More Drama in Drama

Even though I enjoyed the discussions about Arts Funding in Canada, I am glad that this week is over. It has been emotionally exhausting. I definitely felt an agenda to the discussions and if anything it made me really delve into the statistics (Canada Council for the Arts, Alberta Foundation for the Arts, and the Edmonton Arts Council). If I am going to talk about these things, I want to be able to talk about them with some facts and understanding of the whole funding situation in Canada. We were getting the correct information about average income and percentage of the national budget for the arts, but the tone was suggesting that those amount were low and something to complain about. My feeling was that the numbers were actually pretty good. I think the size of the pie is pretty healthy - 4% of the national budget (which did not account for Provincial and Municipal grants) for an industry that employs about 3.9% of the working population. What struck me was that between 1971 and 2001 the number of artists in Canada tripled compared with an 81% in the overall labour force. That seems really askew to me. Can there be that many more artists out there who have the talent and drive to be professionals? Or is the national average income of $23,500.00 for artists so low because the total amount is being spread out over too big a population? Speaking of $23,500.00 as a National Average wage... child care workers earn about $10.00/hour. At 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year that works out to $20,800.00. Even with certification the wage doesn't increase significantly. I'm just saying... Anyhow, I don't want funding cuts. I think Art is valuable. Look at all the stuff I do that is art-related. I wouldn't put that much time into it if it wasn't valuable to me. I do think there is a lot of quality art out there that doesn't get 'counted' that skew the statistics and we don't want to talk about it because it makes a better case to have the numbers low. But I think about my own situation. I do the art I do because the process of making that art is what 'pays' me. If I get paid money it is gravy, icing on the cake, a bonus. I don't expect everyone to want that, but there are many people like me, who are creating art and that art doesn't get counted because it is not compensated financially. I could go on a rant about comp tickets and waste and a disrespect for budgets and people who maybe aren't good enough to make a living at it despite their desire to because I could write about this stuff for hours. All I know is that it isn't black and white and personally, I think we have it pretty good in Canada. Do I want funding cuts - NO; Do I want acknowledgement that we have it pretty good - YES; Do all people agree with me on both those statements - ABSOLUTELY NOT. That's why this is such a great country. Feel free to disagree...

Drama 302

I am doing very well in the course (yay!). So far of the three assignments I have written and gotten back I am quite satisfied with my marks! Yesterday I wrote my next assignment on "Funding for the Arts in Canada". On Monday we talked about different sides to the argument (for and against) and we basically can write about anything on or related to that list. I wrote about Sarah Polley and the whole Becel/Heart and Stroke Foundation Film thing that happened just prior to the Oscars. I think that while it is noble and all that to not associate with a product (selling out, ahem), it is a much different thing for someone who is independently wealthy than for someone who might need those corporate funds to pay their bills. So in some ways I think it is irresponsible for Ms. Polley to make this grand stand on the issue. I also wonder why she did not know where the money was coming from ahead of time... Perhaps she did and this was a way for her to make her film and make a stand at the same time. After all she did not prevent the Heart and Stroke Foundation from using the film, she only removed her name after the fact. I wish I could have written more than a page (we are not allowed) because I could've talked about the implications for hours. But there are many, many, many artists out there who started their careers in commercials and there are many, many, many Arts Organizations and Individuals who rely on corporate sponsorship to operate. What does Sarah Polley think about them? Are they selling out? Or are they merely finding a legitimate way to finance their art?

A Wrap Up to the Week

I like my Canadian Drama class. I have to admit, that we mostly just talk and I wish we were in a smaller room because of the format of the course, but we always seem to have interesting discussions. I think we could have studied 2-3 more scripts in the time, but we have gotten to cover quite a few and that has been good. Next week we talk about Arts Funding in Canada and I am excited about that. Today (and this week in general) we talked about Michael Healey and his play Courageous (and a little about The Drawer Boy). I recommend Courageous to anyone. It's at the Citadel until Sunday. I am glad to have read The Drawer Boy. I had heard it was good and man-oh-man was it ever. I have put it on my list of shows I would like to direct some day.

I now have acquired the rights for 3 of the 4 shows in the season next year that require them. Not bad for one week. I am waiting on the 4th, which is unfortunately the first show of the season. I don't anticipate any problems as they sounded positive on the phone, but it was the only one that was not an automated system, so I think the 'people part' of the rights equation is slowing things down. If I don't hear by Monday I will be calling. It would be nice to be ahead of things and my estimated deadline was Friday next week (most places say 7-14 days for a response).

I worked out last night. It reminded me that I shouldn't let myself stop working out because it is so much more painful to restart. Here's hoping I maintain the momentum.

Out of My Control...

Last week I was sick. It hit Mon Night/Tuesday Morning and hung on until Sunday. I still have remnants but I am functional. In fact, I was functional for most of the week because I had things on the go that I could not opt out of. This week it is a slightly different picture. I am at about 95% but both boys have a cold. This is worse than when I was sick. I will struggle through things when I am ill, but with both boys ill it basically creates a situation where I am stuck at home. Yesterday this wasn't so bad, because I had nothing on the go that was urgent. Today it is much worse, because I have class and an assignment due in class. I emailed and phoned my prof and sent the assignment via email in the hope that she will accept it. I was contemplating dragging the kids to campus with me, but frankly, at this point, I will take a loss on the assignment rather than do that. One kid - I could handle that trip; Two kids - no way. Normally I would have my Mom as back-up, but my parents are away. If it were only one of the boys I could drop him at the store while I ran to class and back - I can't do that with both. This doesn't happen often, but when it does I really earn my salary. They better be well enough to go to school tomorrow!

Early Morning

I had to get up this morning at 6 A.M. because I had to go to an interview on Global TV for Kompany! Family Theatre. They are having the competition again for this year's Fringe and they have added some other components to the New Works portion of their mandate, including readings of some of the other scripts. So they asked me, as last year's winner, to go to the interview with Jan Taylor and talk up the company and the competition. It went well, but it was an early morning for me. I watched the interview and realized how huge I am. I should watch that every morning - that will get me on the treadmill! Other than that, the interview went well and I think I sounded okay.

After that I headed off to class where we had a lively discussion about what we all thought the Canadian Cultural Identity is. It was interesting. I am anxious, however, to dive into the plays!