The Canada Council for the Arts today released its Action Plan for the next three years, including plans for the distribution of $31.5 million in new funding in 2008-09. 

In July 2007, the federal government announced an ongoing $30 million increase to the Council’s parliamentary appropriation, bringing the government’s annual investment in the Council to over $180 million.  The announcement followed one-time increases to the Council’s funding of $20 million in 2006-2007 and $30 million in 2007-2008.  The Council has also increased its funding for arts project grants by $1.5 million on a permanent basis, which brings the total amount of new ongoing funding to $31.5 million.

The Canada Council’s Action Plan cites specific strategies and activities aligned with the five broad directions in its Strategic Plan, which was released in October.  The Strategic Plan committed the Canada Council to five specific directions:

• Reinforcing the Council’s commitment to individual artists, working alone or collaboratively, as the core of artistic practice in Canada;
• Broadening the Council’s commitment to arts organizations to strengthen their capacity to underpin artistic practices in all parts of the country;
• Enhancing the Council’s leadership role in promoting equity as a critical priority in fulfilling Canada’s artistic aspirations.
• Making partnerships with other organizations a key element in the Council’s approach to advancing its mandate; and
• Enhancing the Canada Council’s capacity to support the arts and implement change by strengthening its structure, staffing and services.

http://www.canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/2008/vw128473936539714974.htm