A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALBERTA AND YOGURT? YOGURT WILL ALWAYS HAVE CULTURE

by Jim Bowman

Late in the evening of Thursday, March 20, I was winding down my day, reading a few messages on my favorite Internet newsgroups and listening to relaxing and gentle cool jazz, World Beat music, New Music, and singer-songwriters on CKUA Radio, before retiring at 11:30.

The next morning, I was astonished to learn that CKUA's 69 years of continuous public service broadcasting had ended at midnight.

My initial reaction was guilt: maybe I should have donated more money to the station over the years. But the story unfolded, and it was revealed that the station's demise was caused by mismanagement. Some of its government-appointed Directors had hired themselves to high-paying executive positions, in spite of their lack of knowledge of the broadcasting business.

Fortunately, the archives, libraries, and museums where most of us work are responsibly managed by professional colleagues. But some of our institutions are in a situation similar to CKUA, in that their government sponsors seem to be indifferent to their continuance. The trend in cultural policy in Canada today, not just in Alberta, is "Cut 'em loose!"

Most of us know that cultural and heritage organizations have a profound economic impact on their communities, although it is an indirect impact that doesn't show up on the bottom line of a balance sheet. For example, high-tech industries employing well-paid educated workers are more likely to locate in communities with attractive cultural amenities.

Cultural and heritage institutions are part of the societal infrastructure, and are as important as highways and waterworks. Yet, how many of them are teetering on the brink of collapse, forced to scale back their programs, or forced to redirect their professional and creative talents to fundraising activities?

"They can always apply for lottery funds," you say, "or seek out corporate donors." But does anyone really relish the thought of having their salary paid by gamblers? And big corporations and foundations do not have bottomless money bins. Most of them already have their philanthropic budgets stretched to the limit, and besides, they prefer charitable causes that are more newsworthy, like Manitoba flood relief.

The economy of Alberta (and the rest of Canada) is entering into a cycle of prosperity. Isn't it time for governments to do a little more to support our cultural heritage? Ask your politicians.