Toronto Craft Alert

As a member of the ArtsVote Facebook Group, I received the note below from them outlining their campaign priorities for 2010.  Really interesting to note that Toronto’s arts and culture funding  ($18 per Torontonian) falls significantly below Vancouver ($26) and Montreal’s ($33).  Shame shame.

Looking forward to the ArtsVote Report Card in Sept. to help me decide how to vote!

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Hello Artsvote Fans, Folks and Friends,

ArtsVote Toronto 2010 is working to elect candidates who are committed to making Toronto a world-class hub for arts and culture. The highly anticipated ArtsVote Report Card, to be launched online and in print in September 2010, will grade candidates and challengers on their support for the arts. In the fall, ArtsVote will launch an active “get out and vote” campaign to encourage artists and everyone who loves the arts to vote for candidates who are committed to building a vibrant and cultured community.

ArtsVote has contacted all Councillor and Mayoral candidates with the ArtsVote Survey, which will be used to help determine each candidate’s grade.

ArtsVote believes that strong arts policies and greater public investment in the arts are essential to the wellbeing of our citizens, the vitality of our neighbourhoods and communities, and the prosperity of our city. ArtsVote has outlined three priorities that we believe will contribute to a better Toronto, poised to reach its potential as a leading creative city on the world stage.

Priority One: Toronto leads Canada in arts and cultural activity. It should lead the country in per-capita cultural investment, starting with an immediate increase in investment to $25 per citizen.
o Toronto currently invests $18 per Torontonian in arts and culture, outperformed by Vancouver ($26) and Montreal ($33).

Priority Two: Toronto needs to position itself as a truly creative city and global cultural capital.
o Toronto needs to commit to a new generation of the Culture Plan, with clear targets for the next decade and new investments to reach these targets.

Priority Three: The arts are a catalyst in economic development, tourism, and civic participation, and should be at the centre of all the city’s strategies and planning.
o Toronto must include culture in infrastructure planning, and take a leadership role to leverage private and governme support.

Full details on these three priorities is available on our website.