Ontario Boosting Arts and Culture in Windsor
September 3, 2025
Over $280K in Investments Will Support 5 Organizations to Maximize the Impact of the Local Arts and Culture Sector
WINDSOR – The Ontario government is investing an overall $288,821 to support good jobs, empower local artists and help community arts and culture organizations thrive in Windsor.
Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh is delighted to announce that five local organizations will receive funding through the Ontario Arts Council (OAC), an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming.
“Our government understands the important role that the arts play in fostering dynamic and thriving communities across Ontario,” said Andrew Dowie, MPP for Windsor–Tecumseh. “This support will help Windsor’s artists and arts organizations continue to make a positive impact on our economy, create good jobs and draw more visitors to our community.”
The organizations receiving funding through the Ontario Arts Council are:
| Organization | Funding Amount | OAC Grant Program |
| Palimpsest Press | $12,336 | Publishing Organizations: Operating |
| Media City Film Festival | $43,354 | Media Arts Organizations: Operating |
| Artcite Inc. | $30,509 | Visual Arts Artist-Run Centres and Organizations: Operating |
| Windsor Symphony Orchestra | $178,979 | Music Organizations: Operating |
| Arts Council Windsor Region | $23,643 | Arts Service Organization: Operating |
The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) supports Ontario’s arts community by providing grants to individual artists, arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives, and organizations across a range of disciplines. The OAC offers two main types of funding: project grants, which are one-time grants for specific artistic projects, and operating grants, which provide ongoing support to not-for-profit arts organizations and for-profit book and magazine publishers. These programs help foster creativity and strengthen the province’s cultural sector.
The funding is part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario by supporting workers, businesses, communities and jobs in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty, while creating a solid foundation for a strong, resilient and competitive future.
“Ontario’s arts and culture sector plays a vital role in building vibrant communities and driving economic growth,” said Stan Cho, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. “Now more than ever, we must invest in homegrown artists and organizations that foster pride, influence creativity and strengthen local economies. Our government is thrilled to support these organizations in the Windsor community, helping them to provide a range of services that showcase the abundance of talented artists in the community.”
QUOTES
“The funding from the Ontario Arts Council is fundamental for the Arts Council Windsor & Region to continue developing programs and services that respond directly to the needs of our local arts community. This support enables us to create opportunities for artists to grow, collaborate, and share their work, while strengthening arts engagement across Windsor-Essex.”
Alejandro Tamayo,
Executive Director, Art Council Windsor & Region
“Funding through the Ontario Arts Council is fundamental to the Windsor Symphony Orchestra’s (WSO) ability to connect people through music in Windsor Essex each year. Perhaps one of the most significant benefits of this funding is the support it provides for our education and outreach programs. These programs remove barriers for young students, families and seniors ensuring live orchestral music is accessible to all in our community.”
“Quite simply, the Ontario Arts Council funding adds to the fabric of Windsor Essex through enabling the area’s only professional orchestra to grow and thrive.”
Patti Lauzon,
Executive Director, Windsor Symphony Orchestra
“This funding is essential to ensure that we are able to continue our publishing program and publish the best Canadian authors, including authors from Ontario and the Windsor-Essex region. We are also able to engage the local community by hosting launches and other events. Thanks OAC!”
Aimée Parent Dunn
Publisher, Palimpsest Press
“Ontario Arts Council operating support allows Artcite to sustain and expand opportunities for artists and audiences in Windsor-Essex. As Windsor’s only non-profit artist-run centre for contemporary art, this funding strengthens our ability to present experimental work, support emerging and established artists, foster meaningful cultural experiences, and provide valuable networking opportunities with visiting artists who share their practices with our community.”
Stephen Mueller
Programming Director, Artcite Inc.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario is investing in 58 arts organizations through the Arts Service Organizations: Operating program.
- Ontario is investing in 41 arts organizations through the Media Arts Organizations: Operating program.
- The Ontario Arts Council (OAC) is an agency of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. It provides grants to Ontario-based individual artists and arts professionals, ad hoc groups, collectives and organizations, supporting a range of arts activities and disciplines.
- In 2024-25, OAC invested $52.2 million in 204 communities across 123 Ontario ridings, providing 1,969 grants to individual artists and 1,030 grants to organizations.