An update on the SEARA Initiative Fund, an initiative started by the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres which looks to galvanize sectoral efforts and deliver financial support to BC-based BIPOC Artists currently facing financial hardship.

The Sector Equity for Anti-Racism in the Arts (SEARA) is an initiative started by the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres which looks to galvanize sectoral efforts and deliver financial support to BC-based BIPOC Artists currently facing financial hardship.

Summer 2020 in the wake of COVID-19, the Black Lives Matter movement, ongoing fight to uphold Indigenous rights and land recognition, prompted arts organizations across North America to publicly address systemic racism. The Sector Equity for Anti-Racism in the Arts (SEARA) is an initiative started by the Pacific Association of Artist Run Centres in response to the current precarity of financial need. PAARC, BC Arts Service Organizations, and other sector leaders called for mutual aid and accountability in the arts. To simultaneously provide COVID-19 support and point to the inadequacies of current arts-funding models, SEARA looks to galvanize sectoral efforts and deliver financial support to BC-based BIPOC Artists currently facing financial hardship. SEARA is led by a BIPOC majority steering committee in the creation and development of the fund.

To date, SEARA raised over $300K across 104 organizations, the general public, and government entities. PAARC continues to support SEARA as their financial lead in handling the outgoing transactions for the initiative while Vancity Foundation and the BC Arts Council seek to support donations and granting cheques.

SEARA FUND INITIATIVE UPDATE 

April 24th, 2021 SEARA mailed out 150 cheques for Round 1 of successful applicants. SEARA has committed to prioritizing funding for those who demonstrated the most significant health and financial challenges. Round 1 applicants reflected this criteria. They are wrapping up Round 2 and all applicants will have heard from SEARA by the end of May. 

Media Contact
Zandi Dandizette, President, PAARC, 778-835-9819 or info@paarc.ca