Northern Miners Support Artists


	Northern Miners Support Artists
				Links: Some important addresses to write to: http://tinyurl.com/ykkc6sh Arts Advocacy BC British Columbians and Canadians Speak Out Against Funding Cuts " Government is gambling with other people's money", The Province "Flex Your Muscles, BC Arts Community", The Tyee "Budget Cut Blues' Played for Politicians", The Tyee "Government cuts steal colour from life" canada.com Article in The Straight including reactions from individual artists Visualize the cuts (CARFAC BC on Facebook) Organizing against Campbell's cuts to the arts (Facebook) Creativity Counts
	Devlin’s Bench gold miners Rob Dakau and Dave Jorgenson are strongly opposed to recent cuts to BC’s arts budget. “When government ministers try to pit artists against hungry children, that’s a false dichotomy,” says heavy equipment operator Rob Dakau. “It’s not an elite thing. Children in our region benefit from art classes at Island Mountain Arts in Wells. And they learn to think creatively.” Jorgenson, Devlin’s Bench mine manager and a Past President of the Wells & District Chamber of Commerce, says “our culture and our economy are interconnected. Some of us at the mine host musicians during the annual ArtsWells Festival; others provide security; most of us try to attend. Events like ArtsWells bring much-needed dollars to our community.” He believes the government ought to be investing in the arts during the recession instead of making drastic cuts. Pete Wright, whose company operates the mine, says that in a small community like Wells, tiny investments in the arts generate a positive ripple effect in the local economy. “In my business, I have to look ahead and consider the global economy. Countries like Singapore are investing in the arts for long term growth – why aren’t we?” The Devlin’s Bench Gold Mine is located near Barkerville and Wells in BC’s north Cariboo. For further information, contact Bill Horne at Amazing Space Studio, Wells, BC 250-994-2332 mazing at claireart dot ca photo by Bill Horne			You can see more images of Solidarity with the arts from: forestry farming small town small businesses vs HST pulp workers hunting Sled dog mushers Train drivers Backhoe drivers Home page of claireart.ca To support the production of this series you can... If anyone wants to reproduce this or any other photos in this series, please contact me before doing so. In most cases I am happy to give permission, but out of respect for the people in the photographs, I like to check with them first. Thanks!