Manitoba
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Arts Branch

Arts Branch
6th floor - 213 Notre Dame
Winnipeg MB R3B 1N3
T: 204-945-3847
F: 204-945-1684
E-mail: artsbranch@gov.mb.ca

Arts Branch

Services and Programs

Manitoba is home to a vibrant cultural community that represents the many facets of our diverse population. The provincial government supports artistic expression to continually improve the quality of life for all Manitobans. We invite you to find out more about us.

Aboriginal Cultural Initiative Program

The Aboriginal Cultural Initiatives Program provides funding assistance to Powwow
celebrations recognized as being signature community events. The program supports the
cultural component of each event.

The program helps communities increase understanding, awareness and appreciation of their heritage, culture, identity and other elements. This fosters a sense of identity and pride by organizing a signature event that will involve the whole community including youth.

A primary focus of this program is to engage youth in traditional practices, beliefs and values.
The celebration and reflection of a community's culture and traditions contribute to local tourism and/or other economic activity. They also increase communication and co-operation among community groups, businesses and local governments.

Aboriginal Cultural Initiative Program Links

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Arts Education

Manitoba Culture, Heritage and Tourism through its Arts Branch recognizes the importance of
arts education both for its capacity to enhance the quality of life for Manitobans of all ages as
well as ensuring future audiences and arts consumers.

The Department supports arts education at the community level through the delivery of a variety
of funding programs and a unique partnership with Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth
and the Manitoba Arts Council in the delivery of ArtsSmarts Manitoba.

The ArtsSmarts program promotes the active participation of young people in the arts. It is designed to increase and enhance arts-related activities in the classroom, by promoting art as
a vehicle for teaching all subjects across the curriculum. Over the long term, it is intended that ArtsSmarts serve to develop supporters and practitioners of the arts, and to nurture creative thinkers who will be at the forefront of Canada's cultural, social, and economic development.

School and Community Arts Program

A joint initiative of Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth and Manitoba Culture, Heritage
Tourism and Sport.

Arts Education Links

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Community Arts

The Arts Branch is committed to supporting community-based art and cultural activities
throughout the province, and recognizes the unique arts program needs of Francophone, Aboriginal and rural and northern communities.

The Arts Branch funds community arts councils, comités culturels, major arts festivals,
provincial community arts associations and developmental arts programs throughout the
province. It supports community-based audience development and skills development
programs in performing, exhibiting and literary arts, with particular attention given to arts development in rural and remote communities. Please consult the contact page for regional services information.

Community Arts - Links

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Cultural Industries

Film & Sound

The Arts Branch administers the Province's annual provincial funding to the Manitoba Film and Sound Recording Development Corporation. As a provincial crown agency, Manitoba Film and Sound delivers a wide-range of programs and services to the film and sound industries.

Arts Branch's support to Manitoba's film and sound industries extends to three other key organizations:

  • Manitoba Music
  • Manitoba Motion Picture Industry Association (MMPIA)
  • National Screen Institute - Canada (NSI)

Manitoba Music and MMPIA are important associations that represent the film and sound industries in Manitoba. Each organization plays a vital role to its members through a wide range of services.
The NSI is one of Canada's largest organizations providing training and career development opportunities to emerging filmmakers.

Film & Sound Links

Publishing

The Arts Branch manages three programs supporting the Manitoba book publishing industry.

The Manitoba Book Publishers Marketing Assistance Program help Manitoba book publishers reach new markets/audiences and increase sales by providing grants for publishers'
marketing activities.

The Manitoba Book Publisher Project Support Program helps Manitoba book publishers

  • upgrade and/or buy new technologies (ex: design, preparation of galleys, accounting, billing, inventory /distribution controls)
  • to improve company efficiency professional skills upgrading (ex: publishing workshops/courses) and publishing initiatives not normally undertaken by a company.

The Industry-Wide Assistance Program helps Association of Manitoba Book Publishers defray costs for projects on behalf of its member publishers. These include:

  • Prairie Books Now - a marketing tool for book publishers in the three prairie provinces, published in Manitoba in conjunction with the book industry associations in
    Saskatchewan and Alberta
  • Manitoba Book Week - a province-wide event
  • the association's participation in the joint production/presentation (with the Manitoba Writers' Guild) of the annual Writing and Publishing Awards: Brave New Words
Publishing Links

Visual Arts

Manitoba is home to a vibrant visual arts and craft community. The Visual Arts Assistance
Program supports innovative marketing initiatives to visual arts and fine craft that enhance Manitoba’s reputation as a centre of artistic excellence.

The program provides incentives to art galleries for promoting strategic marketing projects. The program also promotes the inclusion of Manitoba artists as part of art galleries’ annual and
long-range business plans and helps Manitoba art galleries participate in trade and marketing initiatives. It also advises Manitoba art galleries on market development and product promotion.

Visual Arts Links:

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Provincial Art Collection

The provincial government's art collection established in 1970, has over 2,800 works of contemporary art, historical portraits and commissioned works for government buildings. The collection also includes portraits from the late 19th and early-to-mid 20th centuries, by
prominent artists.

The collection has works in a variety of media, includes paintings, ceramics, photography, sculpture and fibre art. Approximately 95 per cent of the collection is on display in offices and
public spaces at the Legislative Building and in government buildings throughout the province.

The art collection encourages the development of art and artistic ability by providing a market
and increased exposure for Manitoba artists. It also fosters understanding, appreciation and support for Manitoba artists across the province.

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