Toronto Arts Council and Foundation Elect New Board Members

At the Annual General Meeting on December 7, the members of Toronto Arts Council elected two new members to join its Board of Directors. John D. McKellar, Chair of TAC’s Board welcomed Matt Galloway (radio personality and host of CBC’s Here and Now) and Moynan King (director, writer, actor, curator and performance artist) to the 27 member Board comprised of artists and arts worker, media and community representatives and city councilors.

At a separate AGM, two new Board members were elected to join the 13 member Toronto Arts Foundation Board of Directors. David Angelo (Director of Market Services for Deloitte & Touche, avid art collector, supporter and volunteer) and Linda Lewis (Professor Emeritus, Ryerson University, founding President of the Design Exchange and current TAC Board member) were welcomed by Foundation Chair Diana Bennett.

In 2009, TAC allocated city funds totaling $10,780,000 in grants to Toronto artists and arts organizations. TAC’s programs support excellence in performances in both small and major theatres, concerts and exhibitions, creation and performance, international film and documentary festivals, music organizations which tour the world, dance groups from many different cultures, and grass roots arts that reach into the heart of our communities and help revitalize neighbourhoods. Artists funded by TAC are participants in all the city’s major festivals, such as Nuit Blanche and Luminato.

“It is remarkable to think that 35 years ago TAC’s board of directors awarded grants totaling $315,000 to 14 arts organizations” remarked TAC President Karen Tisch. “Now 450 organizations and over 200 individual artists receive grants, which they convert into breathtaking works of art that tell our diverse stories, transform our neighbourhoods, inspire our youth, engage millions of audience members, and mark Toronto as a global cultural and artistic centre.

Funded through the City of Toronto, TAC’s investment in organizations and projects helps to make arts activity in Toronto affordable to all. TAC supports many of the free performances which will animate Toronto’s parks this summer. TAC funded projects also help to beautify our cityscape. Over 60% of all annually funded organizations offer outreach and educational programs, affording youth empowering experiences and a different window on the world.

Recognizing the critical role of the arts in engaging residents in the life of their communities, Toronto Arts Foundation has engaged with numerous agencies including the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Government of Ontario, Canadian Heritage, and United Way of Greater Toronto in unique partnerships which enhances investment in community engaged arts activities in priority neighbourhoods.

Toronto Arts Council (TAC) is the City of Toronto's funding body for artists and arts organizations. Since 1974, Toronto Arts Council (TAC) has played a major role in the city’s cultural industries by supporting a very broad range of artistic activity. From the emerging artist to the most established, from celebrated institutions to arts that challenge convention, TAC is typically the first funder to offer support. Today, TAC grants lead to exhibitions, performances, readings and workshops seen annually by over 7.5 million people. Through its ongoing funding, TAC cultivates a rich engagement between artists and audiences. It is proud to reflect Toronto’s vibrancy through the diversity of artists, arts communities and audiences that it serves.

Toronto Arts Foundation (TACF) was incorporated in 1995 as a sister organization to Toronto Arts Council (TAC). It has a two fold mission: to increase awareness of the value that artists and arts organizations bring to the City of Toronto; and to increase resources for the arts. In addition to administering programs which further the above goals, TAF enables individuals, foundations and corporations the opportunity to support a broad spectrum of initiatives and arts disciplines in the City of Toronto through tax-deductible contributions.