Advocacy

Arts Vote 2010

Over the next four weeks the Council for the Arts in Ottawa is releasing a series of articles related to the municipal election and the arts. This series is offered to the Ottawa community to clarify the candidates' arts priorities and positions on cultural development.

• The Urban Core by Sterling Lynch looks at the urban core consisting of Wards 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18.
• The Urban Ring by Mike Levin examines the race in Wards 7, 8, 9, 10, and 16.
• Mayoral Candidates Views on the Arts by Peter Honeywell

Please check back each week for subsequent articles. If you are surprised by some candidates' lack of response, we urge you to contact them directly for their feedback.

On October 25, please be aware of new requirements for voters to produce photo identification and proof of their address. Don't get turned away at the polls!

Advance poling is also being held on October 2, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on October 14, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit the City of Ottawa website for more details.

City of Ottawa Budget - Arts Cuts Proposed

On November 14, 2007 the 2008 City of Ottawa Draft Budget was tabled.

The Budget contains a number of cuts to the cultural sector including a reduction of $130,000 to the cultural funding program in 2008, and an additional $135,000 cut in 2009.

The City Council approved Arts Investment Plan and Festival Sustainability Plan that identified phased in increases over the next three years, has been cancelled. The Draft Budget identifies reductions of $400,000 in 2008 and $490,000 in 2009.

Although these cuts are not as severe as what was proposed in 2004, it is disheartening to once again find ourselves in a position where we must justify the arts as an important sector that gives back a huge social and economic benefit and contributes to the quality of life in our city.

City Council directed City staff to prepare a draft budget that supports a 0%, 1.4% and 3.4% tax increase for 2008 and 2% in 2009 and 2010. In order to achieve the Council directed 0% tax increase, the corporation needs to find $83 million in program reductions over three years - of which the Community and Protective Services department has submitted options totaling $31.9 million. In addition, Council has directed the Corporation to find efficiency savings over the next three years that will not impact service levels.

Reference to the word "defer" in the various reduction options related to the Arts Investment Strategy (AIS), the Festivals Sustainability Plan (FSP) and the Museum Sustainability Plan (MSP) have been clarified to mean, "eliminate until City Council brings them back".

After the years of work that have been contributed to the development of a four year plan for the arts, it is essential that members of the arts community speak up and ask Members of City Council to give direction to the staff to continue the approved plans for cultural investment.

A number of key dates are:

Until December 7 – Community Budget Meetings
December 3 to December 6 – Presentations to Committee of the Whole
December 10 to December 14 – Budget deliberations and final decisions

To register to make a presentation to the Committee of the Whole, or for updates on budget meetings, contact the City of Ottawa at 613-580-2424, ext. 28625. A copy of your presentation to the Committee of the Whole should be sent in an electronic format to budget@ottawa.ca. The Committee of the Whole Budget Review Meetings will begin on Monday, December 3, 10 a.m. and will continue each morning at 10 a.m. as necessary, up to December 6.

Location:
Andrew Haydon Hall – Council Chamber
City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West

Arts Vote 2006

The CAO has been working with a number of partners to help determine the cultural priorities and opinions of candidates. Here are some of the activities that we welcome our membership to access

• Candidates' Questionnaire on the Arts
  Do you want to know where candidates stand on the Arts?
  The CAO and Arts Ottawa East contacted all Mayoral and Ward Candidates with background information and a series of questions to find out their views on arts and culture in Ottawa and how they are prepared to support it.
  
  
• Imagine Ottawa: City Social Forum
  September 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., St. Elias Church, 2975 Riverside Drive. Free admission. This forum will include a number of workshops exploring a range of topics. Former Mayor Marion Dewar will provide a lunch-time address.
  
  At 11 a.m., the arts and heritage workshop, Culture on the Move - Creative places and people will be presented by Peter Honeywell, Executive Director Council for the Arts in Ottawa and Meg Hamilton, Executive Director, Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa.
  
  Culture on the Move examines the unique challenges for arts and heritage in Ottawa. Funding, support services, the need for facilities, preservation of heritage buildings, presenting our past and our future, are some of the issues that will be explored. Recent community and municipal developments are providing some optimism for artists, cultural workers and the public. A short video tells the remarkable story of how the Shubert Theatre in Minneapolis was saved. Great inspiration for imaging culture in Ottawa in the future.
  
  
• All Candidates Meet and Greet - Wednesday, September 27 2006, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, RA Centre, 2451 Riverside Drive, Clark Room. A community coalition of organizations is hosting this meeting to highlight community issues and allow residents a one on one with candidates. Adrian Harewood (CBC Radio host for All in a Day), will act as the event MC.
  
  

2006 City of Ottawa Arts Budget Update

There were some tense moments during the second day of the City of Ottawa 2006 Budget deliberations as the first arts item up for discussion was defeated in a vote of 8 to 10. The recommendation for $80,000 was included in the Draft Budget as the second part of a two-year investment in the City's newly established Arts Service Agreement Program.

A flurry of media and public response followed and in the second week of the Budget process, the item was revisited and finally approved on a vote of 14 to 6.

A number of other important operating and capital arts budget items were passed including:

• 2.1% inflationary increase to grants for Cultural funding - $80,000
• One time funding for the Arts Investment Strategy - $120,000
• Corporate Art Acquisition and Conservation - $190,000
• City owned Arts and Heritage Building Improvements - $250,000
• City owned Arts and Heritage Equipment Improvements - $120,000
• Major Partnerships, Cultural Facilities - $600,000

We are pleased that City Council took steps to address a number of pressing concerns about Ottawa's low level of arts investment. The situation will be improved in the year ahead. But in light of the recent City of Ottawa report, Arts Investment Strategy, we will need to continue to build our per capita arts spending in subsequent years if we are to address our standing of last place among large Canadian municipalities.