Canada's Foreign Affairs department spent more than $26 million in five years to promote fringe arts groups and bigger-name authors, artists and musicians abroad, including the Holy Body Tattoo Society and the "Tongue Bully" filmmaker.

Documents obtained by Sun Media through Access to Information show taxpayers have financed travel expenses for relative commercial successes like John McDermott and Denys Arcand as well as lesser-known groups like Teenage USA Recordings and the Prisoners of Age photo exhibit.

The Arts Promotion Program -- designed to boost Canadian talent on the international stage -- has an annual budget of about $4.7 million. Foreign Affairs officials insist funding will remain intact, but cultural groups worry it's on the chopping block as part of $12-million cutback announced this fall.

Douglas Fiske, a spokesman for the Canadian Public Arts Funders, said any cuts could leave artists or organizations scrambling for other funding sources or unable to share their talents with the world. Such a move would be to Canada's detriment, he said.

Despite criticism that federal tax dollars should be directed at other core programs, Fiske insists it's not an either-or proposition.

"The health of a country is not based just on its physical health. It's also based on its mental health, its creative health, the overall imaginative health," he said.

But John Williamson, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, urged the government to stop blowing billions on various subsidies like these and focus instead on critical priorities.

'Special interests'

"This is money that is spent on special interests full-stop, and it should be eliminated full-stop," he said.

"Spending on grants and contributions has to be cut back, and arts promotions abroad falls in to that category."

Williamson said groups should drum up travel expenses through charitable fundraising efforts and private sector business donations.

An internal evaluation completed earlier this year found the arts promotion program to be successful in allowing Canadians to perform high-quality presentations abroad and engaging foreign agents, but raised questions about whether funding is adequate to meet broader objectives.

"It is less clear whether the level of investment provides for an adequate representation of Canada abroad, even in key countries," the report reads.

Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Marie-Christine Lilkoff said there are no planned cutbacks to the program, and noted the Conservative government even added $50 million to the Canada Council for the Arts in its first budget.