Item - 2010.ED28.5

This report responds to the direction given by City Council at its meeting on December 1, 2 and 3, 2008, for a progress report noting specifically concrete results that have accrued as a result of the endorsement of the Community Arts Action Plan.  The Plan comprises recommendations to be implemented over a course of five years to strengthen arts in communities across Toronto including enhanced support for Toronto’s lead community arts organizations, the Local Arts Service Organizations.

The Community Arts Action Plan for Toronto has served as a strategic planning framework that helps community arts organizations to better plan together to address the priorities and achieve outcomes identified in the Plan.

Since the implementation of the Plan, it has served as a tool and inspiration for lead agencies such as the Toronto Arts Council and the Local Arts Service Organizations, to start and/or augment citywide community arts initiatives and networking opportunities to address the gaps in the community arts sector identified by community members and stakeholders.  Tangible outcomes as well as key ongoing efforts are highlighted in this Report below. (See Appendix 1).