Thursday, December 09, 2010

Galleries Paint Gloomy Financial Picture - Public gallery finances down to bare bones, says executive director


The financial picture for Vernon art galleries appears to be painted red. The Vernon Public Art Gallery has asked for an additional 15-thousand dollars from local communities to cover this year's deficit. Officials have made a request for another 40-thousand dollars in 2011 to invest in the future of the gallery. Officials are hoping for a new, Class A gallery to be built by 2015. According to the gallery's budget figures, Greater Vernon Services provided $131,600 for 2010 operations. Executive Director Dauna Grant told the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee Thursday that the gallery has cut back to the bare bones. ``We've cut back expenses as much as we can in different areas,'' said Grant. ``We find there is no room for contingencies.''

The artist-run Gallery Vertigo, which sits at the corner of 30th Avenue and 31st Street in downtown Vernon, is asking for 30-thousand dollars a year in funding starting in 2011. That's double the one-time grant it received from NORD this year. The regional district board will review both requests during 2011 budget discussions.

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