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Updates from the CCNC…
The CCNC is gearing up for the new membership year and anticipating the upcoming release of the Creative City News Special Edition 6, Revitalizing Rural Communities Through Arts and Culture. Renewing members and new members will receive a complimentary copy – we hope you enjoy! Also stay tuned to our website for updates on our Public Art Toolkit as well as a series of Regional Workshops to take place in early 2010. The Ontario Workshop is confirmed to take place March 2-3 in Toronto. More details to come soon!
The CCNC office (Vancouver) will be closed for the holidays as of Thursday December 24th and will reopen in the New Year on Monday January 4th.
Happy Holidays from the CCNC Staff and Board of Directors - we wish you and your community a culturally vibrant New Year!
Guest Editorial – Sandra Kochan, CCNC Board Member / Kelowna, BC
‘Government may be the biggest threat to local cultural development, but it is also its greatest hope.’ (from Jon Hawkes, ‘Challenges for local cultural development’ for the Barcelona Institute or Culture, April 30, 2009)
For British Columbia’s arts and culture sector, 2009 has been a year when government investment in the arts became a hot topic of discussion. Emails, message boards and on line forums hummed with urgency as the value of arts, culture and creativity was passionately debated. It seemed that sidelines and middle ground disappeared in a months long exchange which once again positioned support for the arts as a polar opposite to education and healthcare. The only grey area was the lifeless void left behind as artists attempted to show us a world without their contributions.
For those of us working within local government, our close ties to the community we serve sometimes feel more like knots that need untangling. And yet, for all our closeness, our roles also require a certain amount of dispassionate, long-range, birds’ eye view thinking and behavior which, to an arts organization in the throes of financial distress, may look a lot like bureaucratic indifference. Sometimes the cultural ecosystem makes its own adjustments – when initiatives fall away new ones will take their place. Sometimes listening is the only assistance we can offer.
I have been moved and impressed by the professionalism, integrity and determination of many organizations, embodied by their managers, staff and Board of Directors, as they adapt, rethink and adjust in challenging times. In the middle of genuine worry, I still see excitement and possibility emerging.
We’ve been dealt an opportunity to think and talk about what we do in a different way. A multi-purpose arts facility is actually a hub for community development. The non-profit organization which operates it does so as a social enterprise providing a valuable service under contract, for which they get paid an annual contract fee. It’s neither ‘grant’ nor ‘subsidy.’ The return on investment can be measured in financial terms, but the more profound measure is always found in stories about personal impact. If this is a story about community development, then we need to get to the heart of the specific narrative about how our investment in this facility has had a positive effect.
I’m making it a priority for 2010 to collect and share important stories about how arts, culture and creativity have made a real difference in people’s lives. Because it’s in these stories that the future of the sector resides. Without them, the financial footnotes lack context and meaning – they are the ‘what’ without the ‘why.’
To all of my colleagues across Canada, I extend my best wishes for a New Year filled with good health, inspiration and fulfillment!
- Sandra Kochan, Cultural Services Manager, City of Kelowna, BC
Barrie, ON: City gets culture
“Looking at vacant spaces as canvasses shows Barrie is beginning to understand the force of the creative economy, says Ontario Arts Council executive director John Brotman. In Barrie Nov. 14 to speak at the city’s 2nd Annual Arts Awards, Brotman gave Barrie a good review for its arts policy and its efforts to cultivate the creative work force… ‘I’ve seen too many cities have a cultural policy, but when budgets get tighter – what’s the first to go? Grants to cultural institutions.
’Culture is as important as schools, roads and infrastructure. If they believe that, everyday decisions, tough decisions, every decision they make will consider (the arts),’ said Brotman.
Too often, municipalities create a cultural plan that is separated from policies on neighbourhood planning, infrastructure renewal and recreation. Ideally, the arts plan should add colour and texture to other plans, he added.”
Laurie Watt, Barrie Advance.com, November 23, 2009 | weblink
Halifax, NS: Council considers registry for legal graffiti art
“Graffiti artists in the Halifax Regional Municipality may someday be provided with an alternative to illegally splashing their work across private or city-owned property. At [a November 24th] meeting of Halifax Regional Council, the city’s Graffiti Task Force recommended HRM adopt a formal registry that would allow artists to sign up and practice their craft legally through city-commissioned murals. ‘Graffiti vandals have told me that they feel they have the right to showcase their work,’ said Coun. Linda Mosher, who chairs the task force and recently returned from a trip to see how New York City is dealing with graffiti. ‘With a registry, any graffiti artist that wanted to could go online and register and be given a legitimate opportunity to showcase their art.’”
