Angry artists lambaste funding assault

‘Rein in your senior staff,’ councillors advised

CHRIS COBB, Ottawa Citizen

Published: Tuesday, November 18, 2008

OTTAWA-Angry artists crammed into City Hall Tuesday to demand an end to what they call a systematic annual assault on arts funding.

The economic case for arts funding is so strong, said Mr. Honeywell, that council needs to tell staff to look elsewhere for cuts.

Staff are recommending that $6.1 million be cut from 2009 arts and culture funding, which this year was budgeted at $13.3 million. That’s a 43-per-cent cut.

Although many groups have other sources of funding to complement city money, they say city funds give them the leverage necessary to get grants from other funders.

At the root of the artists’ frustration with the city is the apparent willingness to renege on a four-year stable funding arts program agreed to by council in 2006.

The program followed years of deep financial study during which the city eventually agreed that its investment in the arts generated significant returns.

According to the city’s own figures, festivals and fairs generate $21 for every dollar granted and arts and festivals combined generate $43 million for the city’s economy annually.

Councillors support the arts community, said Mr. Honeywell.

“I don’t think there is an appetite for these cuts (among council),” he told the audience, “but we can’t take the chance. We have to fill this hall on Dec. 1.”