Chris Merrell poses for a photograph at the music venue 333 during a break from moving items out of the space on Clark Drive, in Vancouver, on Thursday October 24.After nearly seven years of hosting all-ages concerts, Chris Merrell spent Thursday packing up the few remaining mic stands, guitar cases and drum shells at 333.
It’s a problem that reaches far beyond the music scene: Artists of all types say immediate structural changes are needed to reduce out-of-control costs that are already prompting scores to relocate to more affordable regions, depleting Vancouver of its cultural vitality. “We’re really at a point in time where if we say we value the arts and we love the arts and we support the arts, then we need to take a really deep look at those comments that we make, and not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk,” says Esther Rausenberg, the executive director of ECCS.
More than anything else, Vancouver’s artists say the city must work with the province to overhaul the property taxation system. A vacant building at 1305 Powell Street that formerly housed two art spaces is seen in Vancouver, on Thursday October 24.One solution would be to assess those warehouse-type properties on their actual use. Other ideas being floated include allocating more city-owned real estate to arts spaces, increased artist-led ownership through a cultural land trust as well as giving non-profits complete exemptions from property taxes.
“Over a third of our total operating budget is taxed to the city and we’re a non-profit arts group, so that seems insane,” Mr. Carrico said.Story continues below advertisement
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