I think we're in this very clear moment of cultural sovereignty, where we're trying to advocate for keeping Canadian talent at home.
For us with Ballet Vancouver, this is a primary part of our mandate. I'm a Canadian, and as the leader of the organization, I value having Canadian performers representing Canadian choreographers, designers and composers across the mediums within our work.
I think one thing that's challenging economically is that if you go to Europe as a young dancer, you get a 13-month contract. You're a government employee in some of these places. We don't have systems in place, and I don't believe that we will. I don't see that coming in the future, but that is a big challenge in terms of retaining top-level talent, for sure.
Ultimately, we have this system of operating companies and project companies. In our case, we are still a project company in terms of our funding at all levels of government, so we don't have guaranteed funding every year to enable us to do long-range planning to ensure year-round contracts for dance artists.
I personally feel that there has been a big push towards supporting those who are emerging now. Many of us who were emerging, at that time, did not receive that support. What's happened is that the people in this kind of mid-level, mid-career, mid-life organization state didn't receive the support when emerging that those emerging receive now. That funding is being rededicated to emerging, so it is a challenge for mid-level organizations.
I believe it's important to support emerging artists. I also think organizations are well equipped as well to provide support for emerging artists if they're given support to have a sustainable structure. That's something that I advocate for: the health of organizations versus giving a lot of money out to young people making things for the first time.
I think that this will give people like me more confidence in feeling that they should stay in Canada and that Canada will invest in them to have longevity.
I'll leave it there.