Editorial: If La Scena Musicale didn't exist, it would have to be invented

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"If La Scena Musicale didn't exist, it would have to be invented,"
wrote musicologist Jean-Jacques Nattiez in a letter supporting La Scena Musicale's request in December 2002 to the Canada Council and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ) to change their eligibility rules so that our funding application for the print magazine could be judged by a review committee.

It is this kind of enthusiastic support and belief in our products that motivates our dedicated team of staff and volunteers to continued excellence. Currently, free-distribution magazines (CALQ's rule) or magazines with over 25,000 copies (Canada Council's rule) are not eligible. Unfortunately, these rules have not been changed and so we face yet another year (our 8th) of operations without the level of government funding which many other arts magazines enjoy. For instance, Quebec arts magazines receive on average over 50% of their budget from various levels of government while LSM operates with a minimal 9% funding. To maintain and improve the quality of LSM,we need to raise our funding levels to 25%.

We haven't given up. It's a long-term project and help from the musical and artistic communities and from concerned readers could make the difference. Visit http://lobby.scena.org for more information.

In the meanwhile, we must make a general appeal for financial help. As a registered charity, LSM will issue tax receipts for donations and planned gifts.

Wah Keung Chan, President, La Scène Musicale/The Music Scene