An umbrella group representing more than 350 arts and culture groups across the province slammed today's budget, saying it will keep British Columbia "dead last in per-capita arts funding."

"B.C. trails every other province in per capita funding of the arts," said Alliance for Arts and Culture executive director Rob Gloor in a press release circulated this afternoon by his organization, adding "the current budget, which projects a multi-year freeze in arts funding, is a promise to remain last in Canada."

The budget freezes funding for arts and culture over the next three years, in spite of overall budget increases, which taking into account inflation, said Gloor, "is equivalent to a multi-year decrease."

The new $500 tax credit said by the government to help families afford kids' arts programs is vastly oversold, said Gloor's group in their press release. "The actual maximum benefit is just five per cent of that figure -- a mere $25 per child per year -- and does nothing to facilitate participation among lower income families."

David Beers is editor of The Tyee.