Posted on: 2011/06/09
On June 1st, Margie Gillis, one of Canada’s most esteemed dance artists, and a recent recipient of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, was invited to appear on the Sun News Network to talk about funding for the arts.
Margie is to be commended for her grace and poise during this bullying interview, which not only asked her to justify herself and her worth as an artist, but also attacked the value of artists and the arts in general. At the heart of the interview was the question: why should ordinary Canadians care about the arts?
So – why should people care? Aren’t artists the elitists the interviewer suggested they were?
Not at all -- Artists reveal the deepest nature of our humanity, challenging us to question who we are and how we relate to one another and to the world around us. Everyone who has ever felt a passionate response to a movie, a song, a photograph, a painting or a dance piece knows what I mean. The art resonates with us because it is about us.
That’s why any student of history looks at the buildings, the paintings, the music, the languages and the other creations of a culture to discover what made those people “tick” deep down – what they loved, loathed, feared, and desired. Modern-day Canada, like every other culture in history, also reveals itself to the rest of the world through its art. That’s why it’s so necessary to nurture our artists. They tell our story; they bring our unique voice to the world stage.
And, artists do all of this with very little pay and with very little support. According to the DTRC’s most recent survey of professional dancers in Canada, the average salary earned by dancers from all dance-related income is $18,000 per year – a meagre sum for a group that has trained for at least 10 years. Other professionals who have trained as long and as hard – such as doctors, lawyers and engineers – can easily command six-figure salaries. Dancers also take physical risks on a daily basis, and have little or no job security, as most are self-employed. Illness, injury and financial problems can all challenge an artist’s ability to continue producing their art.
By supporting artists financially, the government, private donors and organizations like ours, allow artists the opportunity to avoid burnout, to lengthen their careers and to continue producing works of value to us all. In my opinion, this is money well spent, as it helps to keep the soul and spirit of Canada alive.
Amanda Hancox, DTRC Executive Director
Helping dancers make necessary transitions into, within, and from professional performing careers since 1985.
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and the ability to express and manifest ideas. Surely we can agree that these are essential skills no matter the chosen career path yet, our arts and music programs are the first to be cut from school budgets.
on 11/12/02
Thank you Amanda, for so eloquently expressing what so many of us feel.
In a career that often seems to require us to defend what we do and why, these public forum attacks only hurt our internal integrity.
As a dancer and artist I am continually expanding on my ability to advocate for all arts, culture and sciences. I may not understand every form, I may not even like every piece or study, but the validity of research and expression for the sake of commemorating our present lives is immeasurable.
If we do not create works to tell our stories, who are we?
I am not only a dancer I am proud of being a dancer… even in retirement, I still define myself as a dancer.
It is not just what I do, it is WHO I am.
Andrea
on 11/06/09