URGENT: Friends of the Arts Petition
URGENT ACTION: Sign the Friends of the Arts petition today!
Friends of the Arts* is launching an online petition to let City Councillors know that Torontonians value the arts.
This email is to ask you to mobilize your supporters, audiences, participants, members and friends to take 30 seconds to add their name to the petition, found here.
Toronto City Council is planning to make deep cuts to the city budget, and this puts arts and cultural funding at serious risk. Cutting the arts could be an economic and social catastrophe for Toronto: not only does the city achieve a huge return on a relatively small investment, but our vibrant arts scene is also a big part of what makes Toronto a great place to live, work and visit.
By signing the petition your members will be sending a message to the Mayor and their local councillors telling them that arts funding should not be cut. Here are a few of the reasons why the arts might be important to them:
- Arts and culture are essential to Toronto’s economy, generating $9 billion every year.
- Arts and culture create jobs. 130,000 people work in the sector – and many more depend on related businesses, including those in hospitality and tourism.
- Torontonians care about the arts. In 2010, there were 20 million visits from every corner of Toronto to city-supported arts events.
- Every dollar Toronto invests in arts organizations attracts $17 more from private and public sources. Arts and culture funding has a great return on investment.
- Great art and artists take years to achieve commercial success; today’s funding enables tomorrow’s art.
- Artists flock to cities that support them – yet Toronto invests less in the arts than other major cities; City Council has been working to change that, and it must stay the course.
- Toronto Councillors need to know that their voters value the arts.
We are asking you and your organization to forward the link widely under your organization’s banner in the manner that will attract support from your constituents.
Some suggested approaches that might attract your members to go to the petition:
· “Do you love Toronto’s arts scene? Help ensure that our city remains a vibrant cultural centre by signing the Friends of the Arts petition at: www.ipetitions.com/petition/friendsofthearts/
· “How have the arts made a difference in your life? Now it’s time to return the favour. Here’s how you can make a difference. Sign the Friends of the Arts petition”
· “Remember that show you saw? Arts funding made it happen. Help protect Toronto’s arts scene by signing the Friends of the Arts petition".
Although most signatures will be collected online, we will also be sending volunteers to specific arts events with hard copies of the petition. If you’d like to help, please email friendsofthearts@gmail.com and put volunteer in the subject line. Thank you!
Key Upcoming dates:
September 15: TAF and Business for the Arts Press Conference at Roy Thomson Hall
September 19: Executive Committee meets to respond to core service review recommendations
September 26: City Council meets to review Executive Committee recommendations
*Friends of the Arts is a network of arts supporters including the following organizations: Arts Vote Toronto, Arts Etobicoke, BeautifulCity.ca, Business for the Arts, Creative Trust, Lakeshore Arts, Scarborough Arts, Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, Toronto Arts Foundation, Urban Arts.
For more information, or if you have questions, please contact Susan Wright, Director of Operations, Toronto Arts Foundation: susan@torontoartscouncil.org.
Categories: Advocacy, Call for Artists, Community Engagement, Editorial, Funding, Ideas, Network Update
