Good news! City of Toronto Increases Arts & Culture Investment by $17.5 million!

Press Release care of TAPA:

On Wednesday January 16, Toronto City Council passed Toronto's 2013 budget. City Council has committed to increase Toronto’s annual arts investment by a total of $17.5 million bringing the municipal investment in arts and culture grants to $25 per capita over the next four years. Effective in 2013, the budget includes an immediate increased investment of $6 million for arts and culture.

“We are grateful that city council has made a meaningful contribution and commitment to the arts in Toronto.  This additional funding will increase the economic and social vitality of our great city, benefitting all Torontonians." said Michael Rubinoff, TAPA Board President.

After a decade of intensive work including focus groups, market research, consultations and countless deputations, this is a huge success story for the cultural community. In November 2012, TAPA led the Friends of the Arts at the 3rd Annual Arts Day at the City.  Artists, audiences, business leaders, donors, and administrators from across the city attended a series of meetings with a majority of councillors. Discussions focussed on asking the City to increase spending on arts and culture from $18 per capita to $25. In 2003 and in 2011 City Council had twice unanimously supported this recommendation. In 2012, this target had yet to be realized, and Toronto’s investment in arts and culture lagged behind all major Canadian municipalities. 

“TAPA has been a real leader in pushing for the acceptance of this bill, and it has paid off in a triumphant way. It's truly an exciting day for the arts organisations and artists of this city – but more importantly for the entire population of this city who, we do hope, will be the beneficiaries of this historic impetus”, said Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic & General Director of The Canadian Stage Company.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and Membership of TAPA we wish to express our wholehearted thanks to the City Councillors and city staff who supported our ongoing advocacy efforts and work. Further, this is a great demonstration of our collective efforts with the Toronto Arts Foundation, Friends of the Arts and the Beautiful City billboard campaign gleaning positive results”, said Jacoba Knaapen, Executive Director of TAPA.

The Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA) is an arts service organization that represents 185 professional theatre, dance and opera companies and is committed to nurturing an environment in which the performing arts may flourish and play a leadership role in the vitality of the City of Toronto. Programs and services provided by TAPA include: T.O. TIX - Toronto's Official One Stop Ticket Shop at Yonge-Dundas Square and online at www.totix.ca; the Dora Mavor Moore Awards; Toronto’s official Theatre Guide featuring Toronto’s only theatre map; hipTIX, offering $5 tickets to students between the ages of 15 and 29; citySPECIAL; the Commercial Theatre Development Fund; TRIP - the Travel Retreat Initiatives Program ,and the TAPA TRADE SERIES that provides ongoing professional development and workshops for TAPA members. For more information visit www.tapa.ca and www.totix.ca.