Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector

Participate in a virtual town hall on Wednesday, April 24 from 10:30 a.m. to noon to share your input on the future of the creative industries. Register Here.

The City of Toronto is developing a new Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector, to guide cultural services, policy and programming over the next ten years. The previous culture plan, Creative Capital Gains, was adopted in 2011 and has guided cultural policy and programming since then. The new Action Plan will set out an ambitious vision to strengthen Toronto’s cultural sector, which prioritizes equity, and ensures that residents in all corners of the city have opportunities to engage with the arts. It will provide recommendations for the sector including arts and culture, museums and cultural heritage, and the film and entertainment industries.

In collaboration with the Toronto Arts Council and Foundation, the City is undertaking a robust community engagement process by gathering information, insights and feedback from the public and culture sector. Monumental Projects has been contracted to host public consultation and engagement sessions to inform the development of the Action Plan.

Sign up for updates related to the Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector.  Unsubscribe at any time.

An online survey was conducted to gather feedback on experiences participating and working in arts and culture across Toronto. The survey is now closed and a summary report will be made available in spring 2024.

Community Conversation Toolkit

A tool kit was provided with step-by-step instructions to host your own community conversation and share feedback gathered from your convsersation.

City-hosted Community Conversations

The City hosted a series of community conversations that explored critical issues facing the culture sector and identified potential opportunities and solutions on the following topics.

  • Arts, culture and creativity as a catalyst for change
  • Recovery and economic health
  • Space challenges and the need for creative space
  • Technology and the future of arts, culture and creative industries

Additional community conversations were held specifically with Indigenous, Black, and Deaf, mad and disabled artists and creatives.

On April 24 from 10:30 a.m. to noon, the City will host a virtual town hall to seek input from the creative industries, including film, television, and digital media, to inform both the Action Plan for Toronto’s Culture Sector and the Action Plan for Toronto’s Economy.

Register

In February 2024, the City of Toronto held two virtual town halls where the public were given opportunities to share their opinions about the current state of arts and culture in Toronto and how it can be improved upon in future.

View or download an accessible version of the presentation used at the town halls.

 

Local artists and creatives led conversations across Toronto using a variety of arts-based techniques.

Past Events

  • Johl Whiteduck Ringuette led a walking tour of Red Urban Nation Collective’s Bickford Centre murals and facilitated a discussion about hopes and dreams, and how grassroots community groups, entrepreneurs and the City can better work together to support Toronto’s cultural future.
  • Leila Fatemi led a community conversation and art gathering using the practice of Islamic geometry and weaving, to create sacred geometric art while also weaving together the community’s visions, stories, and perspectives.
  • kumari giles led a discussion on culture and care around a backyard fire and artmaking workshop with queer and BIPOC artists and communities in North York.
  • Kevin Ramroop, along with WaveArtCollective, hosted a panel discussion centered on the future of arts and culture in Scarborough.
  • Sarah St-Fleur of SistaGotJokes Productions hosted a comedy show and open discussion about experiences and hopes for Toronto’s culture sector in Etobicoke.

Phase 1: Research and analysis

Summer 2023 through Spring 2024

Phase 2: Public engagement

Fall 2023 through Spring 2024

Engagement activities will include artist-led engagement sessions, community conversations, virtual public meetings, an online survey and a downloadable community toolkit for those interested in hosting their own community meeting.

Phase 3: Action Plan development

Spring through Fall 2024

The draft Action Plan and recommendations will be shared with the public and culture sector for review and feedback before going forward to City Council in Fall 2024.

An Advisory Panel has been formed to provide advice and ensure that the Action Plan addresses sector challenges and advances equity, access and inclusion in the sector. The Panel includes:

Co-Chairs

Members