The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 28

Entertainment B8 The Weekend Sun. Saturday, February 1, 1997 TV CHANNEL from page B4 Baton's commitment to B.C. praised Canada Council's cost cutting plan; streamlines at expense of flexibility For the entertainment scene to be accurately portrayed, it is important to have a local television station that doesn't turn off the cameras after the supper-hour news, she said. "If there's something happening after 5 p.m., you can't get a news crew out unless you've set it up a month in advance and don't get bumped for a breaking news story." O'Day was upbeat about Baton's committment to B.C. film and television production.

"I can only hope that what they propose is what they'll deliver," she said. "I don't want to be cynical about that I just don't know. They have, within other contexts, a very good history." Some analysts have questioned the ef- feet CIVT will have on BCTV, a member of the CTV alignment of independent stations which buys 18 hours a week of programming from Baton (12 hours of U.S. programs, including Melrose Place, Drew Carey and Home Improvement, and six hours of Canadian programming). BCTV president Art Reitmayer said Friday that while there will is bound tobe some conflict in programming, only 3 V2 hours of those 18 hours involve high-profile programs.

BCTV-parent Western Communications International has been active in buying its own programs, Reitmayer noted: Having to compete for programs is simply a function of an increasingly complicated broadcast picture. "We're going to lose some of those shows," Reitmayer said, "but I'm sure there are programs out there that will find an audience as well. WIC and Baton do work together. We share an interest in CTV. And I think it's in everybody's best interest that we continue to make that a strong network." TIM CARLSON Vancouver Sun A cut of 39 staff positions, a reduction in application deadlines and restrictions on how many grants an artist can receive in a four-year period are part of the second phase of the Canada Council's cost-cutting plan.

It will mean a more streamlined but less flexible system for funding Canadian artists and arts organizations. "In the past two years we've lost 50 per cent of our staff, so we can't continue to do things the way we have in the past," said council communications officer Stephane Dubois. "We had the choice of maintaining the staff or preserving the grants budget and find a way to give out money differently." The cuts, which will reduce staff at the 40-year-old Ottawa-based agency from 171to 132 positions, could begin as early as next week and should be complete by the end of March. In 1995, the council announced a strategic plan to maintain its grants to artists budget by cutting administration costs from $12 million to $22 million Bruce Springsteen between the road and the void shame to see it become the kind of organization that receives proposals, paper pushes and issues cheques." Dubois says that shouldn't "If there is one deadline per gives them the possibility of both managing the workload and, if we can maintain the travel budget, maintain contact with clients," Dubois says. "It is very important to maintain that contact.

TJie officers need to meet their clients and see what they're doing." Baxter says simplified forms are-a dandy idea" but adds deadlines once a year will create problems "I understand how, from a bureaucratic point of view, that will eliminate costs," she says. "But at some point that will kneecap the ability to respond new developments that could be vital and exciting. The artist may want io move forward on an opportunity thatis three months before the deadline. There was more flexibility in the past," Baxter says she hopes the integration of the touring office into the other sections works better than it did for the Explorations program. "They did this with the Explorations program in 1995," said Baxter.

had a year and a half of seeing how worked and, to be quite frank, it hasn't worked very well." The two-grants-in-48-months restriction, designed simply to cut down on the number of applications, saiys Dubois, might be good news for emerging artists. "There has always a concern about emerging artists and organizations getting access," says Baxter, i Dubois says that perception is not true but young artists should benefit frdm the change anyway. "There's a perception in the comnju-nity although we have the figures to show it's not accurate that it's always the same artists getting grants. Statistics show that most recipients have had between one and three grants." (there were 262 employees at the time). "Since 1991-'92, our parliamentary appropriation has been reduced by $20 million," Dubois said.

The first big cut was a cut to the grants budget of $8.7 million imposed by the government. The rest we've taken out of administration." The new changes include: The Touring Office will be integrated into the music, dance, theatre, media arts and visual arts sections. There will be one application deadline a year per program (the deadlines will be finalized Very shortly," says Dubois). The exceptions are touring and travel grants, which will be considered upon receipt Overall, this will reduce the number of deadlines from 117 to 44 deadlines per year. Grants to individuals will come in standardized amounts of $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, $20,000, and (visual artists only) $34,000.

