At a fundraiser that was supposed to bring good tidings to the Ottawa arts community, Mayor Larry O'Brien dropped some bad news after hosting the event — he plans to vote against a $2.5-million funding plan unanimously endorsed by a city committee.

O'Brien opened the Sweetheart Lunch for the Arts on Monday at the National Gallery of Canada by saying the arts were "close to his heart."

"And I hope we can support in an economically prudent fashion the arts as they go forward," he said during a speech that went on for less than a minute.

Past mayors have used the event that supports the Council for the Arts in Ottawa to make much longer speeches describing the state of the arts in the city.

After addressing the about 300 luncheon guests, who paid $100 a ticket, O'Brien told reporters he plans to vote against the four-year, $2.5-million funding plan unanimously supported by the community and protective services committee on Feb. 1.

The plan is designed to provide more stable funding for arts and festivals in Ottawa, where municipal funding is among the lowest of Canada's largest cities.

"I'm going to argue against the expansion of the budget from what they had last year," O'Brien said. "I think it needs to be put in the context of a larger plan, a bigger plan for the future, and I, personally I will be voting against expanding that spending this year."

The news disappointed arts community leaders, including Amanda Lewis, artistic director of the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama.

"It's a pity that he hasn't done his homework to understand how important this is, how it's something that has been building over years, and years and years, the time is right, the time is now," said Lewis.

The arts funding plan will go to city council for debate and final approval during annual budget deliberations this month.