December 2008
Heritage minister: Arts will be part of economic stimulus package
Can Canadians expect a boost for arts and culture in a Conservative economic stimulus package? more >
Arm's length arts council in the works for Vancouver
Vancouver could have a proposal for an arm's-length arts council by springtime, according to Vision councillor Heather Deal. more >
Hundreds protest arts and culture cuts
About 200 citizens protested proposed cuts to the arts and social services Monday at a demonstration outside City Hall. more >
November 2008
Ottawa literary scene faces funding cuts
Several literary events in Ottawa are facing financial shortfalls next year, due to 2009 budget cuts that have been proposed by senior City of Ottawa staff. more >
Art gallery could be saved - Culture minister says cost will be the determining factor
The Grande Prairie Art Gallery could be saved, says the Minister of Culture and Community Spirit. In March 2007, the roof collapsed on the gallery and numerous pieces of art were removed and given no permanent home. more >
Canada's new heritage minister not about to reverse arts cuts
Those who hoped to persuade Canada's new heritage minister to reverse the government's proposed cuts to arts and culture programs are going to be disappointed. more >
New heritage minister not about to reverse arts cuts
Those who hoped to persuade Canada's new heritage minister to reverse the government's proposed cuts to arts and culture programs are going to be disappointed. more >
Canada Council for the Arts 2007-08 Annual Report highlights support to the arts and new directions
The Canada Council for the Arts reported an increased level of support to Canadian professional artists and arts organizations as well as the charting of new strategic directions in its 2007-08 Annual Report released today. more >
October 2008
Cultural Olympiad 2009: Where the world comes to play
Gravity defying dance, rousing music and a new spin on graffiti art today gave a taste of the more than 400 free and ticketed performances and exhibitions audiences will enjoy as part of the Cultural Olympiad 2009 program. more >
Ghanaian musician denied Canadian visa
Ghanaian musician Francis Kofi Akotuah was recently denied a Canadian visa, delaying his cultural workshop tour with drummer Larry Graves for at least a week. more >
Canadian unions protest funding cuts
Canadian film and TV unions staged nationwide protests over federal arts funding cuts on Wednesday, six days before the country goes to the polls. more >
The Other Side of the Arts Funding Issue
When we see or hear protests against the funding cuts, it is not ordinary Canadians protesting, but rather those who have made a career of living off government grants. more >
Artists mobilize against funding cuts
Artists across Canada united in protest against cuts to arts funding on Monday. more >
September 2008
Tapardjuk appointed Minister of Language
Minister of Culture, Languages, Elders and Youth Louis Tapardjuk was given a new portfolio shortly before the Legislative Assembly dissolved on Sept. 19. The new ministerial position is intended to aid in the implementation of the Inuit Language Protection Act which was passed Sept. 18. more >
When it comes to culture, Canadians don’t speak the same language
This rather amusing sketch about the issue is a serious warning about the future of Canadian culture, which according to the clip, faces near-extinction. more >
European programs mix arts with the economy
Alternatives to Canada PM's feud with artists found in Europe. more >
Layton and Duceppe protest culture cuts in Montreal
NDP Leader Jack Layton and Bloc Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe joined the audience at a Tuesday night concert in Montreal organized by artists protesting $45 million in cuts to culture funding announced by the Conservative government last August. more >
Why public funding of arts matters to all of us
An article by Jan Ghomeshi in the National Post makes the case for the arts. Despite the best attempts by the PM and others to suggest that Canadian art is for a small elite, it's not, and he goes on to explain why. more >
Make the case for culture to ordinary Canadians, artists told
Artists should stop assuming they are entitled to government money and start making the case for the arts to ordinary Canadians, a panel of artists told CBC News. more >
Give us the plan on culture, federal leaders urged
A coalition of Toronto arts groups gathered a who's who of the cultural community at Canada's largest film festival Wednesday to launch a campaign to make the arts an issue in the federal election. more >
Heritage department takes aim at religious radicals
The federal culture department wants to fight religious radicalization in Canada. more >
August 2008
Culture policy contradicted
