BRIEF FROM CULTURE MONTRÉALArts and Culture at the Heart of the Economic Recovery StrategyEXECUTIVE SUMMARY1) The position of Culture Montréal: maintain and strengthen support for the arts 2) The cultural sector’s contribution to economic growth 3) Our recommendations:
4) In conclusion: public participation in arts funding The position of Culture Montréal: maintain and strengthen support for the artsFor the 2012 federal pre-budget consultations, Culture Montréal wishes to stress the importance of maintaining and strengthening support for culture and the arts as a way to stimulate the economy. Culture Montréal is an independent, not-for-profit agency dedicated to developing Montreal as a national and international cultural metropolis through analysis, study and co-ordination, along with ongoing policy initiatives addressing various government and opinion leaders. Close to 1,000 members of the public are members of Culture Montréal. Culture Montréal is a member of the Canadian Conference of the Arts and supports its 2012 pre-budget submission, Investing in a Renewable Resource: Culture. Like the CCA, Culture Montréal believes that Canada must continue its strategic efforts to encourage investment, create jobs and make its economy more competitive, a condition that goes along with balancing the budget. Through its exceptional role as a catalyst in terms of economic spinoffs and job creation, the cultural sector can play a major role in this recovery strategy and make a critical, lasting contribution to Canada’s financial health and the well-being of Canadians. The contribution of the cultural sectorOver the years, many studies have shown that arts and culture are powerful levers for economic and social development. In its report Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada’s Creative Economy,[1] the Conference Board of Canada points out that the cultural sector’s overall contribution to Canada’s economy is over one million jobs and close to $85 billion in economic spinoffs (economic footprint). As well, a recent study done by the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, Culture in Montréal: Economic Impacts and Private Funding,[2] finds that the cultural sector generates close to 100,000 direct jobs in the city, with an annual growth rate of 4.6% for the last 10 years, almost three times the total labour market average of 1.7%. The economic spinoffs (both direct and indirect) from the Montreal cultural sector have been calculated at $12 billion per year. The direct contribution to the economy is $7.8 billion, or approximately 6% of Montreal’s GDP. In other respects, a study conducted by researchers at the École des Hautes Études Commerciales of Montréal, L’économie des arts en temps de crise [The Economic Crisis and the Cultural Sector][3] showed the instability of arts and cultural organizations in Quebec, while also highlighting their exceptional flexibility. To deal with the expected decline in privately sourced income (sponsorships, foundations, etc.) caused by the economic crisis, cultural organizations came up with various short-term solutions and innovative long-term scenarios that would encourage development and protect the sector from future economic disruptions. Our recommendationsLooking ahead to the 2012 Budget, Culture Montréal recommends that the federal government do the following: 1) Increase its investment in the arts and culture sector to ensure that it grows and to maximize the economic and social spinoffs, mainly by maintaining adequate, stable funding for Canada’s main cultural institutions and funders, such as the Canada Council for the Arts ($300M budget), and ensure the ongoing viability of programs supporting creation, production, broadcasting and training funded by these agencies. 2) Encourage international recognition for Canadian artists and creators by:
3) Contribute more to developing and maintaining cultural infrastructure by:
Conclusion: public participation in funding the artsCulture Montréal wishes to highlight the critical role Canadians play in the social and cultural economy. Statistics on spending patterns show Canadians’ ongoing and growing interest in arts and culture, making them the greatest financial supporters of the cultural community. To enhance this contribution, new measures to support the patronage of cultural works and events are clearly emerging as an ideal tool in a lasting recovery strategy. [1] Valuing Culture: Measuring and Understanding Canada’s Creative Economy, Conference Board of Canada, 2008. [2] Culture in Montréal: Economic Impacts and Private Funding, Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, November 2009. Economic and statistical data were compiled and processed by Secor Consulting, with financial support from the Quebec Ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine and the participation of Culture Montréal and the Conseil des arts de Montréal. [3] L’économie des arts en temps de crise was a joint effort by André Courchesne, Director of Business Development for the Carmelle and Rémi Marcoux Chair in Arts Management at HEC Montréal; and Professor Johanne Turbide, Department of Accounting Sciences at HEC Montréal. The research was done by ARUC, les crises financières dans le secteur des arts : prévenir plutôt que guérir, with support from HEC Montréal and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Published in November 2009. |