The Big Story Nova Scotians aren't accepting cuts to their arts and culture
Mar 20, 2026
Sébastien Labelle, Nova Scotian actor and artistic director of Mayworks Kjipuktuk/Halifax, and Tamara Deverell, Canadian production designer and recent Oscar winner, discuss the fallout from provincial arts funding cuts. They talk about protests reaching the Oscars, how grants shaped careers, local cultural losses, economic impacts, and why arts funding matters for communities and tourism.
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Oscar Moment Used To Spotlight Local Arts Cuts
- Tamara Deverell used her Oscars press-room moment to call out Nova Scotia's arts cuts and explain how grants built her career.
- She described moving to Cape Breton for its arts community, co-chairing the Inverness County Centre for the Arts, and losing programming due to funding shortfalls.
Grants Fueled A Career And Local Tourism
- Deverell said provincial grants supported her early film work and the craftspeople she employs, enabling a career that led to Frankenstein.
- She gave concrete impacts: cancelled music series, inability to hire staff, asking members for higher fees, and fewer tourists visiting Cape Breton.
Arts Deliver High Economic And Social Returns
- Sébastien Labelle highlighted studies showing the arts deliver outsized economic returns and social benefits.
- He cited a report saying every dollar invested yields $29 in economic activity and Nova Scotia's arts sector generated $2.6 billion and 22,000 jobs in 2024.