Council for the Arts in Ottawa

Through advocacy, information and advice to members, it seeks to increase public interest and support for the arts in the National Capital Region.

Through strengthening relationships with government and offering specialized services to its members, the Council promotes a more robust financial commitment to the arts and aims to reflect the region's shifting cultural identity.

Each year it receives additional funding from multiple sources, including corporations, foundations, and other government bodies.

[11] Committed to active advocacy for stable and long term funding for local arts publicly [12][13] and behind-the-scenes, the Council has helped to build and lead several campaigns against cuts.

When a $6 million cut to the arts loomed in 2008[22] for the 2009 city budget, the campaign was reborn as, My Ottawa Still includes Culture with a new tactic.

[23][24][25] The traditional invitation given to the Mayor of Ottawa to give the keynote speech at the Council's annual fundraiser was revoked.

[17][26] The Council always invites the sitting Mayor to deliver a keynote speech to the Sweetheart Lunch for the Arts, and the "un-invitation" was interpreted as a response to the cuts and dramatically raised the public profile of the issue.

The CAO offices and board room are located in rented premises at the Arts Court, Ottawa's central municipal cultural complex.