2022 wasn’t a good year financially for the Killarney-Turtle Mountain Arts Council.

Arts Administrator Jane Ireland says coming out of the pandemic the group registered a $30,000 deficit but has been able to cover $20,000 of the funding shortfall. “We’re kind of wondering where we go next and we’re looking at different options.”

“Our operating budget is quite small at about $50,000 and we raise most of that. We get a small grant of around $5,000 from the municipality and the rest we have to fund raise.”

The Arts Council uses donations, the performing arts series and by holding fund raising events.

“It’s tough for a small rural art gallery to raise that much money when everyone is reeling from covid and other expenses.”

 

The Killarney Turtle Mountain Arts Council owns and operates the Heritage Home for the Arts five days per week between 12 noon and 4:00 pm.

“What the pandemic did was it kept us going for as long as we’ve been able to go because all of a sudden funding did appear and I thunk because we had funding to do more event, we raised more money. Now that funding is drying up and the covid funding for the arts is disappearing and now we’re back look at ways to raise money so we can continue operations.

 

Ireland says they have to be honest and says right now it is a struggle financially, but they don’t want to close their doors.

 

Arts Council members are looking at various options. “There are lots of people who love what we do here and right now we need one of those people to be a millionaire,” said Jane Ireland.

 

The council members are looking for more operating funds.

“We wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it was run by volunteers. My salary makes up half the operating budget so cutting my position would help us but it’s hard to find the volunteers to make it a volunteer run organization.”

Jane Ireland remains optimistic they can find additional funds and she hopes they can make up the $10,000 deficit over the next few months. She adds right now it’s business as usual.