Canadian Conference of the Arts & Creative Trust: Lasting legacies

As October winds down, so do two of Canada’s leading cultural organizations.  The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) and Toronto-based Creative Trust each had a profound and important impact on the strength and vitality of arts and culture in Ontario and Canada.

With a 67-year history, Canadian artists and cultural organizations owe a debt of gratitude to the leaders and volunteers of the CCA.  The Conference has been instrumental in the development and creation of important agencies like the Canada Council for the Arts and Status of the Artist legislation, measures which allow our artists to thrive today.

Without question, the CCA faced bumps as it worked to advance the place of artists and cultural workers in Canada.  It’s equally clear that we’d all be in a poorer position if their board members and staff hadn’t so passionately championed the sector over the years.

Creative Trust, the brainchild of a dedicated volunteer group of arts managers in Toronto, has had an impressive and positive impact on the financial and organizational health of 21 mid-sized Toronto organizations, and helped a host of others.  Focused on providing working capital, Creative Trust made important interventions that helped arts organizations put the structures in place to thrive.  While good things must often come to an end, Creative Trust’s support and expertise will be missed.

Both the Canadian Conference of the Arts and Creative Trust have left indelible marks on our country’s cultural landscape.

Thank you to all those who persevered in realizing the vision that each held.