A Conference Board of Canada report concludes, among other things, that "an important challenge for governments is to ensure communities have the means necessary to support creativity and diversity." more >
Protesters decry arts cuts
A protest yesterday in Montreal drew 2,500 people and some of the strongest condemnations yet of almost $45-million in planned cuts to arts-and-culture funding. more >
No arts subsidies equals no fun for anyone
Few if any individual artists get grants that completely support them for more than a short time, and no artist or cultural organization is awarded this grant without a vigorous process that includes professional vetting of the application and a peer jury that makes recommendations for awards. more >
Harper defends cuts to federal arts programs
Prime Minister Stephen Harper defended $44.8-million in planned cuts to arts-and-culture programs. more >
Cultural sector helps drive economy: report
The most comprehensive study ever made of Canada's cultural sector, commissioned with money from the federal Heritage Department, indicates that arts and culture make up 7.4 per cent of Canada's GDP. more >
Hey, where's my grant? I can be creative
If you cannot make a living in the arts through sales of your work, or voluntary grants from private organizations, you are probably in the wrong trade. more >
Quebec, Ontario culture ministers blast Tory arts cuts
The culture ministers of Quebec and Ontario have written an open letter to the federal government questioning its decision to cut arts and culture programs. more >
Ottawa to shift arts funds to Olympic programs
More than $40-million freed up by controversial cuts will be redirected to athletics, bilingualism plan. more >
So what exactly are the arts good for?
But because we North Americans are a practical, materialist bunch, we must always think of reasons to support the arts. Support must have a purpose. The arts can't be just, well, wonderful, heartening, beautiful. They must be useful. more >
Want a 'culture of innovation'? Fund our artists
If the federal government believes the artistic community has a role to play in society and the global economy, it needs to reinvest heavily in Canadian artists and stop using the phrase 'culture of innovation' exclusively in the sense of corporate practices. more >
Ottawa to axe five more arts and culture programs
The Department of Canadian Heritage has decided to cut five more arts and culture programs over the next two years, even as a chorus of complaints from the arts community and opposition MPs rains down on the federal government over cuts announced last week. more >
Without the arts, our image grows dim abroad
Last week the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade announced it was cutting all ties to culture by axing its PromArt program, a $4.7 million annual fund that sent artists into the world to speak for Canada. more >
Ottawa axes second arts subsidy in two weeks
The government has decided to terminate another cultural subsidy initiative, Trade Routes, which helps cultural groups export and sell products abroad. more >
The arts belong in foreign policy
Cultural exchange is an aspect of diplomacy. It helps spread good feelings about Canada, and is good for business, trade, tourism and immigration. more >
Statement by Joseph L. Rotman, Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts
I was delighted to learn this week that the Government of Canada has appointed me to a five-year term as Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts, effective July 30, 2008. more >
Toronto businessman Joseph Rotman to chair Canada Council
Canadian business mogul Joseph L. Rotman is set to take on the Canadian arts world after being named the new chair of the Canada Council for the Arts. more >
Sask. gov't to develop arts, culture and heritage strategy
The Government of Saskatchewan is launching a consultation process as its first step in building a long-term plan and policy framework for the province's arts, culture and heritage sector. more >
Appointment to the Canada Council for the Arts
The Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women and Minister for La Francophonie, today announced the appointment of Joseph L. Rotman as Chair of the Canada Council for the Arts. more >
Arts funders moving forward on integrated reporting
An integrated financial and statistical online database called CADAC (Canadian Arts Data/ Données sur les arts au Canada) is being developed for launch in late 2008. more >
Convocatoria para participar en ¡Ignite las Américas!
El gobierno de Canadá, en coordinación con la Comisión Interamericana de Cultura (CIC) de la Organización de Estados Americanos, llevará a cabo un foro de jóvenes sobre políticas de las artes llamado ¡Ignite las Américas! que tendrá lugar en Toronto, Canadá del 15 al 21 de septiembre de 2008. more >
Invitation to Participate in ¡Ignite las Américas!
