By Sarah Klein
Mayoral candidate Brian Bowman talks to potential voters on Monday, September 22, 2014. (TED GRANT / CHRISD.CA FILE)
Mayoral candidate Brian Bowman pledged on Friday to increase funding for Winnipeg’s ever-growing arts scene if elected.
Standing in front of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, on the heels of its renowned opening of Salvador Dali’s works, Bowman said he would incorporate artistic components in all new municipal capital projects with a particular emphasis on indigenous arts and culture.
“We have tremendous people doing great work already in Winnipeg,” he said. “We need to offer them the right level of support and embrace their work into city processes. With my experience as Chair of the Winnipeg Art Gallery I have seen first-hand the impact that arts and culture has in the city.”
Bowman’s plan also called for:
- Restoring the 5% reduction in funding to civic museums from the 2013 operating budget within two years
- Establish a new dedicated capital fund for upgrades to existing cultural and heritage facilities
- Restructure the Winnipeg Museums Board from a sub-committee to be an arm’s-length Winnipeg Museums Council and expand its mandate to include all museums located within Winnipeg
Bowman singled out the new Inuit Art Centre at the WAG as one such project that will be of significant importance to promoting indigenous art in Winnipeg.
