Portrait of a Past Editor BREAD. EAT BREAD BY JAMES RILEY A few years ago, an associate (let's call him that), wondered why | decided to take the path of becoming an artist knowing that | would "probably never make ends meet" (his words). In his estimation, his own profession of being a realtor was a more noble calling. ‘sian ~ One truth, probably one of the few he ever spoke, stuck in my mind: Why. would-you want. to toss that handful of twenty dollar bills out the win- dow every month to a landlord you probably don't even like? | kept seeing this stream of bills - which | had busted my ass to earn - float worthlessly out the window into nothing that ever really came back. So you're an artist, and you need space to breathe, to think, to ges- tate, to create art babies, ‘cause you got the need. Okay, besides the true and sweet delusions of grandeur that you're with it, and your work is gonna sell, and you're gonna be famous, baby - how are you gonna make it as an artist knowing the real costs involved and the ridiculously high level of Vancouver rents? Down in Strathcona, a group of artists have solved that worry for themselves the only way artists realistically can; through cooperative action. Deed. Not just thought. I'm not talking about a yuppie studio that some ‘saintly’ real-estate agent developed (jumped on) because of a recent City of Vancouver study that recognizes the need for artist's spaces. I'm talking about a destiny that these artists worked for and made a reality. The story goes like this. One of the members of Panneficio was walking by this bakery, as she had done every morning for about eight years. She had this feeling, the sort that is very intuitive, that this bakery was the space that she would be part of someday. The group of artists who make up Panneficio had been looking diligently for a studio to use, and perhaps to buy, in the Strathcona area. Ten minutes after a sign went up in front of this place, she phoned the real estate agent. A part of the background of this story is that a couple of members of the group had successfully bought a six-suite two-story walkup a few years earlier with five other tenants. Mind you, when they bought it they had zero money and zero credit. But with a little help from their friends and a small loan from the bank they got $5000 together and succeeded in convincing the bank of their good intentions. The space we're talking about here used to be the Montreal Bakery in the early Twenties. A big Italian bread production centre. Thus the name of the new studio, Panneficio, meaning "fine bread." One of the members of the group, a fine arts furniture maker, had garnered a wealth of experience doing renovations. So again, with a little help from friends they toiled and sweated to tear down the old walls and build what exists today: two live-work spaces, and three working studios. All this, mind you, with minimal incomes. To dole out portions of the total mortgage obligation, the members of Panneficio had a well-drafted agreement drawn up; and of course the agreement spells out what happens if someone decides to sell their stake. To date nobody has wanted to:sell their stake. One of the most interesting things about this tale is that many peo- ple who were approached by the members of Panneficio claimed they were interested in the scheme but didn't manage to take this interest further than saying "Neat! Well, if you find a place give us a call ." To which the reaction of the Panneficio people was: "If someone is not out there taking action, wanting to make this a reality, then forget about them!" What the Panneficio group succeeded in making a reality is a testa- ment to what artists can do together with a little faith, vision, perseverance and a lot of creativity. FEBRUARY - MARCH 1996 / Emny 5 TOUGH LOVE BY JAMIE LAMBERTON Students are up in arms all over the country. Why? Reductions in transfer pay- ments by government to universities and colleges is the answer. Students are possibly looking at tuition increases imposed by post-secondary administrators who will try to bal- ance out this loss in funding. Let's face facts. The money that has been doled out so generous- ly in the past to support all the social programs is dwindling as inflation rates climb, and debt levels increase both federally and provincially. Reduced payments to post-secondary education are only part of the prob- lem. Welfare, Medicare, Old Age Pensions, and an increasing pile of other social programs, are teetering on major reform, or possible extinc- tion. Getting back to education, let's look at the figures. In 1995/96, total educational expenditures are projected to reach $57.5 billion, which is an increase of over half a billion dollars from the previous year. Across the country, this averages out to approximately 62% for elementary and secondary, 27% for colleges and universities, and 11% for vocational training. B.C. comes in third place, behind Ontario and Quebec, receiving approximately $7.27 billion dollars from local, provincial, and federal governments, as well as private sources. The three levels of govern- ment cover about 90% of this expen- diture. Of this money, in B.C., elementary and secondary schools will absorb $4.42 billion, colleges $0.6 billion, universities $1.41 billion, and