Dan Mangan Throws Support Behind Coldsnap

Dan Mangan

Indie-rock troubadour Dan Mangan has thrown his support behind the Coldsnap music festival, asking the “decision makers” of the city to invest in the festival’s future. Not only is he an unparalleled singer-songwriter, he has a pretty good grasp on the economics of the arts, as well, writing:

“A more tangible and graspable fact is that the money spent on these events comes back to the community exponentially, and in a long term picture, culture is always a sound investment (mind the pun). According to the government’s own studies, every dollar spent on arts funding brings back more than a dollar in tax revenue. Investing in arts infrastructure is like investing in forestry – if we put public money in to it, it will stimulate industry and business growth in both public and private sectors – which will employ people and bring tax dollars back in to the system. Forestry investment creates jobs in tree-rich areas, arts investment creates jobs in arts communities.”

These are exactly the thoughts of those of us behind Coldsnap, and hopefully more than a few people out there, as well. Coldsnap has grown into a great promotional tool for what Prince George has to offer. As Dan concludes:

Had anybody ever heard of Glastonbury before the Glastonbury Festival existed? Coachella? I believe that tenacity precedes reputation, and reputation fosters sustainability.

You can read the full text of the letter, sent to local media, below:

Dear fine citizens and decision makers of Prince George,

My name is Dan Mangan. I am a recording artist and touring musician – some would say singer/songwriter – from Vancouver, BC. I have had the pleasure of playing concerts in Prince George twice now, and am excited to be returning next month with slam poet Shane Koyczan (who you may recognize from the Olympic Opening Ceremonies). I have also had the wonderful fortune to have received incredible support from the CBC and many other facets of online, print and alternative radio media here in Canada and abroad since the release of my newest album “Nice, Nice, Very Nice” in August of 2009.

I wanted to write to you on behalf of the artistic and art-supporting communities in small towns throughout this amazing country of ours. I have toured back and forth across Canada many, many times in the past six years or so, and have seen what a small motivated crew can manage against the obstacles of isolated geography. I want to implore you to exhaust every option to invest in your local music festivals and artistic community.

In Dawson City, over the course of their three-day sunshine marathon each year, is the Dawson City Music Festival. It is, beyond a doubt, one of the finest music festivals nationally, and notorious among musicians as a must-play opportunity. The population of Dawson City (according to a 2006 census) is 1,327. Against similar odds, the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival has also become a staple among Canadian music festival destinations. According to the same census, Salmon Arm’s population is 16,205. I imagine that if one were to ask small business owners in these two towns about what these festivals mean to their yearly revenues, their answers would be encouraging. These events are like sponges to surrounding areas, drawing in people from all walks of life to congregate in a mutual celebration of community and entertainment. And to spend money.

I could ramble endlessly about how and why music festivals are important to the cultural fabric of communities. The warmth of that semi-magical energy that comes from large scale concert events cultivates community building and pride among citizens. It sticks with children and creates nostalgia as they age. I know many people who grew up in Winnipeg and now live elsewhere, but have not missed a festival go in their home town in decades.

All the warm fuzzy stuff that comes from music festival is somewhat hard to define, and affects people differently. A more tangible and graspable fact is that the money spent on these events comes back to the community exponentially, and in a long term picture, culture is always a sound investment (mind the pun). According to the government’s own studies, every dollar spent on arts funding brings back more than a dollar in tax revenue. Investing in arts infrastructure is like investing in forestry – if we put public money in to it, it will stimulate industry and business growth in both public and private sectors – which will employ people and bring tax dollars back in to the system. Forestry investment creates jobs in tree-rich areas, arts investment creates jobs in arts communities.

Printers, advertisers, restaurants, hotels, print media and event labourers all make money from festivals. They act as financial injections to the local economy, not to mention as opportunities for lesser-known local artists to have a chance to play with world class musicians and expand their musical networks.

I believe that investing in the arts is a deep foundational affirmation that a society believes that creative thinking is important. The towns I mentioned above, Dawson City and Salmon Arm, did not acquire notoriety in their festivals because of chance. They have gained their reputations on the backs of countless hours of hard work, determination, and healthy support from their local governments. These successes could not have been achieved without the local communities that rallied for financial support and community involvement.

I do not know all that much about Prince George, but I do know one thing for sure. That there exists a vibrant, energetic and ready community of local people who have been and continue to be willing to donate their time, focus and personal assets to the greater good of your community – who have brought countless artisans from all over the world to your hometown, and continue to fight to make Prince George a cultural destination on the map and an ever-more enjoyable place to live. They largely work for free, giving away their evenings to planning community events. I know this because I have seen them at work, and I admire their tenacity. Not all cities of Prince George’s size are lucky enough to have such a community – and it would be an incredible shame for their passions to go to waste. If given the support they need to carry out their work, the Prince George Folkfest Society could not only foster an incredible cultural experience for Prince George and surrounding areas, but could help to constitute a sustainable and dependable source of annual revenue for the city and its businesses both big and small.

Had anybody ever heard of Glastonbury before the Glastonbury Festival existed? Coachella? I believe that tenacity precedes reputation, and reputation fosters sustainability. Thanks ever so much for listening to me ramble on. All the very best,

Dan Mangan

Thanks to Dan for all his support!