At 11th hour, politicians pushed to pledge arts funding
January 19, 2006
The Westender
By Mary Frances Hill

Arts groups challenge leaders to put culture on the election agenda
January 17, 2006
CBC.ca
By Rachel Giese

Arts groups buoyed by Conservative support
January 14, 2006
Toronto Star
By Martin Knelman

Funding arts should be election issue, too
January 16, 2006
Toronto Star

Canadian Arts Coalition commends all party support for Canada Council funding
January 13, 2006
Press release

ACTRA's performers call on politicians to take action
January 11, 2006
Press release

Little mention of the arts by leaders
January 11, 2006
Letter to the editor
The Toronto Star

Actors urge cultural debate from campaigning politicians
January 11, 2006
CBC Arts Online

Conservatives: Muffled, but how moderate?
January 11, 2006
The Tyee
By Tom Barrett

Leaders' dance chills Kain
January 11, 2006
Toronto Star
By Martin Knelman

Artists seek answers from candidates
January 5, 2006
CBC News

Arts issues on table as election 2006 rolls along
January 4, 2006
Parry Sound North Star

Everything is changing, but...it's kind of staying the same
December 31, 2005
Morley Walker column in the Winnipeg Free Press

Arts groups hope to set election agenda
December 29, 2005
The Globe and Mail

Vote Arts 2006 election news

Canadian Conference of the Arts election news

How to campaign for the arts

• Conduct research: find out about the candidates in your riding and their parties' positions on arts and culture. Most party websites contain links to their election platform, as well as links to find the candidate in your riding.
• Use the election as an opportunity to educate candidates about your organization, the arts and culture sector, cultural issues, and specific needs in your community.
• Make connections: meet and talk to candidates directly.
• Attend all-candidates meetings. Ask questions about arts, culture, and heritage issues. Respond to vague answers with a follow-up question.
• Contact local media and advise them of issues you have identified, as well as questions you plan to ask candidates.
• Organize with other artists or groups in your community to create a stronger local voice for arts and culture.
• Write arts news stories, opinion pieces, or letters to the editor to send to newspapers. Focus on how these issues apply to the local community. Ensure candidates receive a copy of material that gets printed.
• If contacted by a candidate's campaign office, ask the candidate's position on arts and culture funding.
  

Facts and Stats:

• Total current Canada Council funding: $156 million (grants, public lending rights payments and prizes)
• Canada Council per capita investment in 2004/05: $4.77 per Canadian
• England's funding per capita in 2002/03: $13.63
• Canada Council funding as per cent of all government spending in 2003/04: 0.1 per cent
• Number of larger cities and smaller communities in which artists and arts organizations received Canada Council funding in past three years: 1,000
• Number of artists supported by Canada Council for the Arts in 2003/04: 2,089
• Number of arts organizations supported by Canada Council for the Arts in 2003/04: 2,091
• Canada Council support to performing arts companies in 2003/04: $66 million ($54 million in 2000-2001)
• Corporate support (donations and sponsorships) to performing arts companies in 2001: $40 million
• Cost to large performing arts companies of raising $1 of private support: 15¢
• Government grants as percentage of Canadian large performing arts companies revenues 2001: 25 per cent (compared to the UK: 53 per cent, France: 79 per cent and Australia: 40 per cent.)
• Increase in Canada Council funding to the arts between 1999/00 and 2003/04: 22 per cent
• Percentage increase in the number of applications to the Canada Council since 1998: 50%

Questions for Candidates

• On November 23, 2005 the Liberal government announced that over the next three years, starting in 2006/2007, it would roughly double the Canada Council’ budget to $306 million, an increase of about $5 per capita. Does your party supports an increase of $5 per capita to the budget of the Canada Council?
  
• Describe your platform and policies for supporting the arts.
• What is your position on federal investment in arts and culture?
• Do you support increased funding for the Canada Council? Department of Heritage? CBC?
• How would you rank the importance of arts and cultural activities to BC's economy? To Canada's economy?
• What would you do to increase arts education opportunities in Canada?
• Do you believe in protecting Canadian culture? What is the federal government's role in protecting our culture, and Canadian cultural industries?
• How do you see the arts and culture sector contributing to Canada's changing reality?

Advocacy Kits

Canada Council for the Arts Advocacy Resource Kit

Links

ACTRA
Antonia Zerbisias, media critic for the Toronto Star’s blog
Apathy is Boring
Arts Research Monitor (PDF)
Arts News Canada
Canada.com: Decision Canada
Canadian Conference of the Arts
Canadian Museums Association
CBC: Canada Votes
CNews:  Canada Votes
Council of Canadians
Creative City Network
Elections Canada
Heritage Canada Foundation's Election Information Package
The Globe and Mail: Decision 2006
The Tyee
Vote Arts 2006
Writers Union of Canada
Yahoo News: Federal Election

Last Updated: Monday, January 23, 2006