The federal government is investing $125 million over five years in domestic art programs – and for Canadian artists to export their work around the world.

Heritage Minister Melanie Joly told reporters that the government’s plan will boost funding for existing federal programs – and will also provide money for artists to travel and entertain new audiences.

Joly says the Liberals are reinvesting in sectors ignored by the former Conservative government under Stephen Harper – which cut funding for programs that exported Canadian art into foreign markets.

Included in the funding is $7 million a year for a new program called Creative Export Canada – to help domestic artists find foreign buyers and audiences for their creative products.

Most of the funding will increase the budgets of existing Heritage Department programs such as the Canada Arts Presentation Fund, the Canada Book Fund, the Canada Music Fund, the Canada Periodical Fund and Telefilm Canada.

Heritage Canada says cultural product exports were valued at $16 billion in 2016 – and accounted for 2.5 per cent of all Canadian exports.