Don't count on grants, Flaherty warns arts groups

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty has a warning for cultural institutions that have come to rely on regular government funding: don't count on it.

Flaherty delivered the message Tuesday shortly after announcing $500,000 in support for this year's Canada Walk of Fame Festival, to be held in Toronto.

The funding falls under the Canada Arts Presentation Fund administered by Canada Heritage.

On Monday, SummerWorks, an acclaimed Toronto indie theatre festival, announced it had lost its federal funding. The festival made headlines last year after staging "Homegrown," a play about a convicted terrorist, a member of the group known as the Toronto 18.

In a note posted on its blog, the festival said it had received federal funding for five straight years totalling $140,000 and was surprised to learn it would not get more money this year.

But Flaherty says arts organizations should not set their budgets assuming they'll get government funds.

"One thing I'd say, and maybe it's different than it used to be, is we actually don't believe in festivals and cultural institutions assuming that year after year after year they'll receive government funding," Flaherty said.

"They ought not assume entitlement to grants ... no organization should assume in their budgeting that every year the government of Canada is going to give them grants because there's lots of competition, lots of other festivals, and there are new ideas that come along.

"So it's a good idea for everyone to stay on their toes and not make that assumption."