The Government of Canada in collaboration with the Inter-American Committee on Culture (CIC) of the Organization of American States is organizing a youth arts policy forum called "Ignite the Americas", which will take place in Toronto, Canada on September 15 – 21, 2008. more >
July 2008
Connections and Creativity - Ontario Arts Council's New Strategic Plan Now Online
The plan will provide a framework to guide the Arts Council's priorities in the coming years. more >
Canada Council for the Arts releases Auditor General’s Special Examination Report
In its first special examination of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada reports the Council is doing a good job of managing its affairs, announced the Board of the Council today. more >
Youth Prepare to ‘Ignite the Americas’ in Canada
Dozens of young people from across the western hemisphere will converge in the city of Toronto, Canada this September for Ignite the Americas, a youth arts policy forum. more >
Public art policies promote civic creativity
This is the first article in a series of four that will examine arts policy and art in public places. The Sudbury Arts Council asked the city last year what guidelines are in place regarding art in public spaces, and guidelines regarding a general arts policy. more >
June 2008
The Canada Council for Arts aids our artists in continuing to create
When travelling abroad, I'm often struck by the number of foreign artists who comment on how wonderful it must be to work as an artist in Canada. My American friends, in particular, seem to be especially envious of the cultural climate here. more >
Earnings, education linked to evenings out: Statistics Canada
The more money you make and the more education you have, the more likely you are to go to movies, plays or concerts, says a Statistics Canada study released Thursday. more >
State of the arts checks out funding in Canada
Artistic freedom, the fair adjudication processes, and the access to arts funding are both necessities and luxuries that many Canadians overlook or take for granted. more >
Government of Canada Proposes Update to Copyright Law: Balanced Approach to Truly Benefit Canadians
The Government of Canada introduced long-overdue and much-needed amendments to the Copyright Act that will bring it in line with advances in technology and current international standards. more >
Simon Brault: The Art of Cultural Action
As General Director of the National Theatre School and the Vice-President of the Canada Council, Simon Brault is one of Canada’s top movers and shakers in culture.
more >
May 2008
Culture an economic driver, says chairman of arts group
A new report will identify successful cultural development models from around the world, explore effective cultural investment targets and propose policies to facilitate the production of creative work. more >
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
An announcement from the Minister of Canadian Heritage in celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. more >
Why fund the arts?
The recent controversy surrounding bill C-10 rekindled the old debate about arts subsidies. Why do we need them? more >
Culturescope.ca website ends
The website of the Canadian Cultural Observatory has been discontinued as at April 1st 2008. more >
April 2008
Canada's Young People Celebrate Diversity Through Mathieu Da Costa Challenge
Young people from across Canada have taken up the challenge to put their creative talents to work to demonstrate the contributions that Canadians of different backgrounds have made to the building of Canada. more >
Arts groups fear bill will `chill' free expression
A federal bill that would revoke tax credits for films deemed inappropriate by the government will open a 'Pandora's Box of censorship' that could see controversial ideas snuffed out across the arts. more >
Smothered With Money
The arts are important. But that doesn't mean taxpayers should have to subsidize them. more >
National Ballet of Canada goes West
Ballet company makes a rare yet successful jaunt to a foreign stage in San Francisco. more >
Sift through enough dirt and you find gold
The recent controversy surrounding bill C-10 -- designed to let the Heritage minister's bureaucrats refuse tax-credits to Canadian-made movies they don't like -- rekindled the old debate about arts subsidies. Why do we need them? more >
Hip hop gets bad rap from federal funders
Despite its obvious growth and popularity, documents obtained under the Access to Information Act from the CCA indicate that the genre might still not be accepted by the federal agency committed to encouraging the arts. more >
Redford, Legend ask legislators to better fund the arts
Actor, Robert Redford, singer John Legend and actress Kerry Washington, joined arts supporters from across the United States for Arts Advocacy Day in Congress. They urged legislators to restore funds for the National Endowment for the Arts to the high of $176 million received in 1992. more >
