Oakville Arts Council Presentation to Budget Committee February 15, 2011 Victoria Behune

1. Oakville Arts Council Presentation to Budget Committee February 15, 2011 Victoria Behune President Prepared by: Megan Whittington Executive Director mwhittington@oakville.ca 905-815-5977

2. Who is the Oakville Arts Council? The Oakville Arts Council is a not-for-profit charitable organization that was formed in November 1978. We are a strong member-driven multidisciplinary community arts council that has our roots in the community’s history of collaboratively creating and supporting a strong desire for arts and culture in Oakville. An early step occurred in 1973 when a collaboration of seven local performing arts groups came together to create a representative committee, the Performing Arts Development Group. By 1978 the need became clear for an effective umbrella organization to enable not only the performing arts but also a wider array of creative artists including writing and publishing, visual arts, cultural and heritage groups. Vision Oakville has a vibrant artistic community and the Oakville Arts Council leads our cultural growth. Mission The Oakville Arts Council sustains and fosters the community’s engagement in the arts and champions artistic development.

3. Context Setting To provide, through the Oakville Arts Council, a non-partisan, arms-length service that advocates, communicates, enables, and sustains the arts for the community of Oakville. Memorandum of Understanding between Oakville Arts Council and The Corporation of the Town of Oakville for Fiscal Years 2010, 2011, 2012 “The Town has recognized the importance of arts and culture by making it a core service and through initiatives such as establishment of an Arts Council and a Cultural Advisory Committee” Parks, Recreation, Culture & Library (PRCL) Master Plan • The Oakville Arts Council will “utilize new cultural facilities, such as Queen Elizabeth Park, to support local arts events, initiatives, and • understanding of the arts.” • Oakville Arts Council’s 2010-2013 Strategic Plan “The town, in partnership with the OAC, is providing the volunteers with training in areas they have self-identified as necessary for the sustainability and the success of their organizations.” Enabling Culture to Thrive in Oakville – Oakville’s Strategic Directions for Culture

4. SAY “NO” to Elimination of Grants & Subsidies The development of Queen Elizabeth Park will continue to have a significant focus, as will capacity building efforts of the not-for-profit groups at QEP.

5. Ontario’s Community Arts Councils Using the Guelph Arts Council’s 2009 Survey of Ontario Community Arts Councils (of the listed Ontario Arts Councils) the following information was gathered: Arts Council Haliburton Highlands Arts Council of Sault Ste Marie & District Arts Hamilton Brampton Arts Council Council of the Arts in Ottawa Guelph Arts Council Kingston Arts Council Lakeshore Arts London Arts Council Markham Arts Council Oakville Arts Council Quinte Arts Council Scarborough Arts Council St. Catharines & Area Arts Council Urban Arts Waterloo Regional Arts Council 8 councils had budgets between $225,000 and $450,000 7 councils had budgets between $100,000 and $225,000 Municipal Funding (15 respondents) 2 councils received municipal funding between $300,000 and $400,000 3 councils received municipal funding between $100,000 and $150,000 3 councils received municipal funding between $40,000 and $100,000 7 councils received municipal funding between $10,000 and $35,000 Municipal Funding as a Percentage of Community Arts Council’s Budget (15 respondents) 2 councils received 95 per cent or more of their budgets from municipal funding 2 councils received between 45 and 65 per cent of their budgets from municipal funding 3 councils received between 30 and 40 per cent of their budgets from municipal funding 4 councils received between 15 and 25 per cent of their budgets from municipal funding 4 councils received between 8 and 12 per cent of their budgets from municipal funding Oakville Arts Council receives $75,500 from the Town of Oakville

6. Current Impact of Town’s Investment Using Ontario ’s Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM) Community Arts Investment 2011 Town Funding More Than $202,000 OAC Services and Support $189,227 Operating Grant $75,500 Generates a 150% return to the community Representing $58,900, once rent and OCPA fees have been paid to Town $113,727 invested by other arts funders + $70,000 equivalent of Board / volunteers hours = 1,400 x $50 + Plus more than $35,000 of in-kind donations in advertising, event support, and other.

