Toronto Forum

November 24, 2008


The room at the Royal Ontario Museum is so full that we have to open up the sliding door to the next room. We are surrounded by copies of Egyptian artifacts and while the venue is a bit crammed, it does not stifle a lively conversation amongst participants.

As in other forums, we start with a review of the last electoral campaign and of the divisive nature of the debate about arts and culture. Someone quotes a journalist who, in a recent panel, said that it was precisely the debate’s polarization which guaranteed the continued interest of the press, always on the look out for adversarial, black and white issues. However, what pleases journalists is not necessarily good for the sector and there are many who would argue that the arts and culture community has come out of the election worse off within public opinion and no doubt, with a government which may blame it for having failed to achieve the majority it was seeking.

We had a series of exchanges about the issue of defining culture and about the fact that many people don’t even realize how arts and culture are pervasive in their lives. For them, as for many a politician, culture is either an elitist concept or is synonym with entertainment, in either case not qualifying for public financial support.

One participant warns about the fact that we have entered a potentially very difficult and challenging period. The current economic crisis severely diminishes revenue from foundations and may lead to a drying up of sponsorships. But even more importantly, it provides a government which does not believe that culture is a priority, or a constitutional responsibility, with a reason to inflict more cuts on those who have positioned themselves as the enemy during the election campaign. And there is the temptation to yield to the Quebec government’s calls for devolution, something which would have dire consequences for the sector, even in Quebec itself: isn’t it better to have two sources of funding rather than only one?

There is a consensus that we must find a way to unite our forces, which are far too dispersed. We have the CCA, the Canadian Arts Coalition, the Arts Summit, Canadian Business for the Arts, a multitude of arts service organizations, etc. How can we coordinate efforts, define a vision of the common interest, develop a winning strategy? Some mention the importance of establishing partnerships with other sectors of society, with education and health. Others raise the need to convince business philanthropists, who generously support the arts, to speak up and explain why culture is important to all citizens.

It would appear that there is more agreement on the questions than on the answers, but throughout the discussion, one can sense the beginning of a common awareness of what is needed and, who knows, of a common will to find a solution?