Canada’s poet laureate will soon have company – the Senate has approved crearing a national artist laureate, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“Give a vote of moral support to Canadian creators in this very dark time,” said Sen. Patricia Bovey (Man.), sponsor of the bill..“This position will help shine proper light on both Canada’s Parliament and on Canadian artists,” said Bovey, former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery..She said Canadians would be cheered up by celebrating the work of painters, sculptors and photographers..“Art keeps us together,” said Bovey..“The need for creative expression has been particularly apparent.”.The Senate social affairs committee approved Bill S-205 to appoint a “parliamentary visual artist laureate” for successive two-year terms “to promote the arts in Canada through Parliament, including by fostering knowledge, enjoyment, awareness and development of the arts.”.Parliament in 2001 amended the Act to appoint a poet laureate, a part-time job at $20,000 a year plus expenses..“Canadians are looking for good news, positives, honesty and empowerment in their daily lives, and this bill does that,” testified Bovey..Similar bills twice lapsed in Parliament in the last four years..“If the Senate passes this and the House of Commons passes this the artists will see this as a huge vote of moral confidence in a time when they have given so much,” said Bovey..“It will communicate values, perspectives, principles and realities, both to longtime and new Canadians, to immigrants and refugees, in this non-verbal language.”.Appointees can work in any medium, said Bovey..“Painting, printmaking, sculptures, drawing, computer-generated art, videos, film, installations, photography,” she said..Federal funding for art dates from a 1951 Massey Commission on National Development in the Arts and Letters. A 2013 study by the Canada Council for the Arts said people who read books, enjoyed music and paintings were “much more likely to report they have very good or excellent mental health,” and were “more likely to have done a favour for a neighbour.”.“The arts are an integral part of many Canadians’ lives,” said the study..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694
Canada’s poet laureate will soon have company – the Senate has approved crearing a national artist laureate, said Blacklock’s Reporter..“Give a vote of moral support to Canadian creators in this very dark time,” said Sen. Patricia Bovey (Man.), sponsor of the bill..“This position will help shine proper light on both Canada’s Parliament and on Canadian artists,” said Bovey, former director of the Winnipeg Art Gallery..She said Canadians would be cheered up by celebrating the work of painters, sculptors and photographers..“Art keeps us together,” said Bovey..“The need for creative expression has been particularly apparent.”.The Senate social affairs committee approved Bill S-205 to appoint a “parliamentary visual artist laureate” for successive two-year terms “to promote the arts in Canada through Parliament, including by fostering knowledge, enjoyment, awareness and development of the arts.”.Parliament in 2001 amended the Act to appoint a poet laureate, a part-time job at $20,000 a year plus expenses..“Canadians are looking for good news, positives, honesty and empowerment in their daily lives, and this bill does that,” testified Bovey..Similar bills twice lapsed in Parliament in the last four years..“If the Senate passes this and the House of Commons passes this the artists will see this as a huge vote of moral confidence in a time when they have given so much,” said Bovey..“It will communicate values, perspectives, principles and realities, both to longtime and new Canadians, to immigrants and refugees, in this non-verbal language.”.Appointees can work in any medium, said Bovey..“Painting, printmaking, sculptures, drawing, computer-generated art, videos, film, installations, photography,” she said..Federal funding for art dates from a 1951 Massey Commission on National Development in the Arts and Letters. A 2013 study by the Canada Council for the Arts said people who read books, enjoyed music and paintings were “much more likely to report they have very good or excellent mental health,” and were “more likely to have done a favour for a neighbour.”.“The arts are an integral part of many Canadians’ lives,” said the study..Dave Naylor is the News Editor of the Western Standard.,dnaylor@westernstandardonline.com,.Twitter.com/nobby7694