Thinking Culture - Cultural Forum Series

Are you interested in learning more about current issues and policy developments affecting the arts, culture and heritage sector?

Then mark your calendars for Thinking Culture, a new cultural forum series touching on diverse aspects of arts, culture and cultural policies. Presented by the Canadian Conference of the Arts in partnership with the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Continuing Education, Centre for Governance and School of Political Studies, the series will launch on September 23 at 4:30 pm at the University of Ottawa’s Desmarais Building with a presentation by Marc Mayer, the director and CEO of the National Gallery of Canada. Don't miss out on this stimulating and thought provoking event!

For more information, visit www.ccarts.ca/en/events/.

CCA Bulletin 23/10 - Arts Education and the CCA

Just the Facts

As educational institutions across the country rev up their programs for the fall semester, many arts educators, practitioners and patrons wait with bated breath to see how enrolments will fare. Programs in arts education are as diverse as the country itself. They offer a plethora of essential learning outcomes including creative development, self expression, aesthetics and bolstering self-determination. Creative processes and diverse approaches are seen in the development of arts education programming by arts specialists, artists and generalist teachers.(more)

CCA Bulletin 22/10 – Remuneration for charity staff: the CCA joins chorus of concern over Bill C-470

Just the Facts

As reported in CCA Bulletin 16/10,  Bill C-470 passed second reading in the House of Commons in April and is now on its way to hearings by the Standing Committee on Finance. Introduced by the Hon. Albina Guarnieri, Liberal MP for Mississauga East – Cooksville, this bill would allow the Minister of National Revenue to deregister any charitable organization, public foundation or private foundation that paid any employee $250,000 or more in total compensation (including salary, paid benefits and unpaid benefits). Effectively, this would put a compensation cap on charitable organizations and foundations. It would also allow the Minister to publish the names and compensation details of a charitable organization’s or a foundation’s five most highly paid employees, regardless of their compensation level. (more)

CCA Bulletin 21/10 - CCA urges the government to keep investing in arts and culture beyond Canada’s Economic Action Plan

Just the Facts

On Friday August 13, the Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) submitted its pre-budget brief for 2011 to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. In it, the CCA frames the manner in which the federal government should invest in arts and culture, and emphasizes the need for the government to continue its commitment of stable funding for arts and culture as we come to the end of Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

The CCA outlines priorities to stabilize and enrich the economic capacity of the creative sector. The complete submission defines six recommendations for investment:

1. Audience and market development at home and abroad: The CCA asks the government to dedicate $40 million of “new money” in order to expand its capacity to support market development nationally and internationally for Canadian artists, cultural institutions and industries. 

2. Canada Council for the Arts: The CCA asks the government to increase the base budget of the Canada Council for the Arts by an additional $30 million per year beginning in 2011-12, with a view to reach $300 million by 2015.

3. Training and Internship/Mentorship Opportunities: The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSDC) should expand access to EI training support for the self-employed. Also, HRSDC should dedicate $1 million per year for five years to foster the professional development of cultural workers through internships and mentorships.

4. National Museum Policy: The CCA asks that in the context of a new National Museum Policy, the government dedicate an additional $50 million to promote Canada’s national heritage, exhibit Canadian stories and preserve our culture.

5. Cultural Statistics: The CCA requests that the government give an additional $1 million to the Department of Canadian Heritage (PCH) to develop and maintain a satellite account for culture at Statistics Canada, as is done for tourism and the voluntary sector.

6. Investment Incentives: Finally, the CCA supports Imagine Canada’s suggestion to establish a “stretch” tax credit that would increase the federal charitable tax credit by an additional 10% on all new giving up to $10,000, in order to increase the flow of charitable gifts from Canadians. (more)