iN NUMBERS: Economics of arts and culture in Okanagan, Kamloops

Big public spending on the arts can sometimes get controversial, even though most people agree that having access to the arts is a positive thing.

Festivals, galleries and performing arts centres are in the budgets for Kamloops and cities around the Okanagan, but are they getting value for money?

Here are the numbers:

• 2: That was Kelowna’s position on a list of Canadian cities ranking their art scenes in size and economic scope, the Arts Vibrancy Index, but Victoria came in first.
• 75: Per cent of Canadians polled for the Arts Vibrancy Index believe attending arts and culture events positively impacts their sense of belonging.
• 220: Million dollars. That’s the high-end for the budget for a new performing arts centre in Kelowna, which is under consideration by the city.
• 211: Million dollars. That’s the latest approved budget for the new performing arts centre in Kamloops.
• 39.5: Million dollars. That’s the total budget for the Greater Vernon Cultural centre.
• 26: Dollars a year. That’s the City of Kelowna’s forecast arts and culture investment per capita in 2026. Do you think you’re getting your $26 dollars worth?
• 164: Arts, recreation and entertainment businesses were operational in Kelowna in 2025, according to Statistics Canada.
• 69: Arts, recreation and entertainment businesses were operational in Kamloops in 2025, according to StatsCan.
• 115,000: Dollars. That’s how much the City of Penticton is granting the Penticton Art Gallery Society.
• 6,500: Dollars. That’s how much the City of Penticton is granting the Penticton Elvis Festival. Ideally, that would cover some fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches to honour the King, but it doesn’t appear in the budget.
• 189: Million dollars are earmarked in the latest provincial budget for tourism, arts, culture and sports.