Toronto Arts Council Speaks at Budget Committee Meeting

February 2, 2015 - Toronto Claire Hopkinson, Director and CEO, and Gaëtane Verna, member of the Board of Directors of Toronto Arts Council, spoke today at the 2015 Budget Committee Meeting.

Presenting the arts community’s perspective on the city budget, Claire Hopkinson and Gaëtane Verna thanked City Council for beginning to implement the approved arts funding increases.

Claire Hopkinson described the impact that the increase in Toronto Arts Council's budget has had on its ability to respond to priorities in the arts community across Toronto, to fund many artists and arts organizations and to establish new partnerships in order to increase arts access around the city. For the full text of Claire's deputation, please click here.

Gaëtane Verna then presented the Budget Committee with some thoughts about the next steps necessary for a vibrant and healthy arts community in Toronto. Particularly, she mentioned the $25 per capita arts funding goal, set in 2003, which is set to be met in 2017. As she noted, Toronto is outspent by all major Canadian and many US centres. 

She also highlighted another hurdle faced by many artists: their inability to make a living wage. Although artists contribute to over $11.9 billion annually to Toronto's GDP, the average artist generates an income that is way below the low-income cut-off. 

For the full text of Gaetane Verna's deputation, please click here. 

To find out more about how you can advocate for the arts in Toronto, please visit us at this page to find out what you can do.