ABSTRACT
The relatively new Public Affairs, Research and Communications Division of the Canada Council for the Arts is the only one of the institutions considered here to combine explicitly research, planning, advocacy, and communications into one office. While some of the newly valued research and information tasks were already being handled in various corners of the organization, it was thought that a new, coordinated approach was necessary, particularly in the face of several new pressures facing the council. What eventually became known as the Public Affairs, Research and Communications Division was formed. The council intends to tap this research/advocacy function to develop a new language to respond to conflict and controversy in arts funding. The reestablishment of the research function has been assisted by the development of a new awards-tracking system that is used to monitor the activities of the council. The research unit also collaborates with the Department of Canadian Heritage and other partners in commissioning and cofunding studies.