March 2008
Karen Kain announces she is stepping down as Canada Council Chair
Karen Kain, Chair of the Canada Council since September 2004, announced she is stepping down on March 31 to dedicate herself completely to her full-time job as Artistic Director of the National Ballet of Canada. more >
Commissioner Calls on Canadian Heritage Minister for a New Vision for Arts and Culture
The Commissioner of Official Languages, Graham Fraser, is calling on the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Josee Verner, to outline a long-term vision of the government's plans for the development of the arts and culture in official language minority communities. more >
Government of Canada Supports 67 Arts Organizations
These groups will share $11 million, which supplement private-sector donations to endowment funds. Public charitable foundations will hold the Government funding for these arts organizations. more >
A Heritage minister on the hot seat
Josée Verner is making a habit of snubbing the arts community. It's not such a great habit for the country's Heritage minister, who was appointed only last August, and has no serious background in the arts. more >
February 2008
Almost nothing offered for arts and culture
Arts and culture have never been a priority for the Harper government but with yesterday's federal budget the sector seems to have achieved a new level of non-recognition. more >
Canadian authors get over $9 million for library lending of their books
The more libraries in which an author's eligible titles are found, the larger the payment, to a maximum of $2,681. more >
Canada Council releases Action Plan for 2008-11
The Canada Council for the Arts today released its Action Plan for the next three years, including plans for the distribution of $31.5 million in new funding in 2008-09. more >
Arts, culture not an elitist pursuit: report
Many Canadians who read as a hobby are the same people attending concerts, visiting art galleries, watching the latest flicks and participating in cultural activities in general, according to a new report. more >
A $22-billion problem
The price tag of IP theft is extraordinarily high for Canadian businesses. Conservative estimates put its annual cost in the $22-billion range. more >
January 2008
Alberta Announces Cultural Policy
Premier Ed Stelmach is putting Alberta culture in the spotlight with a new policy that focuses on ensuring that all Albertans have access to culture in their communities, and that our artists and cultural industries can thrive. more >
Portrait gallery plans a national embarrassment, expert says
Shirley Thomson, one of Canada's leading cultural experts, calls the Harper government's plan for the Portrait Gallery of Canada "a national embarrassment that makes us look like peasants on the international scene." more >
Government of Canada launches podcast website
The Government of Canada has released an online directory of Canadian cultural podcasts. more >
Arts study a culture shock
Forget class versus trash, the elite versus the masses. Divide culture consumers into four new groups, says an international study Oxford University researchers released late last month that will have far-reaching results for arts support everywhere. more >
December 2007
The Government of Canada Announces Contribution to New International Fund for Cultural Diversity
Minister Verner made the announcement of a $500,000 contribution for 2008-09 during the inaugural session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions. more >
November 2007
Measuring cultural diversity
The UNESCO Institute for Statistics has released a report on its expert group meeting on measuring cultural diversity held in September in Montreal, Canada. more >
Public arts funders celebrate growth in support for public arts funding
Arts councils from across Canada celebrated the growth in support for public arts funding at the Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Public Arts Funders. more >
A source of creative energy we're fools not to tap
Richard Florida bemoans that the most overlooked, but most important, element of his theory and of the creative economy is that every human being is creative. more >
Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage
A new program that aims to increase opportunities, through festivals or other events and activities, for local artists and artisans to be involved in their community and for local groups to commemorate local history and heritage. more >
Arts ire for canadian taxpayers federation
Members of B.C.'s arts community are reacting with incredulity to a public commentary released by the B.C. director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF). more >
Opposition lashes out at gallery plan
The federal opposition parties are scathing in their response to the government's new scheme for a national portrait gallery, calling it impractical, divisive and potentially much more expensive than the renovated Ottawa building it replaces. more >
