Museums, festivals and other arts groups are mounting a campaign to fight a proposal in the city’s 2009 draft budget calling for eliminating all festival funding and slashing its arts culture and heritage budget by nearly half.

Only two years ago city council promised to gradually increase funding for arts groups, recognizing them as positive force in the economy.

Council has committed to a four-year funding agreement that would have seen an additional $2.5 million for arts groups in 2009.

“It’s absolutely baffling,” said Julian Armour, president of Ottawa Festivals, at a press conference held at city hall on Monday, Nov. 18. “It’s particularly bizarre after 2006, getting what we thought was a four-year commitment.”

Hundreds of people gathered at council chambers to protest the proposal to axe more than $6 million from all municipal arts, culture and heritage funding next year.

City council is looking to slash $35 million from programs and services, increase bus fares and axe 280 municipal jobs to hold next year’s tax hike at five per cent.

Ottawa Festivals, a group representing 45 of the region’s special events, fairs and festivals, held the press conference to kick start its campaign to fight the cuts.

Festivals and fairs generate far more money than they take in from government grants, said the lobby group, with every $1 from the city creating $21 in economic activity.

Ottawa’s arts community generates $94 million in economic activity and returns 80 per cent of its government funding in taxes, said the group.

“We have clear statistics that show there’s an incredible return to it,” said Armour. “It’s money that’s well invested. They’re getting a great deal with this.”

Sheila Whyte, owner of an Ottawa catering business, said funding the arts community has a spin off effect of promoting local businesses and providing networking and advertising opportunities.

“Please do not destroy creative collaborations between Ottawa’s business community and the arts,” she said.

Ottawa’s tourism industry depends on festivals to lure visitors, who spend money at hotels, restaurants and other local businesses, said Ottawa Festivals.

“It’s important that we fight for culture,” said Christine Tremblay, executive director of Arts Ottawa East.

“The cuts will have a devastating effect on the culture of this city,” she said. “Organizations will be folding and many organizations will be cutting back drastically.

The cuts will also make it difficult for groups to attract volunteers or funding from the provincial and federal governments, said Meg Hamilton, executive director of The Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa.

Community museums, such as Pinhey’s Point Historical Site in Kanata, face budget cuts of 24 per cent, and the city’s seven historical societies are looking at losing all funding.

She said the museum sustainability fund helped Ottawa’s museums increase attendance by 19 per cent last year.

Many of the festivals support community groups, such as the Hope Volleyball Summerfest, which has raised more than $6 million for local charities, said the lobby group.

Ottawa’s arts festivals also provide education opportunities for youth such as the Blues in Schools program, jazz workshops and dance classes, said the group.

“I think it’s sad,” said Capital Coun. Clive Doucet. “We’re talking $4 million – that’s one third of one per cent (of the budget). That’s (the cost of building) two intersections.”