Peterborough arts council faces defunding, executive director hopes to change city council’s mind

This article originally appeared in the Peterborough Examiner on November 22, 2024 and is reprinted here through a creative commons license.

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Following a decision by city council to defund the Electric City Culture Council (EC3) for 2025 in anticipation of a new municipal cultural plan, the organization’s executive director isn’t giving up hope.

While admitting the loss of $100,000 in operating revenues, plus funds designated for the poet laureate program, individual artist grants and the biennial Arts Week, would mean that “everything goes,” Su Ditta remains hopeful of convincing council to select another option before the budget is finalized.

“I believe that it is the will of council to be a forward-looking city — to do things in economic development, tourism and community well-being that are in the best interest of the municipality that will put Peterborough (in position) to compete for doctors, for businesses, for professionals,” Ditta told the Examiner.

“I really believe that is the will of the municipality and, if that is true, they will maintain an arm’s length … arts council because that’s what other cities do,” she continued.

EC3’s two-year contract with the city ends at the end of 2024, and as such staff had not included funding for the organization in the 2025 recommended budget and instead outlined four options for council to consider during budget deliberations.

The options range from fully funding EC3 following the implementation of a new service agreement, to partial funding with various terms and conditions.

As previously reported by the Examiner, Ditta referred to the staff report as “misleading and slanted,” saying it did not present the full scope of the arts organization’s activities and efforts, nor did it account for the benefits of the arms-length service it provides.

Ditta said the “smart recommendation to support” was the one that suggested funding the organization for another year while the municipal cultural plan is updated.

However, on Tuesday during the second of two all-day general committee meetings concerning the 2025 budget, councillors voted 8-3 in favour of defunding the organization completely pending a renewed cultural plan. Councillors Alex Bierk, Joy Lachica, and Keith Riel were the three votes against.

The establishment of a municipal arts council was one of the recommendations from the plan, which noted that a previous advocacy group called the Peterborough Arts Umbrella had folded in 2009 and nothing had taken its place.

Lachica noted she was having difficulty with the fact the funding line for EC3 was dropped from the budget, pending a new service agreement, calling it “unprecedented.”

“The fact that is was dropped, I feel is an error,” Lachica said. “It should have been carried forward and then we decide what we’re going to do, if there is a decision to be made.”

Reached for comment on Thursday, Mayor Jeff Leal indicated he continues to feel confident in the direction council is taking regarding EC3 and culture and tourism in the city overall.

“Since I became mayor, we are analyzing all our operations,” Leal wrote to the Examiner.

These services include Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, whose services will be brought in-house after a three-way agreement with the city and the county expires later this year, as well as the implementation of Service Peterborough, and changes to council representation on various local boards, commissions and agencies.

Leal says that the “winding down” of EC3 is part of this effort as the city explores options and recommendations arising from a renewed municipal cultural plan.

“We are looking at a new broad-based tourism division that will be involved in arts/tourism,” Leal wrote in a statement. “I am fond of saying if you are an advocate of the status quo, you are going to get run over by a truck.”

Leal would not comment on whether he would make use of strong-mayor powers on either this or any other decision recommended by council on the budget.