The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on several sectors of society and the economy in Quebec, including the cultural sector, which has been greatly affected and affected. The prolonged closures have caused job and income losses of more than a billion dollars, in addition to exacerbating the labor challenges and precariousness of workers that the community was already facing.
Rising costs linked to inflation spare no sector, and ours is no exception. Its fragility is reinforced with regard to its particular reality.
For example, for all sectors of the economy, the rate of self-employed workers has been falling since 1997, but growing in culture. In 2019, more than 17% of culture staff were self-employed or earning increasingly low wages relative to the rest of the economy.
The Coalition La culture, le cœur du Québec, which brings together several organizations representing more than 100,000 artists, artisans and cultural workers from all sectors of arts and culture in Quebec, already foresaw, in 2017, the imminence of the crisis. in terms of human resources.
An action plan was then presented to the government by the Coalition, but no follow-up was given to it, which would have made it possible to solidify the organizational structures and improve working conditions in a sustainable manner. This plan has been updated by the Coalition and will be presented to the candidates as well as to the public. We wouldn’t want to have to update it before commitments are made; the challenges of the sector are a priority.
Ensure sustainability
We recognize that the government has recently invested historic sums in culture. This support has enabled many to survive; but we want to live! The proportion of the budget allocated to culture is stagnating.
Yet between 2017 and 2019, the annualized growth of the cultural sector was higher than that of the economy as a whole, with a growth rate of 4.1%, compared to 2.9%. This demonstrates once again that culture is an investment, not an expense.
Since only 1% of Quebec’s annual budget is earmarked for culture, we are asking for it to be increased towards a fixed target of 2%. This major commitment would ensure the sustainability and development of Quebec’s arts and culture.
To better support human resources in arts and culture, the Coalition invites political parties to commit to taking action in this area. That they ensure that the community is fully recognized as a sector to be favored in terms of employment and development, in addition to being supported in proportion to its social, identity and economic importance.
The Coalition is calling for a concrete government action plan to support human resources in culture and would like the culture budget to be increased to 2% of the Quebec budget.
Signatories:
AQTIS 514 IATSE
Arrimage, Cultural Corporation of the Magdalen Islands
Association of Theater Companies (ACT)
Association of Specialized Theater Presenters (ADST)
Association of Performing Arts Professionals of Quebec (APASQ)
Association of Comedy Industry Professionals (APIH)
Professional Association of Show Presenters – RIDEAU
Quebec Association of Puppeteers (AQM)
Center for Playwrights (CEAD)
Quebec Crafts Council (CMAQ)
Quebec Music Council (CQM)
Quebec Living Heritage Council (CQPV)
Quebec Theater Council (CQT)
COPIBEC
Culture Bas-Saint-Laurent
Culture Capitale-Nationale and Chaudières-Appalaches
Culture Laval
Dance on the roads of Quebec
Artistic Diversity Montreal (DAM)
En Piste, national grouping of circus arts
Independent Research and Experimentation Arts Peer Grouping (REPAIRE)
Association of Visual Artists of Quebec (RAAV)
Regrouping of Artist-Run Centers of Quebec (RCAAQ)
Quebec Storytelling Association (RCQ)
Dance Education Network (RED)
Quebec Dance Association (RQD)
Professional Society of Authors and Composers of Quebec (SPACQ)
United Childhood Youth Theaters (TUEJ)
Union of Quebec Writers (UNEQ)