Calgary city council rejects freeze, instead plans to nearly double arts agency funding

City council voted 10-5 Wednesday against a motion that would have frozen the Calgary Arts DevelopmentAuthority's funding and plans instead to nearly double the agency's budget next year.

This year, the city gave CADA $6.4 million. The city's proposed four-year budget would set aside $11.4 million for the organization in 2019.

Coun. Sean Chu, who brought forward the motion for the freeze, said it's not the right time to boost funding in Calgary.

'I believe art is a want': councillor

"There's need and there's want, and I believe art is a want," said Chu.

But Coun. Jeff Davisondisagreed, saying the investment in the arts is a key part of the city's economic development strategy that can pay off in terms of jobs, not to mentionhow a thriving arts scene can attract investors to a city.

"There are businesses out there right now in the oil and gas sector that would kill kill for a five-to-one return, so don't give me 'the business case is not there.' Could it be stronger? Absolutely. Wealways work on those things, but the reality is the return is very clear here," Davison said.

Chu's motion would have saved the city $20 million over four years. Instead, that money will be used to fund more artists, arts organizations and salary increases for CADAstaff.

• 'We're all hurting': Calgary arts cut to the bone as corporate funds dry up

"A minimum of 75 per cent will go directly into the hands of artists and arts organizations," CADApresident and CEO Patti Pon toldthe Calgary Eyeopener the day before the vote.

"So I think you will see more ideas,more expressions of our stories, more opportunities for Calgarians to participate in the arts however they choose for that to be. And we'll see jobs in the arts, andI think that's a really important thing at this time."

Mayor NaheedNenshi said this increase will mean Calgary will no longer have the lowest support of the arts of any major Canadian city it will have the second lowest,bumping Winnipeg to the bottom.

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