Tories axe arts funding

The Tory government cut two federal programs designed to support Canadian arts at home and abroad. PromArt, which provides cultural travel grants issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Trade Routes, a grant program through the Department of Heritage which helps Canadian cultural groups sell products abroad. Trade Routes will end on March 31, 2009, the end of the fiscal year.

The programs granted $13.7 million each year collectively, and aided thousands of artists and art programs.