vocational institutes $0.84 bil- lion. The cost of education in B.C. has also risen almost a billion dollars in the past three years, 75% of which has accumulated over the past two of these years. A surprising truth is that B.C. has been increasing its spending on education every year for the past three years, relative to all the other provinces. On average, state-funded universities in the U.S. have a tuition rate of about $4,274 Cdn. This is far above the rate that any Canadian university now charges; therefore, in relation to our closest social-eco- nomic partner, who is also economi- cally more stable, whining over the high cost of education in Canada has little weight. The Canadian Federation of Students dreams of a Canada with full accessibility to post-secondary education through free tuition. The truth is that Canadian post-sec- ondary institutions, as well as the general public, must accept the fact that the money simply is not avail- able. Universities and colleges have to raise tuition to cover their operating costs and the reduction in funding, and to be able to provide an adequate standard of education for their students. UBC, for example, has felt the weight of this burden over the past seven years, having to increase class size while decreasing the number of educators in certain faculties, and losing variety in subject matter. ECIAD will probably face the same difficulties if posed with the problem of not raising tuition. And thus the students would suffer, as a result, with loss of facility space, accessibility to resources, and per- sonal time with instructors. The reali- ty is only too close, and a balance must be created somewhere. The situation Canada is in does not allow for more spending. We as Canadians have to take responsibility for the state our coun- try is in, and look forward to reduc- ing our debt load. Too many have been feeding from the trough of kindliness, and the general public has come to build a soft place in their hearts for the accessibility of the innumerable social programs that have been instituted in the past. Mismanagement and over- spending on all levels, government and public, has led this country into a cumulative downward spiral which has finally started to reveal its ugly consequences in the nineties. Increased tuition is a reality that may be slowed temporarily, but not stopped. Those individuals who can- not afford this increase will have to get of the couch and work harder for their education. Those who really want an education will find a way to achieve their goal. It is time for Canadians to become economically responsible, and accept their role in trying to rebuild the country instead of sitting back and whining about handouts that we cannot afford. As Canadians, we must set aside the past and search for the future, and open our eyes to the eco- nomic problems that we are facing. S Rena Del Pieve Gobbi Femur =o 1996 | amy 5 TOUGH LOVE vy JAM LaxwExr0N Portrait of a Past Editor Students are up in arms all over the ‘The Canadian Federation of country, Why? Students dreams of a Canada with Reductions in transfer pay- full accessibility to post-secondary ‘ments by government to universities education through fee tution The ‘and colleges i the answer Students truth is that Canadian post-sec- are possibly looking at tuition ‘ondary institutions, as well s the Increases imposed by post-secondary general public, must accept the fact ‘administrators who will ry to bal- thatthe money simply isnot vail ‘ance out this oss in funding, able Let's face facts. The money Universities and colleges ‘that has been doled out so generous- have to ais tuition to cover their Iyin the past to support all the social operating costs and the reduction in programs is dwindling as inflation funding, and tobe able to provide an rates climb, and debt levels increase adequate standard of education for both federally and provincial their students. UBC, fr example, has Reduced payments to post-secondary felt the weight of this burden over ‘ducation ae only part of the prob> the past seven years, having to lem, Welfare, Medicare, Old Age increase class size while decreasing Pensions, and an increasing pile of the numberof educators in certain other socal programs, are teetering faculties, and losing variety in subject reform, or possible extine- matter ECIAD will probably face Getting back to education, the same difficulties if posed with let look at the figures. In 1995/96, the problem of not raising tition. {otal educational expenditures are And thus the students would suffer, projected to reach $575 billion, a5 result, with loss of fality space, Which isan increase of over half _accessiblity to resources, and per- billion dolars from the previous year. sonal time with instructors. The reali- ‘Across the country, ths averages out tyis only too close, and a balance to approximately 62% for elementary must be created somewhere. ‘and secondary, 27% for colleges and The situation Canada i in Universities, and 11% for vocational doesnot allow for more spending. BREAD. EAT BREAD SET eee oe ane oe ees Sin: approximately $7.27 billion dollars. try sin, and look forward to reduc- hia weir from local, provincial, and federal ing out debt load. Too many have governments, 2s well as private been feeding from the