Social networking Web site launched for artists
A Canadian publisher and philanthropist has launched a new social networking site for artists, underlining the growing influence of the Internet in showcasing and selling art. more >
October 2007
The Canada Council’s next 50 years: Challenges, opportunities cited in 2006-07 Annual Report
The Canada Council for the Arts is entering its second half-century optimistic about the future despite the challenges that continue to face Canadian artists and arts funders. more >
Canada Council plan sets directions for the future
The Canada Council for the Arts, Canada’s national arts funding agency, has released its new strategic plan, a statement of values and directions which will guide the Council’s activities over the next three to five years. more >
September 2007
Funding festivals preserves culture
All three levels of Canadian government think festivals are worth supporting. more >
Creating our future strategic plan consultation
An update on the Canada Council Canada Council for the Arts' consulation as it develops its 2008-2011 Strategic Plan. more >
August 2007
New heritage minister a mystery
Who is Josée Verner? more >
Urban aboriginal youth culture camps supported
An organization that helps urban aboriginal people access cultural activities received some much-needed funding on Tuesday from the federal government. more >
So Rocket Man wants us to shut down the Internet
Bemoaning the Internet's negative effect on culture, Elton John's musing about what sort of art would be produced if the Internet were to be shut down for five years has brought condescension in the blog world. Andrew Potter offers a partial defence of Sir Elton. more >
The art of political commentary
Artist says his piece creatively conveys facts that should be readily accessible to voters. more >
Visual Artists' Legal Clinic
CARFAC Ontario has a legal service for members: the Visual Artists' Legal Clinic of Ontario (VALCO). more >
A low profile despite years of political experience
Josée Verner, Canada's newest Heritage minister, is an attractive, bilingual political veteran. more >
Oda 'messed up'
Bev Oda was demoted yesterday because "she really messed up" in her post as heritage minister. more >
Josee Verner new heritage minister
Quebec MP Josée Verner will replace Bev Oda as federal heritage minister. more >
July 2007
Culture easy to define
In reaction to a threatened widening of the definition of culture by the Albertan government caused by a 'stakeholder' consultation, Todd Babiak argues why Sports and Recreation aren't the same as Arts and Heritage. more >
Arts Partners in Creative Development
Eight organizations will share $1 million in the first round of funding from Arts Partners in Creative Development. more >
Oda announces permanent $30M increase for Canada Council
Heritage Minister Bev Oda has announced a permanent $30-million increase in annual funding for the Canada Council for the Arts. more >
Canada Council welcomes extension of budget increase
The Canada Council for the Arts has described as “wonderful news†the federal government’s announcement that a $30 million funding increase for 2007-08 will now be ongoing. more >
Ministry supports grants artistic training of indigenous youth
The Minister for Culture, Communication and Women’s Rights has announced that $50,000 will be provided to the Wapikoni Mobile Corporation to help train indigenous youth in remote areas. more >
UNESCO chair in arts and learning inaugurated
On April 24, 2007 the inauguration of the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning was celebrated at Queen’s University, Canada. more >
Our cultural policy is offline for internet
The emergence of new media is rendering many Canadian content regulations irrelevant. more >
June 2007
LONDON 2012 UNVEILS PLANS FOR CULTURAL OLYMPIAD
The Cultural Olympiad will start in 2008. London 2012, the body responsible for organising the 2012 Olympics, has outlined the framework for a wide-ranging ‘Cultural Olympiad’. more >
50 for 50 website launched
The Canada Council’s 50 for 50 Arts Challenge has gone high tech. more >
Quebec, Ontario team up for new arts residency program
Arts councils in Ontario and Quebec are hoping to spark cross-border arts exchanges with a new joint artistic residency program, announced in Montreal Monday. more >
Newspapers Trimming Classical Critics
Classical music criticism, a high-minded endeavor that has been around at least as long as newspapers and reached an English-language peak with George Bernard Shaw, has taken a series of hits in recent months. more >
Canada Council Awards Molson Prizes
Composer, conductor and music educator Alex Pauk and University of Waterloo philosophy professor Paul Thagard are the winners of this year’s Canada Council for the Arts Molson Prizes. more >
What's our role on the world's culture stage?
