Over the next two years, the provincial government will cut 88% of the arts funding in British Columbia. These cuts have taken many arts groups by total surprise-funding they were counting on for next year has basically evaporated. One group dealing with the fallout are the good folks at The Helen Pitt Gallery Artist Run Centre. (http://www.helenpittgallery.org/) Forced by the cuts to move from their home on Alexander St., they’re going out with a bang. The gallery is throwing a Time Capsule Party this Friday, Oct 23rd, at 102-148 Alexander St. Entry is $5-10 on a sliding scale, and attendees are asked to bring open contributions to the time capsule they’re burying in honour of leaving the old, and continuing into the future thanks to help from friends like 221a Artist Run Centre and Or Gallery. This party is more than a great opportunity to make a craft-it’s a moment to rally in support of the arts. If you can’t make it out this Friday, why not round up 15 buddies to form a grey square for The Grey Relay? On October 28th, groups will stand silently for 15 minutes on street corners, then walk single file to their next post, making their way around the city. Touted not as a protest, but a day long action, help them create a visual picture of people incensed by the cuts to arts funding. To find out more about what you can do, check out the Facebook group, which will keep you up to date on events: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=129278437702. To read more about the fight to stop the cuts, and to see just how many diverse individuals (from writers to Northern miners) are angered by the government’s decision, check out http://www.stopbcartscuts.ca/.