March 23, 2017
The most significant news for the cultural sector after the release of the 2017 Federal Budget is related to the area of cultural infrastructure in the Cultural Spaces Fund. The Department of Canadian Heritage has clarified that the $300 million announced for Cultural Spaces Canada yesterday, by federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau in his 2017 budget, is new investment. It is in addition to the $30 million/year base already in the program.
This means that the annual base for Cultural Spaces Canada will be $60 million going forward for ten years from 2018/19.
The Budget Plan states:
To construct, renovate and better equip the creative spaces and hubs that will be home to the next generation of artists and innovators, Budget 2017 proposes to provide $300 million over 10 years to the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund. This investment will help support the development of Canadian talent, and support entrepreneurialism in the arts and cultural communities.
This new investment will bring artists, cultural entrepreneurs and organizations together in shared spaces where they can collaborate and take their ideas to new heights. The new investment in the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund will be focused on the construction, renovation and equipment needs of creative spaces/hubs, which will help drive growth in Canada’s creative economy.
The reference to Cultural Spaces Canada in the Budget Plan may be found here.
See what The Arts Advocate has to say about the Federal Budget.
See what the Canadian Arts Coalition has to say about the Federal Budget.