Toronto isn't the only city that likes to think of itself as "creative." more >
May 2007
Canada Council Extends Partnerships
The Canada Council for the Arts has announced a number of new arts funding partnerships with funders at other levels of government. more >
Ottawa eyes new copyright, museums policies
The federal Department of Canadian Heritage is planning a new museums policy and revamping the nation's copyright law. more >
Canada Council seeks input on future directions
The Canada Council will consult widely over the next two months, as it develops its strategic plan for 2008-2011, and has invited interested individuals and organizations to provide their input through its web site. more >
April 2007
Cash for cultural festivals at centre of funding flap
Federal Tories are denying a "boondoggle" over a summer sponsorship program for local arts and culture festivals announced in the March budget. more >
$33-million spent – and no one's happy
Organizations are critical about how Canada Council distributed special funds. more >
Canada Council to Sponsor Aboriginal Curator
The Canada Council has teamed up with the National Gallery to provide an exciting professional development opportunity for a mid-career Aboriginal curator. more >
Canada Council Announces Supplementary Operating Funds Initiative
The Canada Council for the Arts has announced the results of the Supplementary Operating Funds Initiative, a one-time-only program created as a result of the federal government’s $50 million funding boost over the next two fiscal years. more >
Canada Council Appoint New Head of Media Arts
The Canada Council has appointed Youssef El Jaï to head up its Media Arts Section, from May 14. more >
March 2007
Oda defends museum policy
Conservative government is standing by its policy that the nation's museums need to stop expecting public money to be available whenever they need it. more >
Canadian artists celebrate Canada Council birthday
Some of the country's best known artists are in Ottawa paying tribute to the Canada Council for the Arts on its 50th anniversary and sharing stories about how the agency helped them get to where they are today. more >
Arts purse strings loosened ahead of federal budget
Canada's Heritage Minister Bev Oda has made a flurry of arts funding announcements in the past week, ahead of Monday's federal budget. more >
B.C. arts groups to get $6.5M for new works
A public-private partnership called Arts Partners in Creative Development will give British Columbia arts organizations $6.5 million in new funding over the next three years. more >
February 2007
Canada Council Celebrates Birthday with New Website
The Canada Council for the Arts is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the launch of a new web site. more >
Art Bank, The Book
A new book celebrating the Canada Council’s world famous art rental scheme, Art Bank, has been unveiled. more >
INCD MEMBERSHIPS DRIVE
The International Network for Cultural Diversity (INCD) has issued an urgent call for members. more >
Just pay the piano player
It's Use It or Lose It time for the artists of Canada. more >
January 2007
Canada Council to increase funding for artistic projects
The Canada Council is increasing funding to arts organizations undertaking artistic production projects for the second consecutive year. more >
Ontario report urges help for artists
The median income of arts workers in Ontario is $10,000 a year. Can the new Report on the Socio-Economic Status of the Artist in Ontario, written for the Ministry of Culture under the aegis of arts lawyer Aaron Milrad, change that? more >
December 2006
Coming to a town near you: national museums
What's happening is nothing less than a revolution in federal museum policy. more >
An Arts Challenge for Canadians
The Canada Council for the Arts will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year with the “50 for 50” Arts Challenge. It has called on Canadians to participate in at least 50 arts events throughout 2006. more >
An Arts Challenge for Canadians
The Canada Council for the Arts will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year with the “50 for 50†Arts Challenge. It has called on Canadians to participate in at least 50 arts events throughout 2006. more >
'WE DON'T WANT BORING' CANADA COUNCIL DIRECTOR SAYS
The new director of the Canada Council for the Arts is taking the pulse of Canada's arts communities in a cross-country tour. more >
November 2006
Canada Council Releases Annual Report
The Canada Council for the Arts released its annual report this week. more >
Canada Council Releases Annual Report
The Canada Council for the Arts released its annual report this week. more >
Canada Commits to Cultural Cooperation
"Canada's new Government is committed to inter-American cooperation and intends to continue to work with its partners from the Americas to raise awareness around issues of common interest in the area of culture," the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Michael Fortier said this week. more >
Canada Commits to Cultural Cooperation
"Canada's new Government is committed to inter-American cooperation and intends to continue to work with its partners from the Americas to raise awareness around issues of common interest in the area of culture," the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Michael Fortier said this week. more >
Canada Council to increase funding
The Canada Council for the Arts has outlined its plans for distributing the $50 million in funding received in the May federal budget. more >