7. Who are our members? ??? Businesses Over ??? artists and students of all ages from our community NFP arts groups alone represent more than 3,000 people Thousands of arts interested community members ??? Groups New membership category as of July 2010 Plus more than 40 regular volunteers (on board, committees, and in administration support).

8. Membership Trends In 2007-2008, the Oakville Arts Council lost individual members, due to their affiliations with past OAC programs (i.e. Artworks, Monday Night @ the Movies, Poetry Café and World of Threads). This represented approximately 28 people. In 2008-2009, we continue to see a drop in individual membership (approximately 21 people), but a significant increase in businesses and non-profit group support. We also moved the “friend members” (non artists) out of our membership line and into donors – this represents another $2,500 in revenue. From 2009 to 2010 we experienced a slight dip in arts business members – this represents 5 businesses (due to business closures or change in membership category).

9. What do we do? We also produce the Arts About Town magazine - 3 issues / year (15,000 distribution)

10. Website The Oakville Arts Council website is the conduit to information on the arts in Oakville. Our Highlight features are: • The arts directory of member artists, NFP arts groups and arts businesses – the directory includes a search/sort function, automatic links and the opportunity to add artwork. • The arts and cultural calendar - now open to anyone to post arts and cultural activity happening in Oakville. • Arts Space listing (e.g. to find a place to hold your CD launch). www.oakvilleart.com

11. Resource and Referral Our electronicIn-the-arts promotion disseminates information to the membership on subjects ranging from Cultural Grants funding and deadlines, QEP, Cultural Planning, Town’s Spirit Awards, Oakville Arts Council fundraising events, Arts About Town ads and more. Since August 2010, we have had 160 new Informational Members. In partnership with the Town, the Oakville Arts Council’s workshops and forums offer artists and arts organizations support in their professional development. In 2009-2010, we held the following workshops: Get that Grant (August 2009); Incorporating Your Non Profit (March 2010): PRIZM (Environics Software) - Who's Your Audience (April 2010); Know Your Funders (August 2010); and Design and Layout (October 2010).

12. Main Event • We hold the annual Cogeco Stars Among Us red carpet, arts recognition award gala (mid May) at the Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts. • This event shines a spotlight on local talent to help foster creativity, encourage emerging artists and highlight the excellence of the arts in our community. • The event celebrates, entertains and awards local artists in the disciplines of: Literary Arts; New Media; Performing Arts; Visual Arts; and a Young Artist Award (multi-disciplinary). • Local artists win $500 in each category and an opportunity to be recognized on stage in front of their peers, civic and business leaders in our community.

13. Important Milestones • Ongoing - Participation on the QEP Community Centre working group • Ongoing – Partnership in the Town’s Cultural Portal Project (Oakville Arts Council’s centralized calendar) • Ongoing - Participation with the Oakville Tourism Partnership • Ongoing – Participation with the Arts Council Network • Secured 2-year Ontario Trillium Foundation funding to enhance organizational capacity – October 2010 • The Oakville Arts Council’s 2010-2013 Strategic Plan, November 2010 • Arts Vote Oakville, October 2010 • The Future for Arts And Culture in Oakville with MPP Kevin Flynn – October 2010 • Participation and contribution to The Partnership Project with the Honourable Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, and Helen Burstyn, Chair of the Ontario Trillium Foundation – August 2010 • Contribution to and support in the creation of Oakville Public Art Policy, October 2008 to February 2009 • Contribution to and support for the Town’s Cultural Plan, October 2007 to June 2008 • Increased funding to Cultural Grants program (from $0.48/capita to $0.60/capita), March 2008 • Created 3-year Memorandum of Understanding with the Town of Oakville, November 2007 • Secured 3-year Ontario Trillium Foundation funding “Communications Hub“, July 2007 • Revamped the Cultural Grants process, June 2007 • Contribution to and support for the PRCL Master Plan, June 2006 • Phase I of Cultural Economic Impact Study, September 2005 • Feasibility study for community arts cultural centre, 2004