Hill Strategies Research Inc. has released a study comparing the municipal cultural investment in five of Canada’s largest cities: Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal.

The municipal cultural investments included in the study are operating, grant and capital expenditures related to the performing arts, visual and media arts, crafts, design, museums, heritage, special events, multidisciplinary activities, creative and cultural industries, city-owned cultural facilities, cultural districts, public art, and other art purchases.

Of note:

• The net cultural investment in Calgary in 2009 was $41.9 million (population 988,200).
• Calgary’s net cultural investment was $42 per capita in 2009, ranking the city third among the five cities.
• Calgary’s growth in net cultural investment (175%) was much larger than any other city.

The full report is available at hillstrategies.com.