The Arts, Culture and Heritage Division is responsible for the provision of arts, culture, heritage, the Municipal Cultural Plan, cultural facilities, services, and resources. 

Highlights and statistics

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Division is responsible for the provision of arts, culture, heritage, the Municipal Cultural Plan, cultural facilities, services, and resources. In 2023, the budget includes funding for: education and awareness of the City's Public Art program, strategic goals and direction for the Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee, and a proposed update of the Municipal Cultural Plan goals and objectives for the next five years.

 Peterborough Museum and Archives

As an integral part of the collective memory of the community, the Peterborough Museum & Archives preserves, presents, and promotes the heritage and culture of Peterborough and area, and also provides other significant heritage programs for the education and enjoyment of both visitors and residents.

The 2023 Museum Operating Budget reflects the delivery of standard services and operations. It is anticipated that the Museum will gradually return to pre-pandemic delivery standards as pandemic-related restrictions ease.

Museum key performance indicators

Museum 2021 Key Performance Indicators reflect its Five-Year Plan Accommodation Objectives (2018-2023), as approved by the Museum & Archives Advisory Committee (Report MAAC18-008). For comparative purposes, the Performance Data for 2020 is included in parentheses.

Visitor experience

  • 1,899 (2,894) participants engaged in 174 (133) programs
  • 7,681 (2,832) visitors experienced the exhibition galleries during 1,647 (1,669) open hours

Preservation of collections

  • 1,553 (1,329) artifacts cleaned and housed for storage
  • 137 (100) artifacts and 9 (305) linear feet of archival material were accepted into the permanent collections

Access to collections 

  • 303 (203) external researchers received one-on-one on-site assistance
  • 316 (312) artifacts were interpreted through displays

Fleming College partnership

  • 68 (68) heritage professionals-in-training were mentored 
 Art Gallery of Peterborough

The Art Gallery of Peterborough (AGP), incorporated in 1974, is a Registered Charity Public Art Gallery dedicated to exhibiting and collecting contemporary Canadian visual works of art with a focus on artists practicing within the local region. Exhibitions are enhanced with talks, tours, publications, and education programs. Funds are generated from memberships, government grants, donations, sponsorships, fundraising, Gallery Shop, education programs, and touring exhibits.

The AGP has received supplementary provincial funding through the OAC’s Arts Recovery Fund as well as the Canada Council and Canadian Heritage intended to offset loss of revenue as well as invest in improvements that will help stabilize and sustain the organization during recovery from the effects of the pandemic. The AGP is now fully operational after the pandemic restrictions and rebuilding volunteer support to assist with activities and events and it is anticipated that revenue from fees and donations will increase for 2023.

Art Gallery statistics
 Activities and participation202020212022 (forecast)
In-person attendance 3,187 7,393 15,000
Web hits 82,121 94,886 97,000
Online participation: adult programs 14,854 999 1,100
Online participation: all-ages programs 9,238 14,242 10,000
Number of local artists exhibited 70 77 50
Number of non-local artists exhibited  65 59 40
 Volunteers 40 29 45
 Volunteer Hours 1,067 1,447 1,600
Fundraising and subsidies
 Revenue source/activity20202021 2022 (forecast)
Donations, Sponsorships, Interest $55,749 $62,666 $84,000
Earned revenue $26,205 $28,987 $102,500
Arts Recovery Fund (provincial grant, COVID-19) n/a $33,704 $144,104
Federal and Provincial Operating Grants $142,504 $140,140 $142,504
Federal and Provincial Project Grants $28,925 $20,814 $14,000
Total Earned and External Funding $253,383 $286,311 $487,608
 Library

The Library's 2023 budget sees a continued return to pre-pandemic service levels with minimal adjustments for operating costs. An internal staffing reorganization was implemented in 2022 to shift focus to a service-centric model. The Library is seeing an increase in technology costs associated with software licenses and product subscription fees. The costs associated with library book vendors and digital collections have also increased, largely due to publisher agreements and the fluctuating exchange rate of the US dollar. There has been a notable increase in digital collection usage since 2020.

The DelaFosse library branch has permanently closed. A new library branch will be included in the Arena and Aquatics Complex at Morrow Park. The costs to operate the DelaFosse branch have been removed from this budget and will need to be included in future budgets once the new branch opens at Morrow Park in 2024.

Library usage
 Category2020 20212022 (forecast) 
Hours 1,308 2,508 2,964
Number of in-person visits 93,184 184,080 190,000
Circulation (print only) 218,456 134,183 230,000
Physical items in collection 185,000 185,000 190,000
Collection value $2.5 million  $2.5 million $2.5 million
Members 22,734 20,200 22,000
Question/tech inquiries 16,536 22,516 25,000
Programs offered 295 295 350
Program attendance 7,609 7,834 8,000
Visiting Library deliveries 306 578 600
Electronic Collection use 200,366 268,748 270,000
eLearning courses completed 1,797 1,830 2,000
Public computer sessions 12,217 21,320 22,000
Wi-Fi connections individual sessions 5,694 10,816 12,000
 Heritage Preservation Office

The Heritage Preservation Office (HPO) is responsible for the Heritage Property Tax Relief Program (HPTRP) heritage designation, archaeological investigations, supporting PACAC, Doors Open and preserving the City’s built heritage. The HPO advises Council and liaises with staff on issues relating to built heritage, designations, and the Heritage Register. The Heritage Hunt and Doors Open programs are returning to in person for 2023.

  • 11 Heritage Property Tax Relief Program renewals in 2022 (13 forecast for 2022)
  • 86 Heritage Property Tax Relief Program property inspections forecast for 2022 (0 completed in 2021)
  • The Heritage Property Tax Relief Program: This program has been demonstrated to generate revenues through increased assessment in excess of the tax incentive provided, but new acceptance of properties into the program has been suspended pending a funding increase.
  • Doors Open attendance in 2021 was 4,669, with forecasted attendance in 2022 at 1,300.

Arts Culture and Heritage Administration

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Division is responsible for the provision of arts, culture, heritage, the Municipal Cultural Plan, cultural facilities, services, and resources. In 2023, the budget includes funding for: education and awareness of the City's Public Art program, strategic goals and direction for the Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee, and a proposed update of the Municipal Cultural Plan goals and objectives for the next five years.

Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee

The Peterborough Architectural Conservation Advisory Committee (PACAC) is a legislated committee of council which advises on matters relating to the conservation of the community’s built heritage, including listing and designation of properties under the Ontario Heritage Act, alterations to heritage buildings, reviewing planning applications relating to heritage resources, participating in municipal planning exercises relating to heritage matters, and public education programming such as Doors Open Peterborough and the Heritage Hunt.

2023 Budget overview

Arts, Culture and Heritage Administration
Description2023 recommended
Expenditures $279,599
Net requirement $279,599
Heritage Preservation Office
Description2023 recommended
Expenditures $559,251
Revenues $15,000
Net requirement $544,251
Museum
Description2023 recommended
Expenditures $980,552
Revenues $273,453
Net requirement $707,099
Art Gallery
Description2023 recommended
Expenditures $933,451
Revenues $388,504
Net requirement $544,947
Library
Description2023 recommended
Expenditures $3,500,436
Revenues $229,406
Net requirement $3,271,030