The Academy Theatre needs ongoing city support
Benns' Belief
Roderick Benns is the publisher of The Advocate. An award-winning author and journalist who grew up in Lindsay, he has written several books including Basic Income: How a Canadian Movement Could Change the World.
The arts are fundamental to our lives. They enrich us, reflect our society, and even urge us to be better human beings.
The arts are also big business. In 2022, there were 165,000 people employed in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector in Ontario. In Kawartha Lakes, according to the city, every dollar of municipal investment in culture generates somewhere between $3.70 and $11.70 for the community.
The city knows how important culture is to our local economy. It has done an admirable job promoting it, especially over the last few years. Why then, does it not regularly fund the most obvious cultural gem in Kawartha Lakes’ tourism crown – the Flato Academy Theatre?
Almost 90 per cent of community theatres in Ontario are supported by their municipal government, as mentioned by Academy staff at their recent annual general meeting.
Yes, the city made a $20,000 one-time grant to the Academy in 2023 (with applications open to all arts, culture and heritage organizations in the municipality.) And the latest grant announcements, whereby arts organizations can apply for money, has stringent caps. But one-off grants are different from getting an actual line item in the budget.
Other arts organizations like Globus Theatre, Grove Theatre, or the Kawartha Art Gallery, are just as worthy and need funding too – the Academy can’t have it all. And yet the Academy’s sheer size must be considered.
Back in 2019, then-Mayor Andy Letham said a good first start for the theatre to be regularly funded in the city budget would be to create “a solid business plan.”
I think that day has arrived, with the theatre showing growth and stability. In 2022 the Academy had a surplus of $5,000 and in 2023 it was $37,000. Things are looking up.
Partly that’s due to some help from Flato Developments, but also because the theatre is investing in its programming. But Flato’s help of $75,000 a year is misunderstood by the public, in some ways. This money basically keeps the lights on. It has been important money, but it is not money to grow the theatre’s capacity to do more, or to handle all aspects of its vast physical infrastructure needs.
Academy Chair Mike Piggott points out that Showcase in Peterborough has received more than $2.2 million from the city there, over 20 years. And Market Hall in Peterborough also receives financial support from the municipality.
The city loves to show off the Academy’s image (and that of our other arts venues) on its marketing materials, and rightly so. Theatre attracts people not only to visit, but ultimately to relocate, knowing there is top-notch entertainment on our doorstep.
Now we just need to see the monetary support from the city that backs up their faith in our key cultural assets, such as the 131-year-old Academy.
If Flato’s investment is just “keeping the lights oon” why rename it with the name of the investor?? Just asking.
“The arts are also big business.” — If the arts are such big business. then it shouldn’t be difficult to find other big businesses to sponsor/support them. Also, anyone interested in financially supporting the arts can support them with a personal cheque. Leave me, as a tax payer, out of it. Here’s another really crazy idea- let the corporation whos name is on the building (Flato) pay the bills. If tax payers fund this business/art facility, will the name of the facility be changed to ‘Tax Payers Theatre’ or does ‘Flato’ stay on the building ? I’ve had enough of seeing my tax dollars going to someone elses pet project.
In my opinion, people should first go and experience the Academy Theater before saying it is a venture the City should not provide on-going support for. Having a local theater that helps local performers and possibly future artists express their art locally is just one of the many benefits the Academy provides.