REPORT | A Look At Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto (2025-2035)

Can Toronto not only retain, but expand on its reputation as a culture capital in these troubled times? That’s the goal of a new plan being recommended to City Council.

Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto (2025-2035) is a wide ranging and ambitious 10-year vision for Toronto as a city where anyone can easily connect with culture and creativity at all levels. It recognizes that culture makes a city liveable, as well as adding to its tourist appeal. Importantly, community input was considered when drawing up the series of recommendations.

The city’s last visionary plan for the arts and culture, Creative Capital Gains, was penned in 2011.

The Action Plan

Just how can the city make culture accessible to everyone? The Action Plan calls for 28 specific actions grouped into four priority areas: 1) Culture Everywhere; 2) Culture for All; 3) Culture for the Future; and 4) Culture Beyond our Borders. Proposed actions are divided by urgency.

In support of the Action Plan, the 2024 Operating Budget for Economic Development and Culture Division (EDC) included an increase of $800K. The funds are planned to go towards enhancing the Toronto Arts Council ($400K), funding organizational transformation and capacity building with a view to stabilizing the culture sector ($18K), and the remainder slotted to create a Cultural Infrastructure Study, along with a dedicated staff position that will lead and monitor implementation of the Plan. The Infrastructure Study will examine the city by area to determine specific needs for cultural spaces.

It acknowledges that, in order to expand and improve funding programs through the Toronto Arts Council, a $2 million increase will be required each year for the next five years. If approved, that will start in 2025.

Local Arts Service Organizations will see their funding doubled from 2024 levels. An equitable distribution approach will be adopted, providing an increase of $379K yearly for the next five years. Festivals and special events, and creative industries, will also reap the benefits, with a call for an increase of $565K for festival in 2025, and another $200K in 2026.

Historically underrepresented groups will see $300K invested into community training opportunities in the digital media sector, with another $200K for organizational support.

That’s just a sample of what the Action Plan contains. Other points in the document call for the protection of cultural districts and local arts and heritage organizations, audience development initiatives, increased investment in culture outside the core downtown area, increased support for cultural tourism, and much more.

The report also recognizes the importance of recognizing and centring the culture of the diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis who make the city their home.

So far, City Council has put forward motions expressing support for the overall concept of decent work conditions and a stable environment for all the city’s artists, and directed the General Manager, Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, in collaboration with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to conduct an inventory of City-operated arts and culture programming at community centres with a view to extending those services, particularly for low income and other vulnerable areas.

Next Steps

The new 10-year Action Plan was considered by the Economic and Community Development Committee meeting today, on October 23, and adopted with amendments. It will be considered by City Council as a whole on November 23.

It’s easy, when you’re very plugged into the arts scene, to forget that not everyone sees it as accessible. From the Action Plan:

“But perhaps the biggest risk facing culture in Toronto is that communities are feeling disconnected and disengaged. We heard repeatedly in our engagement process that many felt that the city’s cultural scene was “not for someone like me” and that cultural offerings did not feel accessible. For Toronto to succeed as a creative city, it is critical that we understand and break down these barriers.”

• You can read Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto (2025-2035) [HERE].

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Anya Wassenberg is a Toronto City Editor at Ludwig Van. She is an experienced freelance writer, blogger and writing instructor.

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