The provincial government restored $7 million to the B.C. Arts Council last Wednesday, but whether any of that money will get to the cash-strapped arts council in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows remains to be seen.

"We're hopeful they'll put some money back but we really don't know at all," said Lindy Sisson, executive director for the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Arts Council. "Hopefully we won't have a deficit next year."

The new money gives the B.C. Arts Council a budget of $16 million, $3 million less than last year.

"It will be up to [the B.C. arts council] where they prioritize its delivery," said Sisson. "What we want is long-term stable funding."

The $7 million boost to arts is part of the 2010 Sports and Arts Legacy, a $10-million fund.

The provincial government announced last July that $3 million from the Legacy fund will go to B.C. Spirit Festivals.

In a press release, Minister of Tourism, Culture and the Arts Kevin Krueger said the festivals would be part of renewing: "The pride and excitement British Columbians experienced during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games."

Sisson said the money budgeted for B.C. Spirit Festivals, which may be a one-time event, could be better spent.

Sisson also questioned the wisdom of trying to recapture the Olympic spirit one year after the event.

"The Olympics are over, you can't recreate the Olympics," she said. "It doesn't make sense."

The spirit festivals are scheduled to take place in approximately 150 communities in February, 2011.

Sisson said she would prefer for funding to go to more established festivals as opposed to the spirit festivals.

"We'll probably have to cut back on [the B.C. arts and culture festival in April]," she said.

Sisson said the MRPMAC expects to get about $250 from the provincial government for the April festival.

Communities can receive as much as $50,000 for the spirit festival, based on population and the strength of their proposal.

Sisson stated in an email the MRPMAC would be applying for spirit festival funding and was looking to work with heritage societies as well as the Spirit of Wood Festival and the Lantern Festival on their proposal.

Besides receiving less money from the B.C. Arts Council, Sisson said the MRPMAC has lost other funding.

"We also got our gaming fund cut by $25,000," she said. The MRPMAC used to receive $45,000 from gaming annually, according to Sisson.

In total, Sisson said her group has lost approximately two-thirds of its funding. The council has a budget of $10,049 for 2010, down from $30,349 in 2009, according to Sisson. The MRPMAC usually produces two brochures detailing its shows and events every year, but will only produce one this year due to budgetary restrictions, according to Sisson.

Sisson said she plans to apply for greater funding at the end of September.