trough of sources Kindliness, and the general pubic has ‘few years ago, an associate et’ cal him that), wondered why I decided to take the path of becoming an artist knowing that | would "probably never make ends meet” (is words). The three levels of govern- come to bulld a soft place in their ‘ment cover about 90% ofthis expen-_ hears forthe accessibility ofthe Giture. OF this money, n BC, innumerable social programs that In his estimation, his own profession of being a realtor was a more ‘elementary and secondary schools have been instituted in the past. noble calna wil absor $4.42 lion, coleges Mismanagement and over noo One tut, probably one ofthe few he ever spoke, stuck in my mind: ‘$06 bilion, universities $1.41 Billion, spending onal levels, goverment ‘Why, would you want to toss that handful of twenty dollar bills out the win- and vocational institutes $0.84 bil- ‘and public, has led this country into. dow every month toa landlord you probably don't even ite? kept sein tis fon. 3 cumulative downward sia which stream of bills - which | had busted my ass to earn - lat worthless out the Rene aie iene ay window into nothing that ever really came back: BC has also risen almost a billion consequences in the nineties. So you're an artist, and you need space to breathe, to think, to ges= Salis I the past ace eas 7, tate, to create art babies, ‘cause you got the need. (Okay, besides the true and sweet delusions of grandeur that you're Increased tution isa reality that may ‘of which has accumulated over the be slowed temporarily, but not ast two of these years. A surprising stopped. Those individuals who can- witht and your work s gonna sl, and you're gona be famous, baby - how truths that B.C. hasbeen increasing not afford this increase will have to ae you gonna make it san artist knowing the real costs volved and the its spending on education every year get ofthe couch and work harder for ‘iiculously high evel of Vancouver ents? forthe past thre year, relative to thee education. Thase who realy Down in Strathcona, a group of artist have solved that wor fr all the other provinces want an education wil ind a way to themselves the only way artist elstically ean; trough cooperative action, (On average state-funded achieve their goal Deed Not ust thouoht. niverstes inthe US. have tuition Iris time for Canadians to tm not talking about a yuppie studlo that Some ‘sin real-estate rate of about $4,274 Cdn This far become economically esposil, agent developed (umped on because ofa recent City of Vancouver study that above the rate that any Canadian and accep thee ole in trying to recognizes the need for aris’ spaces. 'm talking about a destiny that these university now charges; therefore, in rebuild the country instead of iting arists worked for and made a reality reaton to our closest socil-eco- back and whining about handouts The story goes like this. One of the members of Panneficio was GMRARGegMisaicaescconoe!. that we connot ard” walking by this bakery as she had done every morning for about eight years. Healy Fomttnde Migr the is Conadkane we niet She had this feling, the sort that is ver intuitive, that this bakery was the gf a EMIT TCR Ga fas aside the pest and search forte Space that she would be part of someday. The group of artists who make up Tittle weight, ipa ene sins Pannefico had been looking diligently fora studio to use, and perhaps to buy, nomic problems that we are facing. in the Strathcona area. Ten minutes after a sign went up infront of this place, ~~ she phoned the realestate agent. ‘Apart ofthe backaround of ths story is that a couple of members ofthe group had successfully bought asix-sulte two-story walup a few years caries with five other tenant. Mind you, when they bought it they had zero ‘money and zero credit. But wit a lite help from their friends anda small Joan from the bank they got $5000 together and succeeded in convincing the ‘bank of their good intentions. ‘The space were talking about here used tobe the Montreal Bakery in the early Twenties. big Italian bread production centre. Thus the name of the new studio, Panneficio, meaning “fine bread” (ne of the members ofthe group a fine arts furniture maker, had garnered a wealth of experience doing renovations. So agai, with a tle help from fiends they tiled and sweated to tear down the old walls and build wiat exists today: two lve-work spaces, and three working studios. {Al this, mind you, with minimal incomes. To dole out portions of the total mortgage obligation, the members of Panneficio had a well-drafted agreement drawn up; and ofcourse the agreement spells out what happens if someone decides to sell their stake. To date nobody has wanted t-sell their stake (ne of the most interesting things about thistle fs that many peo- ple who were approached by the memibers of Pannefcio claimed they were interested inthe scheme but did't manage to tae this interest further than saying “Neat! Well if you fin a place give usa call” To which the reaction ofthe Pannefcio people was: If someone is not out there taking action, wanting to make this a reality, then forget about them!” What the Panneficio group succeeded in making a reality is testa- iment to what artists can do together with alte faith vison, perseverance feral eve Gd and alot of creativity. -®