BUILDING BLOCKS:

New Tools and Strategies for Funding Bricks and Mortar

in the Cultural Arena -- A Policy Makers' Forum

 

 

The Building Blocks Forum, held in Toronto on November 16, 2001, was convened to discuss new ideas for funding bricks and mortar in the cultural arena.  The forum was a response to a groundswell initiative by several arts service organizations and was coordinated by Theatre Ontario and Toronto Artscape Inc.

 

Seven American experts on arts capitalization were invited to share their experiences and stimulate a discussion of potential solutions to the cultural infrastructure crisis in this country.  The invitation list included 100 senior policy makers from all levels of government, arts councils, foundations and private sector leaders, as well as representatives from the cultural field.

 

The objectives of the forum were:

  • To develop an understanding of the American approach and determine whether American approaches could be adapted to serve Canadian cultural infrastructure needs.

  • To determine what issues might be addressed in the adaptation of these programs, how they might be addressed and who could take the lead in developing these programs.

  • To identify the next steps in the development of these programs and to ascertain an order or priority in the development of these programs.

Janis Barlow was invited to moderate the session and, subsequently, to coordinate a transcript of the event and prepare supplementary materials relating to the forum. 
 

The Building Blocks Summary Report, Transcript and Appendices are available in PDF format:

 

Summary Report (PDF 430 KB)

Transcript (PDF 564 KB)

Appendices (PDF 1.0 MB)

 

Handouts:

 

Discussion Paper: "A Coordinated Approach to Arts Infrastructure Development

     in Ontario" (PDF 59 KB)

Spaced. . .Out? Executive Summary (PDF 386 KB)

"Cultural Policy and Philanthropic Trends in the Election Aftermath Audioconference" 

    (PDF 2.3 MB)

"Tax Credits as a Potential Tool for Arts Infrastructure Development in Ontario" 

     (PDF 416 KB)

 

Additional Resources:

 

Nonprofit Finance Fund Glossary (PDF 48 KB)

Alternative Sources of Income for the Arts (PDF 77 KB)

 

Click here to download the free Acrobat Reader.