Ontario. Arts Services Branch

• Arts Services Branch

The Arts Services Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Recreation evolved out of the Community Arts Development Branch. In 1977, agreement was reached with the Ontario Arts Council to consolidate all provincial arts advisory services within the council. In return, some funding responsibilities were transferred from the council to the Community Arts Development Branch, which was renamed Arts Services Branch.

The branch was a component of the Arts Division until 1979 when it became part of the Arts, Sports and Fitness Division. In 1980, the branch became a component of the Culture Division and in 1981, part of the Arts, Heritage and Libraries Division. In 1982, the Ministry of Culture and Recreation was disbanded and its culture and citizenship responsibilities were kept together to form the Ministry of Citizenship and Culture. In 1983, the agency liaison function was split off and assigned to an Agency Liaison office reporting to the Executive Director, Culture and Regional Services Division, and the Arts Services Branch was renamed the Arts Branch, and also became part of the Culture and Regional Services Division.

The Arts Services Branch liaised with ministry cultural agencies and arts organizations, and provided funding for arts service organizations, art galleries, and arts training institutions in Ontario. The branch did not operate programs directly, although through the Festival Ontario Program it brought arts events to communities.

The branch provided three types of funding to arts organizations: operating support grants to Provincial agencies, arts service organizations, art galleries and art training institutions; project grants through Wintario, Outreach and Cultural Exchange programs; and incentive grants to non-profit organizations through the Wintario Arts Challenge Fund.

Arts officers were responsible for a portfolio of arts organizations, evaluating grants, and providing liaison and advisory services. The grants programs were administered by a Program Support unit.

RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)

2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM

Inventory 47 - Culture (July 1996)

Ontario Government Telephone Directories, 1977-1983

Canadiana Name Authorities, 1996-12- 24

Archivist(s):
G. Brown, R. Anger