Should The Arts Try To Raise More Funds On Their Own?

Jim Flaherty to arts organizations: Don’t assume entitlement to funding

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has warned arts groups not to expect federal funding year after year

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Melissa Leong  Jun 28, 2011 – 3:31 PM ET

After five years, Toronto theatre festival SummerWorks lost its federal funding from Canadian Heritage, weeks before its 21st season. Meanwhile, Jim Flaherty, federal Minister of Finance, announced $500,000 in funding for Canada’s Walk of Fame Festival Tuesday.

When asked how the government decides who gets funded, Flaherty said: “It’s a decision of Canada Heritage. We get thousands of applications every year.

“One thing I’d say, and maybe this is different from the way it used to be, we actually don’t believe in festivals and cultural institutions assuming that year after year after year, they’ll receive government funding from the government of Canada. They ought not to assume entitlement to grants … because there is lots of competition and lots of other festivals and new ideas that come along. So it’s a good idea for everyone to stay on their toes.”