ARTS AND CULTURE
How do residents and visitors to Toronto contribute to, and benefit from the city’s exciting cultural environment?
The Toronto International Film Festival has matured into the largest public film festival in the world, attracting 1.6 million people from more than 130 countries:
By the end of 2012, TIFF was making an estimated $200-million annual impact on Ontario’s economy.
For almost half (44%) of North Americans who travelled to Ontario in 2012, arts and culture was the main reason for visiting. City Council increased direct arts funding by $6 million in 2013, with a projected increase of $17.5 million by 2016, but has yet to reach a goal set a decade ago, of $25 per capita arts and culture spending:
Per capita cultural investment currently totals $19.62. Equitable and affordable access to public space builds vibrant, healthy neighbourhoods and promotes community engagement:
However, a recent assessment of space use in Toronto schools and municipal buildings/grounds discovered that more than one in 5 users (21%) reported having to cancel or reduce school-based programs in 2011-2012 due to lack of available space. 2012 on-location production spending on film, TV and digital media totalled over $1 billion in Toronto for the second year in a row:
Toronto is the third largest screenbased production centre in North America after New York and L.A.
Total production spending on major productions, commercials, music videos and animation totalled $1.2 billion, 5.9% over the 2011 total of $1.13 billion. Toronto leads big city North American libraries in per capita visits and circulation, number of branches and per capita library space:
The last three years have been TPL’s busiest. Usage has increased 17.8% in a decade.
Print circulation remained stable, and virtual visits increased 10.9% in 2012 over 2011, 25.9% higher than in 2008.
One in five library programs is cosponsored. For example, the TDSB and community agencies are partners in offering newcomers settlement information and ESL classes.