A poll conducted by the Ontario Arts Council has found that Ontarians recognize the importance of the arts more than they did 16 years ago.

The survey, administered by Environics Research Group, was composed partly of six duplicate questions from a similar survey conducted in 1994. Compared to 16 years ago, a greater percentage of respondents said they would miss the arts if not available in their community and that the arts are important to their own quality of life.

Kathryn Townshend, the Ontario Arts Council's director of research, policy and evaluation, said the documented increase in public valuing of the arts could be used strengthen appeals to governments and donors of arts initiatives. Of the 1,000 adults surveyed, 81 per cent said governments should support the arts with public money.