The Canada Council for the Arts wants to say 'thank-you' to the public. In a sign of appreciation for 45 years of public funding, the council, in collaboration with CBC/Radio-Canada, will be offering free tickets to performing arts events across the country. 'Artists, arts organisations and Canadian audiences have benefited enormously from public funding since the council's establishment in 1957,' commented Canada Council Director, Shirley L Thomson, 'and this initiative is a symbolic way of saying thank you.' That the tickets – offered free of charge by a number of theatres, dance companies, orchestras and opera companies – are available across Canada is reflective of the council's reach, according to a statement. In the past three years alone the organisation has invested in some 825 communities nationwide. Other initiatives in the council's birthday celebrations include the purchase of Aboriginal art by the Canada Council Art Bank, and an anniversary edition of the quarterly newsletter For the Arts.