as of March 2013

Statement of Purpose

The Greater Halifax Arts Coalition (GHAC)  builds awareness of, participation in and support for arts and cultural activities in the greater Halifax area.  Participating organizations meet monthly to review common concerns, and to identify actions and initiatives that will strengthen the health of the arts in our community.

Greater Halifax Arts Coalition Members are professional arts organizations that engage and employ professional artists. We do this for a living, are well trained, and recognized by peers for creating artistic excellence.

• Every year our member companies spend more than $22 million, mostly within the Halifax Regional Municipality.
• We perform for more than 900,000 people every year, of all ages, from all walks of life, and in communities throughout the region.
• We employ more than 900 full time and part time people, most of them full-time residents.
• We attract investment — including more than $3 million in corporate support and more than $5.5 million from other levels of government.
• Any way you look at it, the work we do is good for our economy, and helps Halifax to have a diverse and vibrant core surrounded by active and engaged communities.

Our Vision

Halifax Regional Municipality is a vibrant city with surrounding communities peopled by residents who highly value arts and cultural activities as an important part of their lives.  Artists and arts organizations enjoy broad support from participants, volunteers, patron and champions, and all levels of government. Our coalition helps build awareness of the variety of high quality professional artistic activities available to residents and visitors alike. We are one of the reasons people, companies, and investment are attracted to our city, to Nova Scotia, and to Atlantic Canada.

Our Goals

1. Raise awareness of the value to our community of the professional arts activities in Halifax.
2. Increase paid attendance in arts and cultural programs/activities.
3. Increase the level of Federal and Provincial grants to at least 2007 levels adjusted for inflation.  Increase Municipal funding to level that compares nationally.
4. Increase the level of private sector investment through individual donations and corporate sponsorship.

Current Objectives

Work with the Halifax Regional Municipality Mayor, Council and Staff to:

• Implement a meaningful municipal funding program for professional arts organizations.
• Develop and implement a cultural facilities plan.
• Benchmark the region’s cultural investment against other municipalities in Canada.
• Connect with each other through a municipal arts council, and with other creative cities across the country.

Steering Committee 2012-13

Amy Melmock:  AMelmock@neptunetheatre.com
Erika Beatty:  ceo@symphonyns.ca
Jonny Stevens:  jonny@halifaxpopexplosion.com
Laurie Gillis: laurie@atlanticpresenters.ca
Christian Barry:  christian@2btheatre.com
Chris Shore: cshore@theatrens.ca

Member organizations are represented by  senior administrators.  For information on becoming a member, please contact anyone on the Steering Committee.

Members as of March 2013