Individuals can receive a maximum of two grants within four years and are limited to one travel grant per year. Fixed values for travel grants, with an emphasis on major international or other opportunities for career enhancement Simplified application forms. Lori Baxter, executive director of Vancouver Cultural Alliance, which represents more than 200 arts organizations, says she appreciates the council's priority on grants over administration. But Baxter cautions that ongoing admin cuts will have diminished returns. She's concerned the council's officers will be office bound in Ottawa and have little time to gain first-hand knowledge of what is happening in Vancouver.

Local artists and arts organizations receive about 10 per cent of the council's total grant budget "In the past, the council has been more than just a giver of money but was also a real player in cultural development," says Baxter. "It will be a real groping for a new style. Now, he favors acoustic guitars and harmonicas over stacks of amps, and has found "a sense of place," he told Rolling Stone magazine. That special place is somewhere "between the road and the void," he says. Associated Press NEW YORK With Thunder Road well behind him, Bruce Springsteen was looking for new avenues of expression.

"There was a period where I didn't know if I had anything new to say," the rocker-turned-troubadour says. That was in the '80s, when he was 3 BACK 5D YE-C2 BOG SCREEW. 1 Breakdown of council funding The largest grants generally wdht to the largest organizations: Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Vancouver Opera Arts Club Theatre Vancouver Playhouse Ballet B.C. ($260,500) and publisher Douglas Mclntyre Some of the B.C. artists who fe-ceived grants in '9596 included filmmaker Lynne Stopkewich writers Anita Rau Badami (Tamarind Mem) and Susan Musgrave (Mus-grave Landing); Noam Gagnon and Dana Gingras of the dance group Holy Body Tattoo; musicians Francois Houle and Veda Hille; theatre team Michael Wener and Michael Schalde-mose of the Way Off Broadway Group; and visual artist Stan Douglas (through the Art Bank purchase program).

In 199596 the Canada Council distributed grants totalling $78 million. The council approved about 4,000 grants to individuals and groups out of approximately 15,000 applicants. In 199596 the Canada Council provided $9.9 million to B.C. artists and arts organizations. An additional $747,447 was paid to 1,400 B.C.

writers through the coun-(d-adrnirdstered Public Lending Right Program, which compensates writers for the use of their work in libraries and schools. B.C., having 12.7 per cent of Canada's population and 12 per cent of its cultural labor force, received 12.6 per cent of Canada Council funding. A total of $7.8 million or 10 per cent of all grant money went to Vancouver artists or 108 arts organizations in '9596. mutism mtmnm THEATQEMEAR YOU NEW WEST CINEMA 555 6TH STREET NEW WESTMINSTER LOUGHEED MALL 9855 AUSTIN AVE. BURNABY ALL SHOWS PRESENTED EXCLUSIVELY IN For SHOWTIMES CALL: Talking Yellow Pages: 299-9000 SEPARATE ADMISSION FOR EACH SHOW press 1, 2, or 3 or Rotary Phone: 420-0321 SIX TRACK DIGITAL SOUND CINIPLI ODEON I I CINfPLI ODfON I I CtNIPlEX OMON I I CINIPUX OMON I I CINimX OOffON I CtNIPLf ODION I FAMOUS PIAYYRS FAMOUS PLATTRS OKANVIIH 1 1 OAKWfXH 1 1 KOTT 7 1 1 COQUITIAM 1 WUIK TIWOHPI I CLIAIlBBOOK WILlOWlOOH OUILPFORP I FAMOUS PIATMS I I FAMOUS PIATHS I HARRIS D.

I I HARRIS RO. I CHECK THEATRE DIRECTORIES PMtF.1 I STATION $0. I lllMMOMD UNIW COTTONWOOD WaMU M. OMKUt fm SHOWTIMES "mpteo LOUGHEED DAYLIGHT rsrsn NEW WEST LOUGMLtO NtW WE ST OQMT K1SSTHE MMTHSTJ! SwgRS? a SLEEPERS ROMEO AND lougheeoI whomai.iqihim lULItl UiXLffi Dully U' IU 3D 4 45 7 1fl 1 1 1 1 F' rl Rut Lillo Show 1 1 4ii ChOSt And The Darkness lougheeoI i 1 1 mil i ri.niv -t OO NIWWItlLfllHlMA DAVLIOHT Onlly A Ah 7 OO 9.30 Hal Hun Mntlnwo ta 10P 30. --ri Mat Lntn Htiow: 1 1 PLV AWAV MOMS; Hut Burt Mitlinnn OO MIRROR HAS TWO PACEtt Daily go SiltSim Mntinan 3:18.

