Voice Your Support for the Arts In Calgary
This fall, City Council will be deliberating and voting on the next City budget. We want to make sure that funding arts and culture is on the list and top of mind for Councillors. You can help by letting them know that as a constituent of the City, arts funding matters to you!
By following the link below, you can easily send a letter to your Ward Councillor, the Mayor, and City Administration asking for an increase in arts funding in the next budget. The arts sector in Calgary is essential to the City's current and future vitality, and needs to be continually funded as a crucial piece of the City's Social Infrastructure. Rising costs of production, venue maintenance, artist and arts manager salaries, and general cost of living are straining budgets in the arts, yet municipal funding supports have not addressed this or other financial challenges.
The letter is below and you can send it as is or with any edits you wish to make. Use your voice to support the arts!
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My request for City Support for Arts and Culture in Calgary
Dear Recipient's full name goes here,
I am writing to ask for your continued support in the budget for arts and culture in Calgary.
Arts and culture in this city have enriched my life in countless ways. I have enjoyed them with friends and family; they have introduced me to new ideas and new cultures; and they have connected me to my neighbours and my community.
They also contribute to the things many of us value about Calgary: opportunities for children and youth to express themselves, programs where seniors can connect and create, vibrant public spaces, pride in our communities, and a strong sense of belonging in this city. Arts and culture are not a luxury enjoyed by a few. Nearly 90% of Calgarians participate in arts and culture in some way, whether through Calgary’s amazing festivals, concerts, libraries, community events, performances, or creative activities.
Cities invest in roads, transit, parks, and public facilities because we understand that they require ongoing investment if they are to continue serving Calgarians into the future. Arts and culture are no different. When we invest in them, communities become stronger, people feel more connected, and local organizations can continue creating opportunities for residents of all ages. When funding fails to keep pace with need, organizations close, artists and cultural workers leave the city, community programs disappear, and Calgary loses a foundational pillar of our unique quality of life.
Arts and culture also provide thousands of local jobs, attract visitors from all over the world, animate our neighbourhoods and the downtown core, and help make Calgary a place where people like me want to live, work, and raise their families.
Maintaining Calgary's public infrastructure is top of mind and must remain a priority, but a great city is built on more than the systems that keep it running. It is shaped by the experiences, places, and opportunities that bring people together and make them proud to call Calgary home. As Council discusses Calgary's budget ahead of this fall's vote, I urge you to support an increase to the budget of Calgary Arts Development to strengthen artists, arts organizations, and arts facilities/infrastructure in Calgary. The City of Calgary need to fund arts and culture as essential parts of both Calgary's present and of its future.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Supporter's full name goes here
Supporter's email goes here, Supporter's location goes here