|
Members and supporters of Ottawa's arts community attended a news conference at city hall Tuesday to address the arts funding cuts proposed in this year's draft budget.
At the conference, which was hosted by Ottawa Festivals, representatives from various arts and heritage programs argued that the cuts will have serious and long term effects on the city.Of the city's $2.5 billion budget, $1 million has been allotted for arts funding. This means a 43-per-cent cut for overall arts and heritage funding and a 100-per-cent cut for festivals funding. The speakers say local businesses, tourism, city hall, artists and the entire arts sector will all suffer from these cuts. Many expressed their frustration towards the city for going back on its 2006 promise to increase arts funding. "It's not spending money," says Julian Armour, President of Ottawa Festivals d'Ottawa, "It's money that's well invested." He adds that the city's festivals typically raise $21 for every $1 the city invests. Christine Tremblay, Executive Director of Arts Ottawa East-Est, says if the municipal government pulls out its funding support, it will create a domino effect. If the sector does not have the government's support than investors will pull their funding as well. A loss of funding, she says, will be a "peril" for the arts. The 2009 budget is set to be approved by Dec. 5. |