TNAtNSPOTTINOl Daily 4 bb bb fri f.iit I otn 1tirw 1 OO The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company Presents ROMEO AND JULIET Daily 2 10 0 35 r-ti I titu 9 lit 11 ir. JINOI.e ALL THE WAV: Dmiy 11 a 4t. oo HOST AND THE DARKNESS: Daily IfO JINULt ALL THt WAV: Onily ft Ob IO Sol Sitn MnlinM 12 30 3 40. SLIIPinS: Dully frt 'full I nto ntiow 1 i What's On At Vancouver Civic Theatres At the Centre of Vancouver's Entertainment District Who's Afraid Subscriber cantoupcrSun Information 736-2281 Qrpheum THE VRS RETURN POLICY1 February ForTkkcis 1,2,3 Schubert (VSO) 280-3311 4 Jean Harris, Lecture Series 280-2801 8,10 Jon Kimura Parker (VSO) 280-3311 14,15 Lands of the Midnight Sun (VSO) 280-3311 16 Kids' Konccrt (VSO) 280-3311 16 Academy Symphony Orchestra 734-2301 22.24 Romantic Champions (VSO) 280-3311 23 Roman Tarn, Singer from Hong Kong 276-9337 25 Margaret Thatcher, Lecture Series 280-2801 26 (Jrigory Sokolov (Van. Recital Society) 280-33 1 1 28 Marvin Hamlisch (VSO) 280-3311 of Virginia ffiRD Woolf dimMby Susan Cox stawng Nora McLellan Tom McBeath Jillian Fargey Christopher Hunt Set and costume design Pam Johnson lighting design Gerald King sound design Susanne Clampett FEBRUARY 1UIH 10 MARCH 8IH Tickets: 873-3311 TicketMaster: 280-3311 Musicians can only return to Vancouver for a third consecutive year if: the other two shows sold out instantly; the performances sen shivers down the spines of everyone in the audience; four standing ovations were offered; and audience members called for weeks after for information on recordings and future performances.

EEN0LIZABETH THEATRE February wJJioiv Altf Canada 1-10 Susannah (Vancouver Oiwa) 2 Jackie Muson. Comedian 15,16 Variety Club Telethon 19 Swan Luke on Ice 21-23 Shenyang Peking Opera 280-3311 280-4444 609-2313 280-4444 280-3311 if VANCOUVER Fcbruary pLayHouso g'rigory 0 0 Back by popular demand. Returns may be limited to three, so buy your tickets now. Wednesday, February 2697 at 8pm 0RPHEUM THEATRE Bach Chopin I 2 10-28 II 2000 (Vancotmr Playhouse Theatre Co.) 873-33 1 1 Double Exposure's 10th Anniversary 739-0559 Who's Afruid of Virginia Wooir? (Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Co.) 873-33 1 1 F.nscmblcWIcn (Friends of 'Chamber Music) 280-3311 TiiIk'H Zlmmcrmunn, Violist with Pianist llartinui Hnll (Van. Recital Socieft) 280-331 1 To be eligible to win, simply register through The Vancouver Sun Hotline at 482-2100 by noon on Feb.

6. Winners will be contacted. 16 rr Sponsored by: IMItcl iueni a Gcnrrnmly Supported by: Mrdla Sponsor: 'flVlWmrSiin RE I TAJ, SOCIETY': Queen Elizabeth Theatre Restaurant Buffet before the show 1 6,95 665-2373 rV vnwi Sim cnp wflw itr M-J I mm. a mni to trmvw-i at Hr Cms, Wni nmvn it immm, unm not (rtw All Owiwk nm Jukut Imil nl binoino ilunHMitlfiilliillliuiliW NulUMiHAjl WCUiAH it'ncoiatrSun I i i -41 till) I.