CANADA COUNCIL RELEASES ACTION PLAN, DETAILS $31.5M IN NEW SPENDING

Last Updated: Wednesday, February 13, 2008 | 4:29 PM ET
CBC News

Using the strategic plan it released in October as a guideline, the Canada Council for the Arts released on Wednesday its action plan for supporting Canadian arts and culture for the next three years.

While a large portion of funding is being earmarked for artistic grants in general, the action plan divides specific proposals, upcoming projects and new initiatives into the five broad themes the council set in October: reinforcing its commitment to individual artists; broadening its commitment to arts groups; promoting equality; pursuing partnerships and strengthening its own infrastructure.

Some highlights of the action plan include:
• Increasing support and promotion of Canada Council prizes.
• Increasing support to Canadian arts groups planning tours abroad.
• Improving artists' access to professional development and networking.
• Kick off a multi-year research initiative with a goal of creating a more accurate map of the artistic infrastructure across the country.

Wednesday's announcement also outlined how the council intends to distribute $31.5 million in new funds during the 2008-2009 period. During 2008-2009, the council intends to invest:
• An additional $4.9 million in grants and services to individual artists.
• An additional 20.1 million in operating grants, project grants and services to arts groups.
• An additional $1.9 million in grants and services aimed at promoting equity for aboriginal groups, culturally diverse and minority artists and groups.
• An additional $831,000 in partnership initiatives with other art funding bodies.
• More than $3.6 million to support council infrastructure, including boosting staff levels, research, program evaluation and communications.

The new money stems from the federal government's $30-million increase to the council's parliamentary appropriation in 2007 and the council's decision to boost its own funding earmarked for grants by $1.5 million.

The action and strategic plans arose out of about six months of consultations with more than 1,700 individual artists, arts and cultural groups, industry members and the general public. It was the largest and most extensive consultation process in the Canada Council's half-century history.

The ultimate goal is for Canada to have "a rich and vigorous creative life that stimulates the imagination and gives Canadians the means to share their spirit and vision with one another and the world," Canada Council director Robert Sirman said in a statement.