HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-11-052 - Arts and Culture Sustainability FundREPORT TO:Community and Infrastructure Services Committee
DATE OF MEETING:
April 11, 2011
SUBMITTED BY: Jeff Willmer, Deputy CAO, Community Services
PREPARED BY:
Ingrid Pregel, Manager of Cultural Development (Ext 3383)
WARD(S) INVOLVED: All
DATE OF REPORT: April 6, 2011
REPORT NO.:
CSD-11-052
SUBJECT:
ARTS AND CULTURE SUSTAINABILITY FUND
RECOMMENDATION:
That a one-time allocation of the following investment amounts be made from the Arts
and Culture Sustainability Fund:
Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization $ 22,000
The Museum $120,000
Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery $ 40,000
Kitchener Waterloo Symphony $ 38,000; and further,
That the new Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization provides a report to Council by
October 2011 detailing its strategy for use of the Arts and Culture Sustainability Fund in
2012.
BACKGROUND:
In 2010, Report CSD-10-021, “Arts and Culture Sustainability Fund”, recommended the
disbursement of $200,000 of that fund to The Museum, Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery, and
Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, retaining the remaining $20,000 for emergency requests. The
disbursement of the fund supported Report CSD-10-009, the preliminary recommendation to
establish the fund based onthe need for an additional $1 per capita for arts and culture annual
investment as identified in the “Prosperity Council Task Force on Creative Enterprise Funding
Update”.
Council’s Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC) recommended to Council that those
funds be provided to Prosperity Council’s Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization (CEEO) for
distribution when it became operational. ACAC intended the recommendation to require
collaboration with public and private sector partners in the work to stabilize and build
organizational health in the arts and culture sector.
ê ó ï
REPORT:
During the 2011 budget process, Council approved that the Arts and Culture Sustainability Fund
be available again this year through the Economic Development Investment Fund at the
$220,000 level.
In March, CEEO announced the appointment of its inaugural chief executive officer, Heather
Sinclair. With the establishment of the staff role and a location for the organization’s business
office, CEEO will continue the Prosperity Council’s earlier work to build economic success for
the region through the creative sector. This work is supported by the Regional Municipality of
Waterloo, City of Waterloo, City of Kitchener and Trillium Foundation. CEEO will use the initial
investments to leverage more funding for arts and culture and creative industry in the region
from provincial and federal governments and from the business community. There is consensus
that this collaborative investment is necessary to rectify the insufficient funding levels of the
past.
During the 2011 budget discussions, Council heard presenters speak about the need for
investments in arts organizations and creative enterprises offering innovative, world class
programming to attract world class talent to our community. To accomplish our economic and
community goals, it is necessary to invest in mid-level and emerging arts organizations as well
as in our large, cornerstone arts organizations. The recommendation to allocate 10% of the
$220,000 fund ($22,000) to the CEEO represents the City of Kitchener’s contribution to a
shared investment fund to be assembled and distributed by CEEO in 2011 to mid-level and
emerging arts and culture organizations. CEEO has committed to matching Kitchener’s 10%
with other private sector and public sector investments. The Regional Municipality of Waterloo
and the City of Waterloo have already been asked to contribute to the fund. This collaborative
investment will serve as a pilot implementation strategy for a more fully developed, long-term
investment strategy to be finalized between the CEEO and municipal and private sector
partners by the end of 2011.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The City’s quality of life strategy relies on economic investments to achieve sustainability and
vitality in many community sectors including arts and culture. The City has consistently
responded to the arts and culture non-profit sector’s requirements for support through loans,
grants, in-kind support and promotion. However, additional investment which will encourage
participation from other public and private partners is still needed. This strategy for leveraging
partners’ support is a function of efficient and effective government.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
As detailed in the preceding recommendation and report.
ê ó î
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
The community was provided with an opportunity to comment on the proposed sustainability
fund during the 2011 budget deliberations. Council heard presentations by delegations at the
public budget input session on February 15, 2011. Delegations included representatives of the
Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization and the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee
speaking in support of the inclusion of the sustainability fund in the 2011 budget.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: Carla Ladd, CAO
ê ó í