More money will be dished out by the City of Richmond next year in civic grants - and the main beneficiary will be the grossly under-funded arts community.
Collectively, Richmond's arts, culture and heritage groups received less than $19,000 in grants this year.
Next year, however, that total figure is set to rise to $100,000 after a city staff report indicated that the arts industry suffers from "perpetuated under-funding."
It's a much needed boost to the arts community, who this year received just $18,730 out of the entire $542,000 civic grant pot.
In a report placed before city council's general purposes committee this week, staff acknowledged that a strong arts grants program could bolster local organizations and increase opportunities for artists.
Despite the massive increase, Richmond's contribution via grants to arts and culture is still less than a third of some neighbouring cities.
From next year, the new city grants program will allocate $536,719 to groups offering health, social and safety pro-grams. A further $96,587 will be set aside for organizations offering parks and recreation programs and community events.
The proposals, although endorsed by the committee, must be approved by city council before being worked into the 2012 budget.
MORE RICHMOND, LESS RCMP
They wanted more Richmond and less RCMP and that's what they got.
City council earlier this year knocked back the proposal to spend up to $100,000 on a public art project at the new Richmond RCMP headquarters because it was too aligned with the Mounties.
But after the artist, Glen Andersen, reworked his designs - which incorporate the City of Richmond's salmon theme as opposed to the RCMP's buffalo - council approved the project for the No. 5 Road building, just south of Steveston Highway.
The new designs, which include a mosaic entrance and a metal sculpture, are inspired by the city's crest and heritage.
Andersen was chosen out of 14 artists by a panel.
The new building is expected to be opened in the fall.
