The First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC) announced $600,000 in new funding

The First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)
announced $600,000 in new funding for B.C. based Aboriginal artists and arts organizations. The announcement took place at the Talking Stick Festival, an annual celebration of Aboriginal arts and culture, in Vancouver on Feb. 22. “Each year, we receive more requests for arts funding than we can grant,” said Tracey Herbert, executive director of FPCC. “This type of financial investment is critical to fostering a vibrant and thriving Aboriginal arts community throughout the province, and that benefits all of us in B.C.” The funds were donated by the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation, based in the U.S., as part of its recently established Native Arts and Cultures funding stream. The $600,000 will be utilized over three years and will support projects that focus on transmitting traditional Aboriginal arts knowledge and skills, as well as on developing arts and culture managers, leaders and organizations. A portion will also be directed toward arts-related strategic outreach.