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JOCELYNE LLOYD: L.M. Montgomery and Rachel Reid prove value of arts to community

I was at a P.E.I. literary event a number of years ago when one of the speakers made remarks about how little attention the sector gets, how paltry the funding and government support, when one considers how much the province continues to profit from a novel published more than 100 years ago.

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Whole industries in Prince Edward Island only exist because of Anne of Green Gables. The literature of Lucy Maud Montgomery fuels our tourism strategies, and descriptions of this Island have inspired generations of professionals to leave other parts of the world to visit and even move here.

So many businesses have built their brand around Anne Shirley that there is an Anne of Green Gables Licensing Authority operated by Montgomery’s heirs with the Government of Prince Edward Island. Presumably that arrangement brings in some revenue, though I’m not sure I’ve seen it spelled out in a provincial budget. The subject of provincial budgets, however, is why I have raised the topic of the benefits of the arts community.

Protests in Nova Scotia

In neighbouring Nova Scotia, rallies in support of the arts are breaking out all over the province after N.S. Premier Tim Houston announced budget cuts to grants supporting a number of organizations and programs devoted to preserving the province’s culture.

A theatre executive director in the Annapolis Valley outlined what the proposed cuts mean during a rally held Wednesday in Annapolis Royal, N.S. that attracted 200 people to turn out on a March afternoon in Nova Scotia’s smallest town.

“Core funding for non-profit cultural organizations to be cut 20 to 30 per cent across the board,” Janet Larkman said. “Two hundred and eighty-seven programs to be reduced, 127 programs to be eliminated, 7,500 non-profit organizations will be hit. 1,000-plus lost jobs in arts, culture, and heritage.”

Other protests took place in Halifax, Yarmouth, Wolfville, Sydney, Shelburne, New Glasgow, Liverpool and Antigonish on Wednesday and in Truro on Thursday, collectively attracting thousands of Nova Scotians passionate about preserving the art and culture of their communities.

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When confronted about the demonstrations in the legislature, the PC premier did not address the protesters concerns and instead dismissed the voices of his constituents, incorrectly attributing them to a PR stunt by the NDP opposition. Wow.

Here in P.E.I., there is no suggestion so far that Rob Lantz’s PC government will take similar measures in its upcoming budget, but the premier has released a mandate letter this week outlining five priorities.

The five priorities, which will be the focus of Lantz’s government over the next 12 months, can be boiled down to energy stabilization and costs; land management; health care; food and housing affordability; and financial stewardship.

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I actually can’t quibble with any of those priorities; they are all issues of vast importance to P.E.I. residents. But I do worry that in trying to meet those mandates, it might be tempting to cut arts spending to divert funds to electrification, health care and paying down the provincial debt.

Attracting jobs, residents

The truth is, that solution would be a short-term fix that incurs a whole lot of long-term pain. For one thing, if a region wants to attract health-care workers, job creators and economic stimulators, it must have a thriving arts scene so those people actually want to live and build their businesses there.

Rachel Reid, the author of the global phenomenon Heated Rivalry, spoke about this in an Instagram post this week.

“I can say without a doubt that I am only an author today because of the strong arts scene here in Halifax,” she wrote, pointing to access to live music, art galleries, independent film screenings and poetry readings.“I want young people in Nova Scotia, including my own kids, to also have the opportunity to be inspired and amazed here.”

Reid’s books about hockey players falling in love have already spawned an HBO series that has prompted applause at the 2026 Olympic Games opening ceremonies in Milano-Cortina and a guest spot for one of its stars on Saturday Night Live. That kind of exposure could not be bought with a provincial budget line item, but it could have never existed if Reid wasn’t supported to write her first novel. Like Montgomery, Reid’s work may inspire future generations to visit and move to the region.

Supporting health care

While we can all agree a stable health-care system is paramount for a thriving society, the arts sector has an important role to play here, too.

There is no question that the arts are the soul of a place, and bonding through exhibits, music and poetry gives residents a sense of community, of belonging, salve to their troubles. They also bring real dollars and cents.

Flip through The Guardian, pause at a downtown bulletin board or take a look on social media and there are abundant examples of musicians particularly, but other artists, too, offering their time and work as fundraisers. No week goes by without a benefit ceilidh for a family who needs funds for medical travel or to help someone who had to take time off work due to illness. The number of fundraisers to raise money for hospital medical equipment is almost unquantifiable.

As Music P.E.I. week draws to a close this weekend, I’m sure provincial government members will be present at some of these events. Perhaps we can remind them going into budget talks that creators who are not supported will not be able to extend their time and talent to others. Without culture, there is no need to stabilize the electric grid, address affordability or attract health-care workers because there will be no population to care for.

Jocelyne Lloyd is managing editor of The Guardian. She lives in Charlottetown.

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