Regional councillors voted Tuesday to continue funding several local arts organizations at their current levels.
That means that the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and THEMUSEUM will receive $370,900 per year through 2019, while the Grand Philharmonic Choir will continue to see $30,900 per year over the same time period.
“I don’t think there’s any major cultural institution in Canada that isn’t receiving government support,” Regional Chair Ken Seiling said in an email.
Councillors also heard from representatives of each of those organizations, explaining what the money is used for and generally outlining their finances.
At THEMUSEUM, for example, CEO David Marskell said that the organization was “limping along” – having cut staff, reduced spending on exhibits and still found themselves $100,000 in the hole last year.
“We are so fragile,” he said.
“We would hope that they would increase the funding based on growth into the community … and something for inflation.”
The symphony’s financial hole was even larger last year, as the organization ran a deficit of approximately $400,000.
Executive director Andrew Bennett said that this year’s books will show a “considerable improvement,” but the symphony isn’t completely out of the woods.
“It’s rather like turning an oil tanker – it takes some time,” he said.
Marskell also voiced concerns about Waterloo Region becoming a “bedroom community” of Toronto, especially if enhanced GO Transit service makes it easier to travel between the two areas.
A strong arts and culture sector is key to keeping people living and working in Waterloo Region, he said.
“People aren’t going to come to this region to see a tech company. They aren’t going to come here to see an empty building at the corner of King and Queen,” he said.
“They will come here to see an Andy Warhol exhibit, or one of our other exhibits, or a symphony.”
Seiling agreed with that assessment, saying entertainment options had been identified as a key issue for people working in the region’s knowledge economy.
