Toronto Council Budget Vote: April 3
Toronto City Council is about to vote on whether to approve $6 million in arts funding for the 2013 budget. This funding is the first instalment in a four year plan that will bring Toronto's per capita arts investment to $25. The recommendation, ED20.5, is the result of concerted effort from across Toronto's arts sector over the past 10 years. A per capita increase was first introduced in 2003 by the Culture Plan for the Creative City and reiterated in 2011 by the Creative Capital Gains report. Both were unanimously supported by Council but the recommended per capita increase was not acted upon. For further background, you can visit the Toronto Arts Foundation, the Toronto Star, and NOW Magazine, for a start.
Artists, arts workers, and arts supporters need to show City Hall that this move is a step in the right direction.
On April 3, come to Council Chambers and show your support for Toronto's arts community. Demonstrations like this are vital to the decision-making process, particularly for those Councillors who are still undecided. If you can't make it out, Tweet, Facebook, put up signs, and most importantly, call or email your City Councillor to let them know you think ED20.5 is the right move for Toronto.
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| Councillors at the Daniels Spectrum celebrate the recommended increase to arts funding. Photo from livewithculture.ca |
Public Consultations
The City and the TAC are holding public consultations beginning April 6. This is the community's chance to shape what the priorities for arts funding should be and share their ideas for future programs.
Remember: decisions made now will affect the course of the next four years of funding. If you have an opinion or idea, don't be shy. Make your voice heard!
Public Consultation Dates:
- Downtown: Saturday, April 6, 1-4pm, St. Lawrence Hall (157 King Street East)
- Etobicoke: Monday, April 8, 6-9pm, Lakeshore Assembly Hall (1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive)
- Scarborough: Tuesday, April 9, 6:30-9:30pm, Cedarbrae Library Auditorium (545 Markham Road)
- North York: Thursday, April 18, 6-9pm, Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge Street)
Additionally, the TAC is hosting one consultation that will focus specifically on TAC grant programs (new and continuing) on Friday, April 12 from 2-4:30pm at St. Paul's Bloor Street (227 Bloor Street East).
The City is also collecting feedback on what we think the funding priorities are in an online survey (click here). Please fill it out and share widely! It'll take 5 minutes tops and it's a very important way for the community to speak up and be heard.
The City is also collecting feedback on what we think the funding priorities are in an online survey (click here). Please fill it out and share widely! It'll take 5 minutes tops and it's a very important way for the community to speak up and be heard.
BeautifulCity.ca, one group that was instrumental in realizing this new funding allocation, has released their positioning statement here. The TAF has released its funding priorities here.
Federal Budget
Canadian Art has a great summary of the federal budget's impact on the arts. One key new initiative to consider is the First-Time Donor's Super Credit, which Canadian charities can use to encourage new / young donors to support their causes.
From the budget:
FDSC will increase the value of the federal Charitable Donations Tax Credit by 25 percentage points if neither the taxpayer nor their spouse has claimed the credit since 2007. The FDSC will apply on up to $1,000 in cash donations claimed in respect of any one taxation taxation year from 2013 to 2017... the Government will work with the charitable sector, including Imagine Canada, to encourage more donations by a greater number of Canadians and further enhance public awareness, reduce red tape and increase transparency and accountability in the charitable sector.
From the budget:
FDSC will increase the value of the federal Charitable Donations Tax Credit by 25 percentage points if neither the taxpayer nor their spouse has claimed the credit since 2007. The FDSC will apply on up to $1,000 in cash donations claimed in respect of any one taxation taxation year from 2013 to 2017... the Government will work with the charitable sector, including Imagine Canada, to encourage more donations by a greater number of Canadians and further enhance public awareness, reduce red tape and increase transparency and accountability in the charitable sector.
Funding for the Canada Council appears to be staying at the same level. Read Canadian Art's full article here.
Arts Endowment Fund
The Ontario Arts Foundation is encouraging participants of the Arts Endowment Fund to write to the Province of Ontario to support renewing the program in the 2013 budget. Funding for the AEF ended in 07/08. For more information on the proposal, contact the OAF.
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