OTTAWA FESTIVAL, ARTS AND HERITAGE GROUPS UNITE TO FIGHT FUNDING CUTS
November 14, 2008
Cuts to festivals, special events and fairs proposed in the 2009 City of Ottawa Draft Budget would be detrimental, with social and economic impact on the community
OTTAWA, ONTARIO – November 14, 2008 – Ottawa Festivals, a not-for-profit organization representing 45 of the region’s not-for-profit festivals, special events and fairs, will stand strong with other arts and heritage organizations to oppose cuts proposed in the City of Ottawa’s draft budget. The draft budget proposes to completely slash festival funding by 100% and cut overall arts and heritage funding by 43%.
Leaders from Ottawa’s festival, arts and heritage organizations will be speaking at a press conference to be held at Ottawa City Hall in Andrew Haydon Hall (Council Chambers) on Tuesday, November 18 at 10:00 am.
“To cut funding to the cultural sector as outlined in the City of Ottawa’s Arts Investment Strategy at this time is completely shocking,” says Barb Stacey, Executive Director of Ottawa Festivals, “We went through this four years ago and the community agreed that funding to festival, arts and heritage organizations provides countless social and economic returns”.
Not-for-profit festivals are typically able to leverage funding from the City of Ottawa many times over through federal, provincial and private contributions, raising $21 for every $1 the city invests. “Cutting grants to festivals will severely damage all festivals’ ability to generate funds from other levels of government and the private sector. This proposed cut will destroy a huge amount of the wonderful festival activity we all enjoy in this city,” says Julian Armour, President of Ottawa Festivals.
The tourism sector has been identified by the City of Ottawa as a key economic driver, and according to research conducted by Enigma Research Corp., the Canadian Tulip Festival’s 600,000 visitors alone are estimated to generate $50-million dollars in economic activity within the city. As the tourism industry becomes more competitive, and with pressures associated with the economic downturn, now seems to be a precarious time to potentially weaken the city’s product offering to tourists.
About Ottawa Festivals
Ottawa Festivals is a not-for-profit organization that delivers services to 45 member not-for-profit festivals, special events and fairs. www.ottawafestivals.ca
