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Reporting Back: Sharing Community Feedback

Reflections on BC Arts Council's 2022 Operating Assistance Grant Application

GVPTA Reporting Back: Sharing Community Feedback Reflections on BC Arts Council's 2022 Operating Assistance Grant Application

Based on anecdotal input from members of B.C.’s arts and culture community about changes to the application process, GVPTA, in collaboration with a group of B.C. arts service organizations (Arts BC, BC Alliance for Arts + Culture, BC Museums Association, BC Touring Council, CADA/West, Craft Council of BC, Le Conseil culturel et artistique francophone de la Colombie-Britannique, and Heritage BC), developed and disseminated a survey in October 2022 to better understand and identify common experiences with the BC Arts Council’s Operating Assistance grant program with the September 15, 2022 application deadline.


The final report with recommendations was shared in January 2023 with the BC Arts Council, and Dr. Sae-Hoon Stan Chung, Chair of the BCAC, provided GVPTA with a response letter which you can view at this link. 

The objective of the survey was to convey to the BC Arts Council community feedback about the most recent application process to consider as they continue to make updates to their programs to align with BC Arts Council's Extending Foundations: Action Plan 2022-2024, which holds Reconciliation, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access as core components of their strategic vision. The resulting report is an offer to BCAC, and potentially other interested grant makers, as one opportunity to hear from the arts, culture, and heritage sector, to reflect on and strengthen their programs moving forward.

Those targeted to complete the survey were organizational representatives who applied for the 2022 BC Arts Council Operating Assistance grant as well as organizational representatives who considered applying, however–for whatever reason–did not submit an application.

Over the course of three weeks (Oct 2-24, 2022), we received 181 survey responses from arts, culture, and heritage organizations from across British Columbia about their recent experience with the latest application.

The report provides details on the perceptions, appreciations and challenges experienced by community members in relation to the application itself, as well as with the application portal's Designated Priority Group and Equity Data Tool. The Executive Summary reflects on:
  • Intention - an overview of what people thought were the intentions behind the changes made by BC Arts Council.
  • Positive Reflections - highlight of positive themes that emerged from all parts of the process.
  • Challenges based on common themes.
  • Requests and considerations that BCAC might move into action.

​​Download the full report in PDF format by clicking the button below. 

Download the Report (PDF)

NOTE: For accessibility purposes we have also created a separate Google Doc version of the report's Backgrounder, Report Considerations, and Executive Summary. For the Google Doc version, click here. 

GVPTA Webinar 
Reporting Back: In Conversation with the BC Arts Council

On March 2, 2023, GVPTA presented a free community webinar, sharing highlights of the report's findings by Kenji Maeda, GVPTA Executive Director, followed by a conversation with Allison Bottomley, Acting Executive Director of Arts & Culture, Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport and Dr. Sae-Hoon Stan Chung, Chair of the BC Arts Council. 


Allison and Stan responded to questions from attendees, and shared how feedback has informed changes made by the BC Arts Council as it continues with its Extending Foundations Action Plan 2022-2024. 

The BC Arts Council has shared an Activity Tracker to provide an overview of the actions to be implemented over the next two years, and includes lists activities and initiatives as they are confirmed, developed and completed. View the Extending Foundations Action Plan Activity Tracker by clicking here. 


​​Click the video or the button below to view the webinar recording. 


Note: ASL interpretation and captioning services were provided.

View the Webinar Recording
Note: This presentation includes a recording of a live, unrehearsed, sign language interpretation, targeted to a specific audience. Interpreting services provided electronically may include errors and/or omissions due to the inherent vagaries of the internet and/or audio connections. Thank you for your understanding.
​​Questions and Further Analysis 

If you have questions about the report contact GVPTA Executive Director Kenji Maeda..