Boston City Councillor John M. Tobin, Jr. this week was renamed Chair of the Committee on Arts, Film, Humanities & Tourism, a post he has held since 2002.

The 2009 committee assignments were announced by City Council President Michael Ross at the Council’s weekly meeting on Wednesday, January 14.

“I am honored to continue to serve as the Chair of the Committee on Arts, Film Humanities & Tourism,” said Councillor Tobin, who represents West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. “Every sector of our city is being negatively impacted by the economy. The arts community is facing especially tough challenges. I will continue to do everything I can to help our arts and cultural organizations get through these difficult fiscal times.”

Councillor Tobin was also named as Vice Chair of the Post Audit & Oversight Committee and of the Centennial Committee, which was formed to plan activities commemorating a 1909 change to the City Charter that established the Boston City Council as a unicameral body.

Councillor Tobin was also assigned as a member of the following committees: City & Neighborhood Services, Education, Environment & Health, Government Operations, Rules & Administration, and Youth Affairs.

As Chair of the City Council’s Arts Committee, Councillor Tobin has fought to restore funding to the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism & Special Events and has initiated innovative ways to enhance the arts citywide and promote cultural tourism.

Councillor Tobin filed an order with the City Council calling for the appointment of an official city poet laureate who would record major events and commemorate moments in the city’s history through poetry. Mayor Menino formed a Poet Laureate committee and chose Brighton resident Sam Cornish as the city’s first Poet Laureate.

Councillor Tobin also continues to be a strong proponent of resurrecting the city’s Film Bureau arguing that the movie industry creates jobs, generates revenue, and showcases the city to the world. He sponsors an annual art contest challenging Boston students to design his holiday greeting card and proposed the “Boston Walk of Fame” as a way to promote tourism and honor local people who have made a lasting contribution to the arts. He currently serves on the board of the Boston Children’s Theatre.