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CAPACOA Update: Tourism Strategy and the Performing Arts

The federal government unveiled a comprehensive tourism strategy last week. Taking a whole-of-government approach, the strategy acknowledges the contribution of festivals and performing arts organizations in realizing Canada’s full tourism potential.

Arts presentation and creative export acknowledged in the tourism strategy

As requested in CAPACOA’s brief on tourism, the strategy identifies the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage as key programs in the strategy. Both programs are listed in the “empowering Canadian communities to develop tourism experience” section of the strategy and the investments of the 2019 federal budget are explicitly mentioned as allocations supporting the strategy. As a reminder, the 2019 federal budget committed $16 million over two years to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund and $24 million over two years to the Building Communities Through Arts and Heritage Program and the Celebration and Commemoration Program.

The Creative Export Strategy is also identified as a contributor to the tourism strategy, under “Supporting Businesses and Empowering the Tourism Workforce”.

  • The fact that these time-limited investments in arts presentation and export (all are set to expire at the end of the 2020-2021 fiscal year) are mentioned in a longer-term tourism strategy is very meaningful. It creates a strong rationale for extending these investments after the federal election.  Please, take a moment to tell your Member of Parliament that you appreciate the tourism strategy and that you want the government to follow through on it after the federal election.

A new Canadian Experiences Fund

One of the key elements of the strategy is the new Canadian Experiences Fund (CEF), a $58.5 million investment over two years. The CEF will enhance Canada’s tourism products and experiences across five focus areas:

  • winter and shoulder-season tourism;
  • Indigenous tourism;
  • inclusiveness, especially for the LGBTQ2 community;
  • rural and remote communities; and
  • farm-to-table, also known as culinary tourism.

The CEF will be delivered through Canada’s Regional Development Agencies. Not-for-profit organizations will be eligible. Eligible projects will support the growth and diversification of the tourism sector. These activities may include:

  • Planning and development of tourism products and services: improving or designing new tourism services and products such as tours, special events and festivals
  • Market readiness training: working with tourism associations to provide training to businesses to market their products, adopt foreign payment systems, manage cultural differences, etc.; and
  • Creating or improving tourism facilities: physical assets used by tourists such as trails, campgrounds, and shelters.

Any arts organization who fits with any of the Fund’s five focus areas should connect with local or regional tourism partners and explore options for a joint or solo application.

Other non-updates

There are still no news on how the new CAPF funding or the expanded Student Work Placement Program will be administered.  We are in touch with Canadian Heritage and we will share information as it becomes available.

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Posted on by Arts Touring AllianceLast updated

Alberta Culture Days Grant Funding Now Available!

Alberta Culture Days Grant Funding Now Available!

Pictured Above: Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium, Arts Education Day
Photo Credit: Alberta Culture and Tourism

It’s time to put the call out for artists, volunteers and organizers – Alberta Culture Days is coming! Across the province, plans are already starting to come together for the largest three day provincial celebration of arts, heritage, culture and community. What are you going to do at the end of September to share your unique and amazing culture with Albertans?

Alberta Culture Days is your opportunity to reach out to new audiences and showcase your organization and community. For three days, every community’s unique culture is on display for Albertans to enjoy. Join us in the celebration of our culture!

Once again, the Government of Alberta is providing funding to assist community organizations in hosting Alberta Culture Days events. Grant applications are now open. Community organizations can apply for up to $10,000 to celebrate and showcase their culture between September 27 to 29. Applications will close April 4 at 4:30 p.m. More information and application forms can be found at AlbertaCultureDays.ca.

“Alberta Culture Days gives us all a greater understanding of the arts, culture, diversity and community spirit in Alberta. Last year was one of our best yet, and we are excited to see what Albertans bring to 2019. I encourage all communities and organizations to apply for an Alberta Culture Days grant to share their art, music, history and food this September.”

– Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism

Apply for funding and join us in the celebration of

Alberta Culture Days, September 27 to 29.

We want you to be a part of our celebration! Apply now to become a Feature, Host or Pop Up Celebration Site for Alberta Culture Days celebrations.

  • Feature Celebration Site – Sites offering three days of family-friendly programming during Alberta Culture Days, eligible for up to $10,000 in funding support.
  • Host Celebration Site – Sites offering two days of family-friendly programming during Alberta Culture Days, eligible for up to $5,000.
  • Pop Up Celebration Site – Sites offering one days of family-friendly programming during Alberta Culture Days, eligible for up to $1,000.

More details on the Alberta Culture Days grants can be found at AlbertaCultureDays.ca. This site also features a number of event planning resources and customizable promotional tools.