October 2006
Canadian Culture Ministers Meet
Canada's Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers of Culture gathered for their annual meeting in Toronto late last month. more >
Cuts reduce role abroad
Canadian arts groups could be staying home after the Conservatives slashed funding which supports cultural exchanges. more >
September 2006
Thinking about Canadian cultural policy, art and technology
The Canadian government is still trying to figure out what a policy shift from cultural or creative "content" to cultural or creative "industries" might mean. more >
July 2006
Creativity seen as economic key
If Toronto invests time, money and energy to turn itself into a creative city, the economic and social benefits could be huge, especially for at-risk youth in need of good-paying jobs. more >
Performing Arts Survey
Public support for Canada's performing arts remained strong in 2004, both at the box office and in the form of grants, subsidies and donations from various government and private sector sources. more >
June 2006
New director for Canada Council
Robert Sirman has been appointed Director of the Canada Council for the Arts. more >
Canadians' entertainment spending on the rise
Canadian spending on entertainment outside the home is increasing faster than other household spending, according to a study by Statistics Canada. more >
Canadians spending more on cultural imports
Canadians are increasing the amount they spend on foreign cultural goods such as books, music and films, but exporting fewer goods to foreign markets, according to Statistics Canada. more >
CANADA COUNCIL'S CHAIR AIRS THOUGHTS ON CANADIAN ARTS FUNDING
In a recent speech, Canada Council Chair Karen Kain commented on trends in Canadian arts funding and the Council's strategic imperatives. more >
May 2006
International study on the governance of diversity
Queen's University, the Université du Québec à Montréal and the University of Toronto that will explore ethnic politics and the complexities of democracy in multi-ethnic and divided states. The researchers will build on Canada's experience in accommodating linguistic and cultural diversity to find solutions for governance of multi-ethnic states around the world. more >
Our Own Creative Land
Professor Michael Geist's 2006 Hart House Lecture, Our Own Creative Land: Cultural Monopoly and the Trouble With Copyright, was delivered at the University of Toronto on March 30. more >
Canada supports Aboriginal artists
The Canada Council for the Arts is introducing a new artistic program which will allow Aboriginal elders to share their artistic knowledge with their youth. more >
Canada Council budget increases by $20 million
The Canada Council for the Arts has received a $20 million increase in the Canadian federal budget. This brings the council's total budget to $170 million this year, and $180 million next year. more >
Ballet school director to move to Canada Council
Heritage Minister Bev Oda has chosen Robert Sirman, who has guided the National Ballet School of Canada since 1991, as her recommendation for the next director of the Canada Council for the Arts. more >
April 2006
Launch of A New Voice: The Canadian Music Creators Coalition
Canadian musicians, songwriters and producers unite to provide a new voice in Canadian copyright and cultural policy. Canada's leading artists to speak for themselves. more >
P.E.I. artifacts turn up on eBay
Prince Edward Island's cultural affairs minister is planning to introduce legislation to make it harder to sell Island artifacts, after learning that they have been turning up on an online auction site. more >
March 2006
Six cultural institutions get millions in Ontario budget
The Art Gallery of Ontario and several other major cultural projects got a $49-million boost from the Ontario government in its annual budget. more >
Heritage minister demands answers on FilmFest failure
Both the Quebec and federal governments are probing what led to the failure of the New Montreal FilmFest last fall. The first and only FilmFest launched last October with the help of $2 million in federal, provincial and municipal funds but fizzled out, leaving a $1-million deficit. The festival’s organizer, L'Équipe Spectra, declared FilmFest dead in February. more >
Tax ruling says dancers are independent contractors
A federal tax ruling handed down last week could have implications for arts groups across Canada and their performers. more >
February 2006
Indigenous Knowledge
The Department of Canadian Heritage entered into the exploration of Indigenous Knowledge and policy development with 2005’s National Gatherings on Indigenous Knowledge. more >
Minister offers compensation
The Minister of Culture and Communication and minister in charge of the Montreal region, Mrs. Line Beauchamp, announced today that a sum of $2.5M will be reserved for assistance to the artistic and cultural organisations which underwent losses because of the boycott of cultural activities last autumn. more >
Report reveals most artistic small community
In a new report funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, it has been revealed that the area of Cape Dorset is the most 'artistic' municipality of Canada's rural regions. more >
Ontario's Bev Oda named new heritage minister
Beverley Oda, the first Japanese Canadian elected to the House of Commons, has been named the new Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. more >
January 2006
Who will helm Heritage?
