
Artists and Arts leaders from across Canada are converging on Ottawa this Tuesday, December 2nd, 2025, to advocate for the sector with political leaders. Chosen from applications across our membership, these individuals reflect the diversity of our sector and our country and share a common purpose – to ensure that the arts and culture sector is part of what makes Canada strong now and in the future.
Arts Day on the Hill is a national effort by the Coalition to ensure that artists from all parts of the sector and all regions of the Country can speak with one voice about vital issues that make us stronger through joint advocacy. While the landscape has changed over the past 20 years, the need for education and collaboration remains as important as ever, and we are grateful for the time and commitment of our volunteer advocates to support this effort.
Mark Carney’s government has made some excellent investments in its first budget in Fall 2025, primarily through funding for the Arts programs of Canadian Heritage and increased investment in the CBC, Telefilm, and other cultural institutions. However, the Canada Council for the Arts, which funds artistic activity and cultural outreach in every riding through funding for individual artists, arts organizations and groups, did not get its needed investment. The arts community is diverse, and the Canada Council is the best mechanism to ensure there is professional regional creativity and artistry that fuels the national conversation and helps Canada take its place on the international stage.
In addition to the welcome recent investments, the missing piece is the permanent investment of an additional $140 million in the Canada Council for the Arts and a move to permanently fund the arts programs of Canadian Heritage, helping Canada reach 1% of its annual spending on Arts and Culture.
#artsday2025 @emmaaharrisonmp @artscoalitionca

EC3 Recognizes Arts Day on the Hill
Today is Arts Day on the Hill, a national annual event organized by the Canadian Arts Coalition. This is an important advocacy initiative drawing attention to the high social and economic impact, value and importance of the arts and the critical importance of public funding for the arts, particularly at the federal level.
Volunteer arts leaders from across the country (including Katherine Carleton from Orchestras Canada and Chair of our own municipal Arts and Culture Advisory Committee) travel to Ottawa to meet with MPs. Please read all about it above.
Many arts organizations in Peterborough benefit from funding provided by the Department of Canadian Heritage (now Canadian Identity and Culture) or the Canada Council for the Arts. The Electric City Culture Council (EC3) receives much-needed and much-appreciated funding from the federal government for Artsweek, a grant that helps support the Festival every other year.
Individual artist in all disciplines, arts producers and presenters all benefit enormously from federal support for the arts.
All three levels of government support the arts in Peterborough, and that makes an extraordinary difference to the quality of life in this city.
https://canadianartscoalition.com/arts-day-on-the-hill-2025-20th-anniversary/