences on the gallery's daily operations,” it reads.

Councillor Isaac Gilbert said the decision to cut finding, which council made unanimously, was based upon the best information available through City staff.

“I understand that the art gallery is maybe feeling that Penticton City Council has it out for them and that’s not the case,” he said.

Beyond the support offered through grant funding, Gilbert pointed out how the City also supports the art gallery each year by exempting it from taxes worth about $20,000, as well as not charging for the waterfront lease which would be worth about $100,000.

Crawford says it's a lack of support for local arts, the mention of tax exemptions is just a way to muddy the waters, and that $55,000 would be the smallest grant the gallery has received from the city in his 17 years as curator.

The gallery may not appear to need as much cash because it posted a surplus last year, but Crawford feels like City Council took a narrow view of the gallery’s situation – it’s been offering more programming, has benefitted from one-off grants related to COVID over the past few years, and has funding that will carry over to next year through B.C.’s Community Gaming Grants.

And Crawford said the gallery's in the most financially stable situation of his tenure, adding that he operates on a shoestring budget.

Running a surplus initially made him feel like the gallery was in a strong position to prepare for future exhibits and weather any unexpected costs.

“Now it feels like we’re being penalized for being fiscally responsible,” he said.

In the interest of keeping within budget constraints, council was given information that suggested the gallery didn’t need as much cash, according to a press release from Mayor Julius Bloomfield.

“However, we’re always open to new information and that’s why I am pleased to announce that a delegation from the Penticton Art Gallery, including curator Paul Crawford, will attend the next Committee of the Whole meeting on April 3 at 10 a.m. to provide more details to council and residents directly,” Bloomfield said.

“This will be an opportunity for the Art Gallery to update documentation and for Council to ask detailed questions before any changes – which could impact the budget – are made.”

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