Investing in Cultural Infrastructure Projects Across British Columbia, Including Vancouver's New Chinatown Storytelling Centre

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, announces support for cultural infrastructure projects across British Columbia, including a historic investment in the Chinatown Storytelling Centre—a cutting-edge immersive museum experience dedicated to preserving and sharing the histories and stories of Chinese Canadians

VANCOUVER, Aug. 26, 2019 /CNW/ - Cultural infrastructure contributes to the vitality and economic prosperity of communities across the country. It plays a crucial role in bringing Canadians together to experience arts and culture, and to celebrate our rich heritage.

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, on behalf of the Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, today announced $500,000 in funding for the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation in support of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre. This purpose-built cultural archive and community space in Vancouver's historic Chinatown—the first institution of its kind in Canada—is dedicated to honouring the living heritage of this unique neighbourhood, while bringing to life the multifaceted stories and cultural belongings of Chinese Canadians.

With this funding, the Foundation will retrofit a former bank into the 4,000-square-foot Chinatown Storytelling Centre. This new facility will include permanent exhibition and presentation spaces, temporary special exhibition space, and a shop with cultural and educational items.

Minister Ng also announced investments totalling more than $4.4 million for cultural infrastructure projects by 46 arts, culture and heritage organizations across British Columbia. Funding recipients include the Cranbrook and District Arts Council, the Nanaimo Art Gallery, the Kitimat Museum and Archives, the Vancouver Symphony, and the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre. See the attached backgrounder for more details.

These projects are supported through Canadian Heritage's Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF). Funding for projects like these helps fulfil the government's commitment to support important community infrastructure in cities and towns across Canada.

Quotes

"Support for cultural spaces is a priority for our government. That's why we are proud to have invested in these infrastructure projects across British Columbia, which will help build vibrant, culturally diverse, inclusive and connected communities. These projects show how valuable and important cultural spaces are in supporting the growth of Canada's arts, culture and heritage sectors, as well as our creative economy."

—The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism

"As someone with an immigrant story similar to many Canadians, I understand the importance of maintaining ties to one's heritage and culture. The investment our government made today in the Vancouver Chinatown Storytelling Centre will preserve and honour the history and culture of Vancouver's Chinatown. I am proud that our investment will enable the sharing of Chinese-Canadian stories in a way that is meaningful and accessible for all Canadians, and that it will support the economic and social growth of one of Vancouver's oldest communities."

—The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion

"The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation is very grateful to the Government of Canada for its support of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre. The Storytelling Centre will engage visitors in understanding the contribution of Chinatown to the development of Vancouver. It will also explore the Chinese-Canadian experience and its role in nation building through the lenses of immigration, discrimination, community building, social justice, cultural heritage and our shared intercultural history. The monumental contributions of early Chinese immigrants helped shape the social fabric of Canada, and epitomize the perseverance and resilience of its early pioneers. The Storytelling Centre is truly a transformational project. We hope that it serves as a symbol of Canada's pride and strength as a multicultural nation."

—Carol Lee, Chair, Vancouver Chinatown Foundation for Community Revitalization

Quick Facts

The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation for Community Revitalization was incorporated in 2011 to honour the culture, community and heritage of Vancouver's Chinatown, dating back more than a century. For more than seven years, the Foundation has worked to preserve Vancouver Chinatown's tangible and intangible cultural heritage.

The Chinatown Storytelling Centre will house a number of permanent exhibits, including ones on the history of building the Trans Canada Railway, the establishment of Vancouver's Chinatown, the impact of the Head Tax on Chinese Canadians, the Second World War and the fight for citizenship, and the ongoing challenges faced by all Chinatowns in North America.

Other cultural infrastructure projects funded across British Columbia include support to cultural hubs; museum and theatre renovations; technical upgrades such as stage, lighting and sound; museological equipment for exhibitions and programing; fire and safety upgrades; and feasibility studies.

The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund supports the improvement of physical conditions for arts, heritage, culture and creative innovation. The fund supports renovation and construction projects, the acquisition of specialized equipment and feasibility studies related to cultural spaces.

In Budget 2017, the CCSF received an increase of $30 million annually over a 10-year period, starting in 2018, to support creative hubs and other cultural spaces. This additional investment is a part of the social infrastructure component of the Investing in Canada Plan.

