Arts Revelstoke awarded $79,000 from BC Arts Council

Arts Revelstoke was recently granted $79,000 from BC Arts Council, helping it update lighting infrastructure at the Revelstoke Performing Arts Centre and support the 2025 LUNA Fest. But it’s not enough to entirely cover the growing gap between funding and operation costs, Robyn Goldsmith, Arts Revelstoke’s executive director, told Revelstoke Mountaineer.

“Our costs are up, and our grants are largely the same,” Goldsmith said. “It’s just a scramble to try to pull grant funding from as many sources as we can to keep our programming at the level that it’s been in the past.”

The organization responsible for LUNA Fest, REVY.Live Outside, the Performing Arts series and more received $9,000 to support LUNA, $40,000 for theatre lighting upgrades to the performing arts centre, $29,600 towards operation costs and an additional $400 for future workshops through the BC Arts Council awards.

With LUNA’s annual costs averaging $240,000 to put on the three nights of live music, performances, large-scale art pieces and more, the $9,000 from BC Arts won’t go far. Still, every little bit of financial support helps, from the BC resort municipality initiative to Columbia Basin Trust.

“It’s really just a matter of putting all these bits and pieces together to generate enough income to pull off the festival,” Goldsmith said.

Another large factor that helps support LUNA Fest are ticket sales to LUNA Sound, the four-stage music festival that kicks off LUNA Fest. Goldsmith explained that the financial support there and through donations gathered throughout the year help fill in funding gaps and showcase the support Revelstoke and guests have for LUNA and other Arts Revelstoke programs.

“People love these events, and we just need that community support as broadly as possible.”

In a Feb. 11 general council meeting, Goldsmith noted struggles with School District 19 and expectations around usage and ownership of the performing arts centre housed within Revelstoke Secondary School. But an upcoming memorandum of understanding has Goldsmith optimistic that the partnership will be in a better place going forward. 

With it comes major upgrades to the lighting throughout the centre, aided by the $40,000 from BC Arts Council along with funding from Destination BC, the provincial crown corporation supporting local tourism. It’s an investment that’s sure to pay off, Goldsmith said, with the lighting infrastructure in the centre being replaced with LEDs.

“It’s actually going to result in quite significant power savings,” Goldsmith said.

Overall, the $79,000 from Arts BC is once again an added bit of financial security for Arts Revelstoke. With nearly $30,000 in operation costs now covered, a part of Arts Revelstoke’s budget rarely supported by other grants and project funding, Goldsmith explained it keeps Arts Revelstoke in a position to keep offering the range of programs and events it has come to be known for.

“Operating funding is really huge, and it’s the reason we can do what we do. It’s really reassuring to see us getting that year after year,” Goldsmith said.