91大黄鸭 city council has agreed to divvy up $140,000 in professional operating grants between four local arts organizations鈥攖he Okanagan Symphony, 91大黄鸭 Ballet, the Alternator Centre for Contemporary Art and Bumbershoot Children鈥檚 Theatre.

Council approved the annual allocation at its meeting Monday.

The city鈥檚 cultural service manager Sandra Kochen said new guidelines were approved for the annual grants last year in anticipation of new organizations entering the program. But for 2017, not substantive changes were made.

A city staff report called for the OSO to get $62,000 this year, 91大黄鸭 Ballet to get $36,000, the Alternator $26,000 and Bumbershoot $16,000. The allocations are the same as they were in 2016.

The grants provide what the city calls consistent and reliable annual support for professional, established, non-profit arts and cultural organizations in the city, groups that 鈥渄eliver impactful, quality programs and services, demonstrate sustainable operations and contribute to the realization of the city鈥檚 cultural vision, principles and goals.鈥�

In order to quality, an eligible organization must be at least five years old, have professional and artistic leadership, a proven record of delivering quality artistic programs in the community, an annual cash budget of at least $200,000 and an active board of directors. Professional artistic contributors must be compensated at standard rates.

In addition, council also approved another $179,300 in general operating and project cultural grants for another 30 groups, with $114,300 of that going to 17 cultural organizations in the form of operating grants and another $65,000 going to 13 groups as project grants.

The program grants include $10,000 in incentive grants for Canada 150 initiatives to help mark the country鈥檚 150th anniversary this year.

Mayor Colin Basran praised the organizations getting the grants,saying in many cases they are lead by people the city is lucky yo have.

鈥淭hese people could be anywhere in the world doing what they are doing here, but they have chosen to be in 91大黄鸭,鈥� said Basran.

He added, the work of groups like Opera 91大黄鸭, the OSO and Ballet 91大黄鸭 also help 鈥渞aise the bar鈥� for the arts in the city.