The new chair of the Canada Council, Karen Kain, has issued a statement calling for increased arts funding in order to sustain the impressive growth of the arts in Canada. In her introduction to the organisation's recently released 2004-2005 Annual Report, Ms. Kain states that the Canada Council 'must respond to the very real explosion in the arts in the last decade, as well as to the changing needs of a rapidly changing population. It must do all of this with a budget that hasn’t kept up with the demand…There is not enough money to do the things that need to be done to give Canadians the artistic choices they want.' Ms. Kain has welcomed a $25 million annual increase in federal funding through the government's Tomorrow Starts Today initiative as 'a good start in addressing the long-term needs of the arts in Canada.' However, she has indicated that there is still much work to be done and said that the Council will work jointly with the arts community and government 'to put us firmly in the ranks of those countries that know the arts are not a diversion from life, but rather an essential part of life. As necessary to communities as pavement and pipes.' The complete Annual Report, as well as more detailed information by province or territory and a searchable database of grants awarded in 2004-2005, are available HERE For further information, CLICK HERE