'Art creates connection': Sask. artists push back against call to cut provincial grant funding

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) is calling on the Saskatchewan government to eliminate what it describes as "wasteful spending" on public arts funding, but artists say the federation is ignoring what art provides for the province and its people.

A CTF news release said the province allocates about $7 million in grants to be administered for SK Arts annually.

Gage Haubrich, prairie director for the CTF, said taxpayers should not be subsidizing what he calls "artist passion projects" during a time of growing provincial debt.

"Most Saskatchewanians will work on their hobbies on the weekend," Haubrich said. "They don't go to the government to beg for a cheque to take some time off so they can work on their hobbies. The government doesn't have extra money lying around to fund these types of projects, so they should cut it completely."

Haubrich cited several examples in his case for defunding SK Arts entirely, including a $5,000 grant that supported a musician's leave from work and a $1,000 grant that funded a music video by Regina artist Amy Swallow. The video, titled Baby Back Bitch, was posted on YouTube and had around 200 views at the time of publication.

"Just because art is something that people like, it doesn't justify wasting taxpayers' money on projects that nobody really watches," said Haubrich. "It shouldn't be subsidized."

The artists behind the projects say the CTF is missing the point entirely.

Amy Swallow, who wrote and performed the song, said art helped her during difficult times.

"Engaging with music and the arts gave me a renewed sense of purpose during a time when I was deeply struggling," Swallow wrote in a public statement. "It connected me with a supportive community that helped me get back on my feet. That creative lifeline played a real role in helping me become healthy enough to work, live, and contribute the way I do today."

She added that her work appears across multiple platforms, and that reducing its value to YouTube views alone is short-sighted.

"It overlooks how art lives, circulates, and resonates in today's world."

The video's director, Marz Gebhardt, also pushed back on the CTF's framing. Gebhardt said the grant provided meaningful creative and professional opportunity for both her and Swallow, noting that the project built on their earlier work, and opened the door to festival recognition and further collaborations.

"Not all meaningful art goes viral overnight," Gebhardt said in her statement. "That doesn't mean it isn't seen, shared, or significant. These grants don't just fund one project — they empower learning, connection, and long-term growth."

Cupid's Heart, a Saskatchewan-based band also named in the CTF release, issued a collective statement defending the value of public arts funding, especially in a province where many artists lack access to commercial platforms or financial stability.

"Art creates connection. It creates community. It allows for expression and exploration. It provides healing. It tells our stories and bridges gaps," the group wrote in a statement. "Creating home-grown independent art that comes from Saskatchewan is important, and it speaks in a way only we can."

They also highlighted the economic ripple effect that even small projects can create.

"As artists, we receive many types of support. When people come to a show, purchase from the artist, share our work, provide space for shows to happen, or provide grant support for a project — they're not just supporting an individual artist, they are supporting a bigger message, a broader movement, and the role art plays in our communities to bring us together."

'You're cutting the soil of a society'

Joel Zola, executive director and founder of Street Voices, a Toronto-based arts media nonprofit that provides free media workshops, said his work is possible because of arts grants.

Zola said an arts program helped turn his life around when he was young and warned that cutting these funds would limit options for vulnerable youth.

"There's people out here who have a passion for art," Zola said. "If you're cutting out that outlet, you're cutting out the soil of a society."

He said the arts could be a last lifeline for people with difficult circumstances.

"Once you cut out all options, the only option is the streets," he said. "So I think the more options we can create to distract youth and give them opportunities aside from being in the streets, it's a better solution for all of us."

Zola said people calling for cuts to art are underestimating its impact on an economy.

"If you're looking at this stuff from a budget perspective, yeah, you might ask what value does it bring," Zola said. "But if you're there in person, interacting with the people who participate in these activities, I think it might expand your perspective."

SK Arts CEO Lisa Bird-Wilson initially agreed to an interview with CBC to discuss the growing public attention on its programs, but backed out. As of publication time, no statement has been provided by the organization.