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Cultural Grants - History

Established in 1989 to enable non-profit cultural organizations

Program administered (not funded) by Oakville Arts Council

$1.2m dispersed over past 15 years

42 different groups have benefited over past 15 years

1990’s Committee recommendation for $.90 per capita and the motion carried was “that the Committee recommend to Council that the subject item be referred to the Budget Committee and that the Town Treasurer be requested to prepare a report regarding the per capita pricing mechanism contained in the recommendations referred to in the subject report and that the Municipal Arts Council is required to provide an analysis of their request increase.”

2010 per capita funding rate = $.59 (based on 2006 Statistics Canada – Oakville population of 165,613)

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20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Funding History$.90 per capita commitment (based on 2006 Statistics Canada: 165,613 x $.90 = $149, 052)

January 1990 report to the Town from the Municipal Arts Advisory Committee - recommendation to appoint the Oakville Arts Council to provide recommendations on the distribution of cultural grants and allocation for cultural grants should be set by a predetermined formula of $0.90 per capita based on prior year-end population.

$98,000

$149,052

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Results of 2011 Granting Program

17 applications from 15 different groups put forward an Application - representing an overall request of $126,650

Cultural Grants Review Committee was pleased to see some new and exciting collaborations coming forward (e.g. music with dance; youth and art; etc.)

In the last 5 years the Town has funded 26 groups $452,861

Distribution of revenue per category (over last 5 years)

Music78%

Theatre6%

Visual Arts6%

Culture and Heritage

7%

Literary Arts3%

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2011 Budget Request

During the 2010 Election, the Oakville Arts Council polled the candidates on their views of arts in Oakville. Eleven out of thirteen Councilors completed our on-line survey. We were very pleased to hear that Council believe that the most important way of establishing arts funding priorities and appropriate program content is through arms-length, peer juries of arts professionals (73%). The Oakville Arts Council is pleased to provide the service of administering the cultural grants program, on behalf of the Town.

We were also thrilled to hear that during difficult economic times our Council believes cultural spending should be reviewed for opportunities to make strategic investments that may have economic impact (73%). We certainly believe the cultural grants program, as well as funding to the Oakville Arts Council, must be reviewed for further investment – and as Mayor Burton indicated in the TVCogeco mayoral debate - increasing the funding of the cultural community.

The Oakville Arts Council’s 2010-2012 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Corporation of the Town of Oakville provides for maintenance of the Cultural Grants Program at a continued level of $98,000 over three years. However, we anticipate the need for increased investment in this program through capacity building efforts at QEP Community Centre.

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Cultural Grant Funding Supports:- 2010 Results -

Volunteer efforts will be encouraged and acknowledged – representing 1,178 volunteers involved in 15 groups, contributing over 44,400 volunteer hours

Residents are supported through employment opportunities - administrative and creative efforts in the cultural sector – helping to sustain 2 full-time positions & 43 part-time positions

Residents are entertained and participate in local creative activity, ensuring quality of life and helping to build a collective audience of over 42,500 people

Young people are given opportunity to develop as confident and engaged citizens

Community is encouraged to increase exposure to diverse arts and helps unify and foster cross-cultural communication, strengthening the appreciation for all cultures

Oakville businesses (especially in Downtown Oakville) proper from the spin off audiences involved in the cultural activity

Residents are pleased to live in a thriving, creative and engaging community – fostering civic pride and developing community participation and collaboration

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2011 Cultural Grants Committee

Chair, Andrew MacIver

Maureen Latocki

Maureen Tilson Dyment

Michael Young

Staff Support Claire Loughheed

- Senior Manager, Cultural Services, Town of Oakville

Megan Whittington

- Executive Director, OAC