Re: "Lindy Sisson named arts champion," Wednesday, May 25.

Thank you for recognizing the award I recently received in The NOW on May 25. It is an honour to be recognized for my work as an "outstanding champion for the arts in British Columbia schools and communities."

The article did not include mention of my 10 years as artistic and executive director for the Vancouver International Children's Festival (VICF), and I feel that I was able to accomplish the most in terms of championing arts in education and involvement of community in the arts during my time there.

This leads me to the irony that another article (in the same paper as this one) appeared focusing on the local effects of recent changes to provincial gaming grant criteria and the resultant cuts.

The withdrawal of provincial support for arts groups from "grassroots" community groups to the large international festivals is having a devastating effect.

Without the gaming funds that the VICF received I certainly wouldn't have been able to do the work that has now garnered me this award.

The Kids Festival has just sustained a 50-per-cent cut in their gaming funds, and only discovered this fact 13 days before this year's festival -- which began Monday at its new location on Granville Island.

This necessary move was to make the festival more feasible to operate and take advantage of its indoor venues. A move such as this should be sustained by increased support to ensure its success rather than funding cuts.

In light of this potentially crippling news, festival organizers are having to rely more than ever on increased public support through ticket sales to ensure that the festival is able to continue in the future.

They have introduced evening shows in addition to this upcoming weekend's lineup of incredible shows.

So in my new role as "arts champion," I encourage families to take in the wonders on offer at the Kids Fest (www.childrensfestival.ca), and as well do whatever you can to send the provincial government the message that the arts matter in your community, encouraging them to broaden the gaming criteria to ensure the health of this vital sector of society.

Lindy Sisson

Executive Director

Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council

The ACT Arts Centre and Theatre