Despite strong words to the contrary from Canadian heritage minister James Moore, there may still be hope for Canada’s small literary and arts magazines. In a pre-budget submission delivered to the federal finance committee earlier this month, Magazines Canada, the industry lobby group, has recommended that funding for the sector be transferred to the Canada Council for the Arts, which already administers the Grants to Literary and Art Magazines program.

From the report (via Canadian Magazines):

Magazines Canada has proposed that responsibility and budget for small circulation arts and literary magazines be clearly designated to the Canada Council for the Arts, which already delivers an effective program to arts and literary titles. The budget amounts to approximately $620,000 based on 2008-09 contribution amounts.

This would ensure that this investment continues to be directed to arts and literary titles. While this is a relatively modest level of the overall CPF [Canada Periodical Fund] budget, it is substantial in its benefit to these small titles. This also has the advantage, from a program streamlining point of view, of consolidating all arts and literary investment under ˜one roof.’

The new Canada Periodical Fund, announced by minister Moore last February and due to take effect in April 2010, maintains funding for the magazine sector at current levels, but will no longer fund magazines with annual circulation of less than 5,000 copies. According to the MagsCan report, the new funding floor would affect 42 publications currently receiving Canadian Heritage monies. (See Q&Q‘s past coverage.)