Montreal Arts Community Protests Federal Funding Cuts

Montreal Museum of Fine Arts

From The Gazette:

MONTREAL - Some of the biggest names in Montreal's arts community took to the streets this morning to protest cuts to a variety of federal arts programs.

In a rally that cut across partisan politics, artists including playwright Michel Tremblay, La La Human Steps founder Edouard Lock, dancer Margie Gillis, and theatre director Lorraine Pintal signed a letter urging the Harper government to rescind $46-million in cuts it has made to several arts funding programs. Although the government claims it has increased its investment in cultural programs, demonstrators say the government's claims are "a shell game."

"Not only are the Conservatives not interested in the creative process, they are afraid of culture," said Michel Tremblay. "What they have done to gut cultural programs is scandalous."

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