It should be fitting that I wrote about live dance last time, and will talk about live music today. I love this fair city I have chosen as my second home, but sometimes I am appalled to find out certain truths. One such example is the dismal support that our very own symphony orchestra receives!
The sad thing is that I wasn’t even that surprised to find out that our Symphony Nova Scotia is the least funded orchestra across the country. The City of Halifax drastically underfunds its large arts organizations (i.e. Neptune, Eastern Front Theatre, the AGNS) compared to other cities in Canada, never mind about in the rest of the Western hemisphere. Recent annual grants were at approximately $18,000 for Symphony Nova Scotia compared to $300,000 in London, Ontario, a similar-sized Canadian City with a similar-sized orchestra.
Everyone is suffering in this economy of course, and the question is, does Halifax and the province of Nova Scotia want a symphony orchestra, and a cultured community? Do me a favour, dear reader: go through the small trouble and sign the Petition to fund Symphony Nova Scotia appropriately! It is not sustainable to pay these excellent musicians such ridiculously low wages. This is how they feed their children and pay their bills!
Symphony Nova Scotia has played for Nova Scotia’s people for thirty years, but it won’t be able to continue if we keep neglecting it. We neglect it in funding, and we neglect to go and take advantage of the amazing offerings of live music in Halifax. When was the last time you went to the Symphony? GO and experience live music! It is such an amazing experience, every time. And please: let’s make sure an infrastructure is created for ongoing yearly appropriate funding at a level that ensures the lasting health and prosperity of such an organization.
Halifax votes tomorrow. If you want a Nova Scotia Symphony Orchestra, you have to voice this!
Music and arts make the world go round. No point otherwise.
Can’t thank you enough for this entry, Dorothee. I’m an orchestra member. Been here since year one of SNS. It’s true, not only is the city underfunding us dismally, but our salaries are underfunded dismally.
I’m glad the petition is there to put some attention on the topic! I must admit that I had been unaware. It’s sad!
Well said Dorothee. Halifax needs to rise to its potential and embrace the excellent artists who ALL struggle in this province. Let’s hope Mr. Savage puts HRM money where his mouth is.