The last time it looked as if a Stephen Harper government would take office, in June, 2004, Canada's cultural industries were in panic mode. more >
Arts groups challenge leaders to put culture on the election agenda
Those searching for mention of arts and culture issues in this election have had to dig deep. References to the sector are either buried in parties’ election platforms, or, in the case of the Tories, were not released until the end of last week. In the recent leaders’ debates in Montreal, the candidates were silent on the subject. more >
December 2005
Canada first in protecting cultural diversity
Canada has become the first State to ratify the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference last October. more >
November 2005
$77,710 to indigenous broadcasting in Canada
The Minister for Culture and Communication and minister responsible for the region of Montreal, Line Beauchamp, and the minister of state for Indigenous Peoples Affairs, Geoffrey Kelley, announced financial assistance of $77,710 to support the management of Indigenous Peoples Community radios on the territory of Nord-du-Québec. more >
Canada Council “thrilled” by funding announcement
The Canada Council has welcomed a "thrilling" $306.5 million funding boost to their budget. more >
New culture program in Canada
A launching of the Cultural Investment Program recently aims to encourage private individuals, companies and foundations to donate more liberally to organisations belonging to the domain of culture and communication. more >
New centre for cultural expertise
A three-year initiative has begun in Vancouver, Canada, with the creation of a Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities. The Centre, located at Simon Fraser University, will provide research opportunities, outreach and networking, and the ability for participants to exchange in knowledge and ideas. more >
Quebec launches cultural investment program
Quebec has launched a new program entitled 'Investing in Culture', designed to support the growth of private investments in the culture and communication sector. more >
October 2005
INCD applauds cultural diversity vote
The International Network for Cultural Diversity has issued a congratulatory statement in the wake of UNESCO's formal vote for cultural diversity, urging for renewed global commitment to the cause. more >
Cultural diversity policy voted in
Despite intense pressure from the United States not to, over 150 countries voted yesterday to create an international convention on cultural diversity. more >
Canada leads fight for culture rights
Backed by unusual unanimity from the provinces and Canada's artistic community, Canadian Heritage Minister Liza Frulla heads to Paris to push for a successful vote on the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity. more >
New triennial partnership will to restore heritage infrastructure
Quebec’s Minister of Culture and Communication, Mrs. Line Beauchamp, and the city’s mayor, Mr. Jean-Paul L’Allier, have signed a triennial agreement for cultural development worth $20.9 million. The money will go towards supporting the rapid development of Quebec’s arts, heritage and culture infrastructure. more >
September 2005
Canada Council chair calls for more funding
The new chair of the Canada Council, Karen Kain, has issued a statement calling for increased arts funding in order to sustain the impressive growth of the arts in Canada. more >
Ministry helps celebrate culture in Montreal
Montreal’s Minister of Culture and Communication, Mrs. Line Beauchamp, has helped to launch the city’s Culture Week 2005 program. more >
Canada Council supports architectural and artistic innovation
The Canada Council for the Arts has awarded the Professional Prix de Rome in Architecture to an innovative architect in pursuit of new ways to control heat and light. more >
Canada Council announces winners of Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Awards 2005
The Canada Council for the Arts has announced the seven winners of its prestigious Victor Martyn Lynch-Staunton Awards for 2005. more >
August 2005
StatsCan: Culture workers make less money than other Canadians
Canadian culture workers make about $2,000 a year less than the average Canadian worker, according to a Statistics Canada report released Tuesday. In 2000, when the average Canadian worker made $32,123, culture workers made an average of $30,149. more >
June 2005
Canada Council and PEN Canada to fund residency for writer in exile
The Canada Council for the Arts has united with PEN Canada to fund a residency at a Canadian university for writer in exile Genc Tirana. more >
Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communication announces new plan
The Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communication has announced it new Strategic Plan which sets out the Ministry's vision for the period 2005-2008. more >