The Conservatives, as we all know, were beaten silly when they decided to trim a few million from the $2 billion or more Ottawa spends every year to support the cultural work of the country. So, it's only fair that, just as we noted the cuts, we should also note some of the additions -- and there have been nearly $6 million worth of funding announcements made today. Similarly, I assume that those who decried the Tories for the cuts will now applaud their generosity. Pardon me? You think I'm a bit naive. Maybe so.
In any event, several MPs have been dispatched to cities across the country announcing grants to arts and cultural groups. These funds come from a program, run out of the Department of Canadian Heritage (James Moore, prop.), called the Endowment Incentives component of the Canadian Arts and Heritage Sustainability Program.
From the boilerplate on all the releases: "This year, the Government of Canada is providing 72 cents for every dollar donated by the private sector. Since 2006, this program has provided more than $44 million to various endowment funds, while the private sector has provided $72 million, for a total of more than $116 million. This initiative complements other measures taken by our Government to encourage private-sector participation in arts funding, such as the tax exemptions on capital gains for donations of publicly traded securities to registered charities announced in the 2006 and 2007 budgets."
Here's the list of recipients announced today and the grants they are getting from federal funds:
- Alberta Ballet
- EPCOR Centre for Performing Arts: $217,008.95
- Calgary Philharmonic Society: $122,514.21
- Banff Centre for Continuing Education: $947,760
- Globe Theatre Society: $3,616
- École nationale de cirque $108,504.48
- École nationale de théâtre $117,287.55
- Ensemble Contemporain de Montréal $19,422.30
- Festival des arts de Saint-Sauveur $14,467.26
- Festival International de Lanaudière $54,512.65
- Jeunesses Musicales du Canada $284,197.82
- La Compagnie Jean Duceppe $35,518.00
- Les Grands ballets canadiens de Montréal $1,446,726.36
- Orchestre de chambre I Musici de Montréal $7,233.63
- Orchestre symphonique de Montréal $1,446,726.36
- The Leanor & Alvin Segal Theatre $657,894.47
- Théâtre de la ville $30,370.40
- Manifestation Internationale d'art de Québec: $6,328.20
- Le chœur les Rhapsodes: $10,586.60
- Orchestre Symphonique de Québec $37,008.69
