Annual Report Canada Council for the Arts 2008/09 Kevin Lockau, work in progress, sand cast glass, forged steel, granite. Photo: Martin Lipman in progress, sand cast glass, forged work Lockau, Kevin Annual Report Canada Council for the Arts 2008/09 350 Albert Street 350, rue Albert Post Offi ce Box 1047 Case postale 1047 Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5V8 Ottawa (Ontario) K1P 5V8 1-800-263-5588 or 1-800 263-5588 ou 613-566-4414 613-566-4414 Fax: 613-566-4390 Téléc. : 613-566-4390 [email protected] [email protected] www.canadacouncil.ca www.conseildesarts.ca Design: Alejandro Contreras Printed in Canada ISBN: 0-88837-200-0 The 52nd Annual Report of the Canada Council for the Arts and supplementary information on grants, services and awards are available on the Council’s website. The Canada Council for the Arts is a federal Crown corporation created by an Act of Parliament in 1957 “to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts.” The Council offers a broad range of grants (6,168 in 2008-09) and services to professional Canadian artists and arts organizations in music, theatre, writing and publishing, visual arts, dance, media arts and integrated arts. It further seeks to raise public awareness of the arts through its communications, research and arts promo- tion activities. The Council also awards prizes and fellowships every year to ap- proximately 200 artists and scholars. The Canadian Commission for UNESCO and the Public Lending Right Commission operate within the Council. The Canada Council Art Bank, which has some 17,300 works of contemporary Canadian art in its collection, rents to the public and private sectors. The Canada Council is governed by an 11-member Board. The Chair, the members of the Board and the Director of the Council are appointed by the Governor in Council for fixed terms. The Council relies heavily on the advice of artists and arts professionals from all parts of Canada (some 800 serve annually as jurors, or peer assessors) and works in close co-operation with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal arts and cultural agencies and departments. The Council reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage; its accounts are audited by the Auditor General of Canada. The annual budget allocation from Parliament is supplemented by endowment income, donations and bequests. 2 Contents Message from the Chair 4 Message from the Director 6 Management’s Discussion and Analysis 8 Strategic Directions and Performance Corporate Scorecard Index on the Arts Financial Overview Highlights 24 Governance 36 Financial Statements 46 Management’s Responsibility for Financial Reporting Auditor’s Report Financial Statements and Notes Message from the Chair Canada Council Chair Joseph L. Rotman speaking at Rideau Hall during the presentation of the Governor General’s Literary Awards in December 2008. Photo: Sgt. Serge Gouin, Rideau Hall 4 In August 2008, when I took up the chairman- In their report, the examiners concluded: ship of the Canada Council for the Arts, my first “The systems and practices we examined sensation was profound admiration. I found the had no significant deficiencies. In fact, the Council to be an organization of exceptional Canada Council’s systems and practices have breadth and complexity. It was a key supporter contributed to its success in several areas.” of almost all the artistic activities in Canada that had enriched my life since my student It is for many reasons, therefore, a true days, and many contemporary arts practices of privilege and a source of immense which I had little previous knowledge as well. pride for me to chair the Council. It nourished a far-flung network of creative roots from urban centres to remote areas I am particularly grateful to Vice-Chair Simon across the country. At home and abroad it was Brault for the insightful advice and practical respected deeply for its leadership in the arts. support he has so unfailingly provided. I could not ask for a better partner in leadership. As I became more knowledgeable about I thank, too, all the members of the Board the Council’s internal workings, I found still for their active commitment, their clarity of more to admire. By the standards of the focus on the Council’s mandate, and their Canadian business world, the Council is an important and substantive contributions. extraordinarily well-managed entity that, in its use of public funds, pays exemplary attention Director Robert Sirman impresses me over to best practices in accountability, transpar- and over with his understanding of manage- ency and reporting through its review and ment theory and his ability to maintain a audit processes. Its information management management structure that supports and systems are highly sophisticated and its encourages the Council’s vision and mission. electronic data storage and analysis are cutting On behalf of the Board, I thank him and all edge. The Council is also blessed with the his staff for their dedication and expertise. advantages