In this election period we want candidates to know that the arts are essential to Toronto’s identity and future vitality. Decisions made at City Hall impact artists and arts organizations who work hard to make Toronto a place where everyone can belong and where the world wants to visit. Let’s ensure that their futures are protected and strengthened through sustained investment in their ability to thrive. 

The arts help us tell our stories, celebrate our cultures, and imagine what is possible. They foster belonging, animate neighbourhoods, support local economies, and create opportunities for people to fully participate in civic life. Like accessible public spaces, affordable housing, and safe transit, the arts are part of the infrastructure that makes Toronto liveable.  

This kind of infrastructure doesn’t build itself. It depends on Torontonians advocating for strong public investment in the arts and culture, and a City Council that understands that this investment is a foundation to build on. Any conversation about Toronto’s future is incomplete without arts and culture, from housing and public space to economic development and community wellbeing. 

As Toronto elects a new Mayor and City Council, let’s ask them to: 

• Champion culture in every neighbourhood. 

• Protect and grow affordable cultural spaces. 

• Support a thriving cultural workforce. 

Here’s why: 

THE ARTS ARE WHO WE ARE. 

Creativity is not a luxury. It is one of the ways we express our identity, build everyday belonging, and experience our city together. Arts participation supports newcomer integration, strengthens social connections, reduces loneliness and isolation, and creates opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to participate in community life. 

• 72% of Torontonians say that arts participation increases their awareness of different perspectives. 

• 69% of Torontonians use music or dance to connect with their cultural heritage.  

In one of the most diverse cities in the world, the arts help Torontonians see themselves and each other, share their stories, and feel at home. 

THE ARTS ARE WHAT WE DO. 

Toronto is a city of creators, audiences, and participants. Artists and arts organizations animate our downtown and our neighbourhoods, attract visitors, and contribute to vibrant communities. And yet, many artists and organizations struggle to sustain their work in Toronto due to affordability pressures and lack of access to appropriate space. 

• 1 in 5 Canadian artists live in Toronto; 8% of Toronto’s workforce is made up of cultural workers.  

• 67% of Torontonians attended an arts or cultural event in the past year. 

At a time when global cities are competing to attract and retain creative talent for all that it brings to the life of a city, outpricing artists means losing a key source of Toronto’s competitive edge ― innovation, identity, and community vitality.  

THE ARTS ARE GREAT FOR THE ECONOMY. 

Toronto’s cultural economy supports jobs and businesses across the city, attracts 4.3 million visitors annually, and contributes to vibrant main streets and neighbourhoods. 

• The arts and culture sector generates approximately $11.4 billion toward Toronto’s GDP.  

Nationally, Canada’s arts and culture sector contributed $65 billion in direct GDP in 2024, growing faster and supporting more jobs per dollar than other key sectors like oil and gas, manufacturing, or agriculture, according to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.  

A COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS AND CULTURE IS A COMMITMENT TO TORONTO. 

Culture plays a critical role in community development, identity and belonging, economic vitality, and the creation of vibrant neighbourhoods. Recognizing this, the City of Toronto established an ambitious vision for Toronto’s cultural future through Culture Connects: An Action Plan for Culture in Toronto 2025-2035.  

The next Mayor and City Council have an opportunity to turn that vision into reality by recognizing arts and culture as essential city-building infrastructure and investing accordingly for the benefit of all Torontonians. 

Throughout this election campaign, we encourage candidates to commit to three priorities: 

1. Champion Culture in Every Neighbourhood 

Ensure every Torontonian can discover, create, and experience arts and culture close to home, regardless of where they live or who they are.  

2. Protect and Grow Cultural Spaces 

Protect existing cultural spaces, create new affordable spaces, and use planning and development tools to ensure cultural considerations are built into Toronto’s growth.  

3. Support a Thriving Cultural Workforce 

Recognize artists and cultural workers as essential contributors to Toronto’s civic, cultural, and economic life and support the conditions needed for sustainable cultural careers and creative production.  

Toronto Arts Foundation looks forward to working alongside the next Mayor and City Council, artists, cultural workers, and communities across our city to build a more vibrant, connected and inclusive Toronto through the arts. Together, we can ensure that the vision articulated in Culture Connects becomes a reality for the benefit of everyone who lives here.  

Let’s all commit to Toronto’s creative future.  

Warmly, 

Kelly Langgard 
CEO, Toronto Arts Foundation  

election information

Election Day is October 26.

For information on where, when, and how to vote, click the link below.