Associated Links

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

Investing in Canada Plan

Vancouver Chinatown Foundation

Chinatown Storytelling Centre

Backgrounder

Canada Cultural Spaces Fund

City	Organization	Project	Fiscal Year	Amount
Bella Coola	Lobelco Community Club	Lobelco Community Hall Roof Replacement Project	2018–2019	$40,000
Britannia Beach	Britannia Mine Museum Society	Terra Lab and Visitor Centre	2019–2020	$31,625
Chemainus	Chemainus Theatre Festival Society	Technical Booth Upgrade	2018–2019	$20,125
Cranbrook	The Cranbrook and District Arts Council	Plan to Acquire, Renovate and Equip Cranbrook and District Art Gallery	2019–2020	$254,000
Cranbrook	Key City Theatre Society	Key City Theatre Mechanical, Electrical and Equipment Upgrades	2019–2020	$544,375
Duncan	Cowichan Valley Regional District – Cowichan Theatre	Wireless Receivers and Carpet Replacement	2019–2020	$55,000
Gibsons	Deer Crossing – The Art Farm Society	Mobile Media Laboratory	2018–2019	$10,000
Hornby Island	Hornby Island Arts Council	Hornby Island Arts Centre	2020–2021	$375,000
Kitimat	Kitimat Museum & Archives	Kitimat Museum Accessibility Lift	2019–2020	$133,925
Nanaimo	The Port Theatre Society	Stage Lighting LED Upgrade	2019–2020	$41,802
Nanaimo	Nanaimo Art Gallery Society	Public Entranceway Enhancement & Pride of Place Project	2018–2019	$37,500
Nelson	The Capitol Theatre Restoration Society	Technical Equipment Upgrade and Theatre Improvement Project	2019–2021	$147,870
Nelson	Nelson and District Museum, Archives, Art Gallery and Historical Society	Building Access and Igniting Community Engagement: Nelson's Cold-War Bunker & Historic Collection	2018–2019	$85,000
New Westminster	Massey Theatre Society	New Lights for Massey Theatre	2018–2019	$37,000
New Westminster	Patrick Street Productions Society	Sound Equipment Purchase	2018–2019	$12,968
North Vancouver	North Vancouver Community Arts Council	CityScape Community Art Space Facility Upgrade 2018–2019	2018–2019	$75,000
North Vancouver	Presentation House Cultural Society	Second Floor Studio Fit-Out	2019–2020	$38,250
Pemberton	Pemberton and District Museum and Archives Society	Pemberton Station School & John Arn Cabin Project	2019–2020	$67,000
Prince George	The Community Arts Council of Prince George and District	Prince George Creative Hub Feasibility Study	2019–2020	$34,000
Prince George	Prince George Regional Art Gallery Association	Two Rivers Gallery Renovation	2019–2020	$94,083
Prince Rupert	Northern British Columbia Museum Association	Chatham Building Revitalization Project	2019–2020	$192,115
Richmond	Richmond Gateway Theatre Society	Microphone Equipment Purchase & Theatre Technical Equipment Feasibility Study	2018–2019	$24,133
Terrace	R.E.M Lee Theatre Alive (1988) Society	R.E.M. Lee Theatre Upgrades	2018–2019	$199,632
Vancouver	Vancouver Symphony Society	Digital Concert Hall Upgrade for Vancouver's Historic Orpheum Theatre	2019–2020	$725,177
Vancouver	221A Artist Run Centre Society	236 E Pender St Cultural Hub, Phase 2	2019–2020	$66,200
Vancouver	221A Artist Run Centre Society	222 Fire Alarm Upgrade	2019–2020	$20,000
Vancouver	The Beaumont Studios Artist Society	Beaumont Studios Cultural Spaces Upgrade Project	2019–2020	$65,000
Vancouver	Boca Del Lupo Theatre	Performance Works Specialized Equipment	2019–2020	$54,984
Vancouver	Little Mountain Gallery Community Arts Performance Association	Little Mountain Gallery Space Evaluation and Planning Project	2019–2020	$10,695
Vancouver	The Arts Club of Vancouver Theatre Society	Renovation of the Granville Island Stage	2019–2020	$115,000
Vancouver	I.E. Artspeak Gallery Society	Expanded Facilities Project	2018–2019	$65,535
Vancouver	Vancouver Society for Early Music	Hodson Manor Renovation	2018–2019	$50,000
Vancouver	Movement Enterprises Society	Small Stage Summer Series	2018–2019	$20,000
Vancouver	The Plastic Orchid Factory Society	Left of Main Dance Space Renovation – Phase 2	2018–2019	$60,000
Vancouver	Urban Ink Production Society	Indigenous Performing Arts Centre Feasibility Study	2018–2019	$13,850
Vancouver	Pink Ink Theatre Productions Association	Pi Theatre Storefront Theatre Feasibility Study	2018–2019	$12,085
Vancouver	Burrard Arts Foundation	Burrard Arts Foundation New Space Renovation Project	2018–2019	$30,507
Vancouver	Canadian Music Centre BC Region	Theatre Upgrade Project	2018–2019	$20,000
Vancouver	Visible Art Society	The Blue Cabin Residency	2018–2019	$125,000
Vancouver	Bard on the Beach Theatre Society	Bard on the Beach - Lighting Equipment Inventory Project	2018–2019	$250,000
Vancouver	Dusty Flowerpot Cabaret Society	Phase 1: Planning	2018–2019	$2,500
Vernon	Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Society	Stage and Production Capacity Improvement Project	2019–2020	$75,000
Victoria	Ballet Victoria Society	Upgrading Lighting System to Improve Quality and Accessibility	2018–2019	$10,500
Wells	Sunset Theatre Society	Lighting and Sound Upgrade	2019–2020	$29,108
Whistler	Spo7ez Cultural Centre And Community Society	Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre Cultural Longhouse Feasibility Study	2018–2019	$20,677
White Rock	Peninsula Productions Society	NextGen Black Box Theatre Project	2018–2019	$12,800
TOTAL:				$4,405,021

SOURCE Canadian Heritage

(media only), please contact: Simon Ross, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, 819-997-7788; Media Relations: Canadian Heritage, 819-994-9101, 1-866-569-6155, [email protected]

Related Links

www.pch.gc.ca