History

ArtsVote was founded in 1993 by a dedicated team of arts workers and artists, with the goal of raising awareness among the cultural community of the importance of their vote for candidates who supported the cultural sector in the city of Toronto. Through four municipal elections, beginning in 1994, ArtsVote created and distributed the excellent and effective Report Card and was instrumental in getting arts-savvy voters out to the polls. Between elections, ArtsVote organized deputations to City (& Metro) Council at budget time, encouraging councillors to continue investing in the arts community.

ArtsVote was reformed in the fall of 2009 with two critical goals for the 2010 Toronto election: to communicate the value of the arts to incumbent and challenger candidates for Councillor and Mayor, and to mobilize artists and arts workers to vote for candidates who are committed to building a vibrant and cultured community. ArtsVote 2010 has developed strong and deep roots in all arts disciplines, and sees the 2010 election as a critical opportunity for the arts community, to ensure that our economic, social and community impact is recognized by elected officials.
ArtsVote 2010 has three key tools: a Report Card (to be published and widely distributed in the fall), a phone/email “Get Out The Vote” campaign leading up to October 25, and a Mayoral Debate in partnership with Business for the Arts, the Toronto Arts Council, the Art Gallery of Ontario and Manifesto.
ArtsVote is volunteer-run, non-partisan, and relies on the arts community for donations of time, services and financial contributions.