BRIEF FROM CULTURE MONTRÉAL

Arts and Culture at the Heart of the Economic Recovery Strategy

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1)    The position of Culture Montréal: maintain and strengthen support for the arts

2)    The cultural sector’s contribution to economic growth

3)    Our recommendations:

·         Adequate, stable funding

·         International profile of artists

·         Cultural infrastructure development

4)    In conclusion: public participation in arts funding

The position of Culture Montréal: maintain and strengthen support for the arts

For 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 sector

Over 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 recommendations

Looking 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:

·         Re-establishing and increasing investments in areas such as international tours for Canadian artists; international initiatives for exchanges, residency, training and coproduction; and the promotion of Canadian artists abroad ($40M).

·         Providing the network of representatives and the embassies with the means to promote Canadian artists, companies and cultural productions.

3)    Contribute more to developing and maintaining cultural infrastructure by:

·         Participating in the funding of projects outlined in the Montreal, Cultural Metropolis, 2007‑2017 Action Plan, including:

      - the Quartier des spectacles;

      - increasing and improving areas to create, produce and present;

      - developing the Lachine Canal, Old Montreal, the Old Port of Montreal and the Bassins du Havre.

·         Establishing an initiative to maintain cultural buildings that have received government subsidies, thereby ensuring that the investments funded by Canadian taxpayers are protected and valued.

Conclusion: public participation in funding the arts

Culture 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.