CITY BUDGET COMMITTEE
RECOMMENDS $400,000 INCREASE TO TAC
GRANTS PROGRAM
Coalition members can be congratulated for helping get
Toronto Arts Council’s 2004 budget request over one
more hurdle at City Hall. Appreciation is due to members
of the influential Budget
Advisory committee for lending a degree of support to
Toronto’s arts sector in a year when the City is clearly
strapped for cash. Appreciation is also due to members of
Economic
Development and Parks Committee for their endorsement
in February of TAC’s full $1 million request.
“It is good news for the City that the collective
voice of its artists and their supporters is being heard.
While we hoped for, and needed, an increase in $1 million,
$400,000 is not to be sneered at. It will, for the time
being, stave off further erosion of funding to our clients,”
says Jim Garrard, Executive Director of TAC and Toronto
Arts Council Foundation (TACF).
Budget Advisory Committee’s $400,000 recommendation
will go to City Council on April 19, where it is likely
to receive final approval. Last year, City Council voted
an increase of $200,000 to TAC funding. This marked the
first time TAC had received an increase in City funding
since before amalgamation. Toronto artists and their organizations
have lost $1.4 million to inflation since amalgamation.
For Mayor David Miller, $400,000 represents a down-payment
on his pre-election
promise of a $2 million increase during his first term
of office. Anticipating improvement in City finances, it
would be fair to say the Mayor is on track.
Coalition members are asked to send thanks to members of
Budget
Advisory and Economic
Development and Parks Committees. Also, to contact ward
representatives to request their help in getting TAC
over the final hurdle at the Council vote in April.
When contacting your local representatives, consider the
following:
• Investment in the arts is critical to the health
of this city, affecting tourism, economic innovation and
neighborhood vitality.
• Toronto Arts Council gives grants to 450 arts
organizations and 200 individual artists every year.
• Last year, over 9,000,000 people attended exhibitions,
performances and festivals supported by TAC.
• There are 27,000 people in Toronto who volunteer
for TAC supported organizations.
• For every dollar granted by TAC, arts organizations
raise an additional $13 in funding from box office, private
and public sector funding sources.
To find out more about Toronto Arts Council and the budget
process, contact Susan Wright, 416-392-6802 x211, susan@torontoartscouncil.org.
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