of strong leadership, openness Our country is deeply indebted to you all. to innovation and extensive knowledge and experience at every level of its operations. Joseph L. Rotman Chair I believe that taxpayers are getting excep- tional return for their dollars invested. In finding the Council to be in almost every way a model of efficient and effective management, I was not alone. Two months before my arrival, at the Council’s June 2008 Board meeting, the Auditor General of Canada delivered a positive report on the Council, the outcome of a Special Examination by her Office. The auditors examined the Council’s systems and practices in the areas of grant management, governance, strategic planning, performance measurement and reporting to determine whether they ensure “that its assets are safeguarded and controlled, that its resources are managed economically and efficiently, and that its operations are carried out effectively.” They investigated whether, in aiming to support artistic excellence, the Council ensures “that it awards financial support to the most deserving artists and arts organizations, and that it does so in a fair, consistent and objective manner.” 5 Message from the Director Canada Council Director Robert Sirman (left) is shown presenting the 2008 Walter Carsen Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts to dancer and choreographer Margie Gillis in the company of Walter Carsen (Toronto, December 2008). Photo: C. Spicer / CP Images 6 Demand on the Council’s resources was heavy As also indicated in the Financial Overview, a in 2008-09, due not only to natural growth in decrease in granting for 2008-09 was offset the sector but also to the stress occasioned by additional services to the arts community by the world-wide economic downturn. and greater investment in internal capacity as Organizations with endowment funds suffered approved in the Strategic Plan. especially, and corporate donations were down. A visit to Nunavut in April 2008 fulfilled my How timely, then, that the government personal commitment to meet with artists made the $30 million one-time increase in in every province and territory on their home 2007-08 a permanent part of the Council’s turf. These meetings impressed on me the great appropriation in 2008-09 – a welcome degree variety of arts practices being actively pursued of financial stability in difficult times. In all, the across the country, and the relevance of the Council received a parliamentary appropria- support provided by the Council in many tion in 2008-09 of $182 million and awarded different situations. 6,168 grants to artists and arts organizations in 689 communities across Canada. I was struck still more by seeing at close hand the importance of the Council’s peer Funding was allocated in accordance with the assessment system. Our program officers five directions in the Council’sStrategic Plan travel extensively, but the Council’s capacity to 2008-11: perform effectively is heavily dependent on the professional observations and assessments of 1. Reinforce the Council’s commitment to indi- the peers who adjudicate our grant competitions vidual artists, working alone or collaboratively, (805 peers served on assessment committees as the core of artistic practice in Canada; in 2008-09). 2. Broaden the Council’s commitment to arts On December 10, 2008 the Council held its first organizations to strengthen their capacity to Annual Public Meeting – a welcome opportunity underpin artistic practices in all parts of the to highlight the Council’s success in sustaining country; the cultural and artistic life of this country. This success is only possible because of the excel- 3. Enhance the Council’s leadership role in pro- lent work of the entire Council team, including moting equity as a critical priority in fulfilling its Board, and to all of them I extend my most Canada’s artistic aspirations; sincere thanks. 4. Make partnerships with other organizations Robert Sirman a key element in the Council’s approach to Director and CEO advancing its mandate; 5. Enhance the Council’s capacity to support the arts and implement change by strengthening its structure, staffing and services. 7 Management’s Discussion and Analysis Donnie Ray Albert as Rigoletto, in the Vancouver Opera production of Rigoletto. Photo: Tim Matheson Strategic Directions and Performance Direction 3: Equity Enhance the Council’s leadership role in promoting equity as a critical priority in fulfilling Canada’s artistic aspirations. Extensive stakeholder consultations that informed the develop- ment of Moving Forward: Strategic Plan 2008-11 affirmed • The Canada Council Art Bank, in collaboration with the Equity the Council’s fundamental values and its essential role as Office, purchased 55 artworks created by Canadian artists of Canada’s national arts council. They also identified the need African, Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American or mixed racial for change within the organization to respond effectively to heritage.