Cutbanks- the Prince George Cultural Website
The perilous future of the Coldsnap Music Festival
By Tyler Clarke, editor
(Image is of Sean Siddals of local band The Concerns of Royalty performing at this year's Coldsnap Music Festival )
The Coldsnap Music Festival is one of many local arts-related things in town that faces a massive budget cut this coming year – with its entire budget cut.
Previously, as festival organizer Jo Beattie clarifies, the city has always supported the festival, consistently sponsoring $5 thousand of the $10 thousand they typically request. The funds came from a festival grant the city created, which they’ve decided to cancel this year.
“It’s a very foolish decision, to stop supporting it,” Jo Beattie said, adding that this year’s successful sold-out festival is evidence of its support from the community.
Beattie heard the news earlier in the year when the CBC called her while she was at work to get her reaction to the decision. News to her, it certainly put a black cloud over her remaining work day.
Without municipal support, Beattie said that other streams of funding, such as from the provincial government, isn’t possible, making the city’s support all the more important.
Beattie encourages those interested in the Coldsnap Music Festival’s continued presence in Prince George to attend the March 29 city council meeting at 7 p.m. to voice their concerns alongside her. Otherwise, the festival might either have to end or be presented in a different form.
On the bright side of things, Beattie said that the debt the Prince George Folkfest Society has been holding over from previous festivals has finally been paid off.
There’s also a duo of upcoming After 8 with Coldsnap shows with spoken word poet Shane Koyczan, who recently received worldwide recognition for performing at the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremonies, and fellow spoken-word poet and musician Dan Mangan. The show has been scheduled for May 15 and 16, with details becoming available as the date approaches.
(Image is of Sean Siddals of local band The Concerns of Royalty performing at this year's Coldsnap Music Festival )
The Coldsnap Music Festival is one of many local arts-related things in town that faces a massive budget cut this coming year – with its entire budget cut.
Previously, as festival organizer Jo Beattie clarifies, the city has always supported the festival, consistently sponsoring $5 thousand of the $10 thousand they typically request. The funds came from a festival grant the city created, which they’ve decided to cancel this year.
“It’s a very foolish decision, to stop supporting it,” Jo Beattie said, adding that this year’s successful sold-out festival is evidence of its support from the community.
Beattie heard the news earlier in the year when the CBC called her while she was at work to get her reaction to the decision. News to her, it certainly put a black cloud over her remaining work day.
Without municipal support, Beattie said that other streams of funding, such as from the provincial government, isn’t possible, making the city’s support all the more important.
Beattie encourages those interested in the Coldsnap Music Festival’s continued presence in Prince George to attend the March 29 city council meeting at 7 p.m. to voice their concerns alongside her. Otherwise, the festival might either have to end or be presented in a different form.
On the bright side of things, Beattie said that the debt the Prince George Folkfest Society has been holding over from previous festivals has finally been paid off.
There’s also a duo of upcoming After 8 with Coldsnap shows with spoken word poet Shane Koyczan, who recently received worldwide recognition for performing at the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremonies, and fellow spoken-word poet and musician Dan Mangan. The show has been scheduled for May 15 and 16, with details becoming available as the date approaches.