We look forward to having you join us for Alberta’s largest celebration of our culture during Alberta Culture Days September 27 to 29, 2019.

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Posted on by Arts Touring AllianceLast updated

Funding Increase for Calgary Arts Sector

Civic Coalition Drives Unprecedented Funding Increase for Calgary Arts Sector

December 11, 2018 (Calgary, AB) – Creative Calgary, a non-partisan civic coalition of artists, arts executives, philanthropists and city builders, is celebrating a major step forward for Calgary’s artists and arts organizations due to an unprecedented increase in funding for the sector. City Council has approved a plan to double Calgary Arts Development grants from $6.4 million in 2018 to $12.45 million in 2019, with further increases reaching $15.9 million by 2022.

This investment elevates Calgary from one of the lowest arts funders per capita – behind Edmonton and Winnipeg – to one of Canada’s leaders, alongside Vancouver and Toronto.

Creative Calgary was initiated by community members Christine Armstrong and Irfhan Rawji, who approached Mary Rozsa de Coquet (Rozsa Foundation), and Donna Livingstone (Glenbow Museum) to form the campaign advisory group.

“We recognized early in 2017 that the municipal election cycle and 2019-2022 budget was the opportunity. We contacted every municipal candidate in 2017 and met with dozens to convey a clear and consistent message: Pledge to work towards an investment from the City that positions Calgary’s arts organizations to lead nationally and acts as a magnet for business and creative talent. We were confident heading into 2018 that over half of the newly elected City Council supported this position” says Irfhan Rawji, Creative Calgary Co-Chair and CEO of Calgary-based tech startup MobSquad.

Creative Calgary built broad arts sector support, with the City’s largest “Cornerstone” arts organizations represented on its advisory group alongside small arts organization independent artist representatives.

  • Thousands of Calgarians joined Creative Calgary, pledging support, writing letters to candidates and volunteering.
  • 60+ Calgary civic leaders signed on to Creative Calgary’s open letter to municipal candidates.

“For our part, Creative Calgary first worked to bring the arts sector together around an audacious goal, and then reached out to city agencies and institutions to find win-win strategies to help move Calgary forward. In response, City Council showed real leadership in its significantly increased investment in arts and culture.” says Mary Rozsa de Coquet, Creative Calgary Co-Chair and President of the Rozsa Foundation.

“This is the most significant show of confidence from City Hall that the sector has seen in over a decade in regard to how meaningful a role the arts sector plays in the economic and social development of our city,” says Calgary Arts Development President and CEO Patti Pon. “We extend our gratitude to Creative Calgary and to all of the artists, arts administrators, and volunteers who were instrumental in communicating the need for additional funding.”

—

Creative Calgary is a non-partisan group committed to working with Council to ensure the City’s budget maximizes local jobs for artists and positions Calgary’s arts organizations to lead nationally.  Its advisory group and supporters represents a diverse cross-section of interests, including business leaders, arts organizations and creative technologists. Creative Calgary was generously supported by the Calgary Foundation and community contributions.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Shari Wattling, Project Coordinator, Creative Calgary
Email: shari@creativecalgary.org
www.creativecalgary.org

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Posted on by Arts Touring AllianceLast updated

Another Step Towards an Increase to the CAPF

CAPACOA – Arts Promotion News

December 10, 2018 – After the resounding success of Arts Day on Parliament Hill, support for an increase to the Canada Arts Presentation Fund is now coming from the Standing Committee on Finance.

The Standing Committee on Finance tabled its pre-budget report, entitled “Cultivating Competitiveness: Helping Canadians Succeed“. As requested by the Canadian Arts Coalition and its allies, the report recommends that Budget 2019 “Increase funding for the Canada Arts Presentation Fund for performing arts presenters and festivals over a three-year period in order to foster a strong domestic market that will serve as a launch pad for Canadian performing arts productions on international markets.”

Thank you to all advocates who submitted briefs, met with Committee members, spoke at open mic sessions or appeared before the committee to echo the Coalition’s message: Sue Urquhart, Randy Joynt, Association franco-yukonnaise, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Festivals and Major Events, Fédération culturelle canadienne-francaise, Citadel Theatre, Canadian Dance Assembly, Music Canada Live and all others who have echoed the Coalition messages in one way or another.

This report from the Standing Committee on Finance is an important step in the preparation of the federal budget. It comes in after a series of critical meetings with the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Canadian Heritage. In addition, since Arts Day, nine Members of Parliament have expressed their support in letters to both ministers. More letters are anticipated soon.

Read the original article here:
https://capacoa.ca/en/services/arts-promotion/news/1706-another-step-capf