The mission of the now-defunct Brampton Arts Council (BAC) was to foster and promote the arts in Brampton. In June 2015, it closed its doors after 37 years of operations, because during a City of Brampton overhaul of its grants program in May 2015 left the BAC without adequate funding.

In light of recent concerns about funding and space for arts groups in the city, now is the time to bring back the Brampton Arts Council.

A Brief History

Originally known as the Performing Arts Council, the BAC was created in 1978. The group expanded in 1982 to include all art disciplines, including visual, literary, and media arts. To reflect these changes, the group rebranded as Brampton Arts Council. The BAC became a non-profit charitable organization in 1989. At that time,it received 100 percent of its core funding from the City of Brampton.

The BAC served as a one-stop shop for arts and culture events in Brampton, including hosting a calendar of events on its website. Most importantly, the BAC also established various fundraising programs to provide financial assistance for community arts events.

In 1999, the BAC, in association with groups like the Brampton Board of Trade, Downtown Business Association, Heritage Board and provincial Ministry of Culture, launched the Heritage Arts Culture and Entertainment Group (HACE). Among other initiatives, the HACE established what is now known as Beaux-Arts Brampton.

The Culture Master Plan

In April 2016, City Council established the Arts and Culture Panel. The group included 18 community members and five councillors. For the next year, this panel engaged in discussion,