Monique Muise, Metro Halifax, November 25, 2009 | weblink
Whitehorse, YK: Yukon culture to be on display at 2010 Olympics in Vancouver
“Tourism and Culture Minister Elaine Taylor met with members of the Yukon’s art and culture scene [Nov. 24] to announce the presentation of Yukon culture at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. ‘The 2010 Winter Olympics will give Yukon artists and performers an unprecedented opportunity to showcase their talents before a world audience,’ said Taylor. The presentations to go on display to the world will be a mix of visual performances, art exhibitions and traditional sports… The Yukon Victory Celebration will be held on Feb. 20 at B.C. Place Stadium in front of 20,000 or more people, and broadcast internationally.”
Annalee Grant, Whitehorse Daily Star, November 25, 2009 | weblink
Collingwood, ON: Town brings in policy for public art
“Art now has an official place in public. On [Nov. 30], councillors approved a public art policy for the municipality; the policy will govern how the town encourages, funds, selects and preserves public art such as murals and statues. Catherine Campbell, chair of the town's arts and advisory committee, outlined the draft policy for councillors, and presented a slide show of public art in other communities to demonstrate the type of work that could be presented. The policy will also allow the town to select and prioritize sites and projects, and public art standards for acquiring art.”
Morgan Ian Adams, The Enterprise-Bulletin, December 4, 2009 | weblink
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National English theatre company takes the stage
“A theatre group billing itself as Canada's new national theatre company has been launched at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The NAC 40th Anniversary English Theatre Acting Company is the first English theatre company formed at the centre in 25 years. It will take its first bow on Dec. 15 with the production of A Christmas Carol… Peter Hinton, artistic director of English theatre at the NAC, had dreamed of forming a new company at the NAC with artists from across the country. ‘People are coming from all over, from diverse places here to do something unique,’ he said.”
CBC News, November 26, 2009 | weblink
Iqaluit needs performing arts centre, advocates say
“Two members of Iqaluit's arts scene are teaming up to help create Nunavut's first performing arts centre. Singer-songwriter Ellen Hamilton and Heather Daley, executive director of the annual Alianait Arts Festival, have organized a planning committee to lobby the territorial government to build a performing arts facility.They are urging others in Iqaluit to join the committee… Nunavut is the only jurisdiction in Canada that does not have a permanent venue where artists, musicians, theatre companies and other groups can perform… ‘All of us know about the musicians and the throat singers and the drum dancers, but I think Inuit as a people and as a culture have this incredible history of telling stories,’ said Hamilton. ‘A performing arts centre would be a really great way of bringing that back.’"
CBC News, November 24, 2009 | weblink
Vectorial Elevation to light up Vancouver nights during 2010 Winter Games
“Beams of light pointed towards the stars will illuminate English Bay and the night sky in downtown Vancouver this coming February as part of a Cultural Olympiad and City of Vancouver special event for the 2010 Winter Games. Starting at dusk on February 4, 2010, 20 robotic searchlights will create a quiet canopy of light in the night sky above and on the sparkling surface of English Bay below with designs created by people around the world and delivered via the Internet. Called Vectorial Elevation, it is the first time the internationally celebrated work of art will be displayed in Canada and over a body of water… This large-scale temporary public art installation is co-commissioned by the City of Vancouver’s Olympic and Paralympic Public Art Program and Vancouver 2010 Cultural Olympiad, presented by Bell, with support from the Province of Quebec. The installation — considered one of the world’s largest interactive artworks — is by Canadian artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer and is part of CODE, the Cultural Olympiad’s Digital Edition.”
Vancouver2010, November 25, 2009 | weblink
Newfoundland/Labrador invests an additional $63,000 in cultural projects
“The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has recently invested an additional $63,000 in individual cultural sector projects, under the province’s Cultural Economic Development Program (CEDP)… The CEDP is a $2.8 million program which supports arts, cultural and heritage initiatives throughout the province.…The Provincial Government’s cultural strategy, Creative Newfoundland and Labrador (2006), has seen more than $25 million in new funding invested in the cultural and heritage sectors over the past four years.” For more info on the CEDP program and application guidelines, visit: www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/artsculture/cedp/index.html
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, November 25, 2009 | weblink
Arts groups left wanting after city approves outdoor sign tax
“Toronto has approved an outdoor sign tax that will generate $10.4 million annually from roadside billboards, large signs on buildings and rooftops, and other advertising. The tax, along with new regulations governing what types of signs are allowed and where, was pushed by arts advocates as a source of revenue for arts projects. But council decided to put $1.4 million of the money into civic beautification and the rest into general coffers for next year while the budget committee and council ultimately decide where to spend the revenue… Devon Ostrom, a spokesman for the arts lobby [www.beautifulcity.ca], brushed that concern aside. ‘I'm confident it's going to go to the arts because the budget committee has the moral responsibility at this point,’ he said. ‘The tax wouldn't exist without the arts community coming forward and pushing for it, or even inventing it in the first place.’"
Thestar.com, December 8, 2009 | weblink
See also: ‘Toronto passes sweeping new billboard rules’, The Globe and Mail, December 8, 2009 | weblink
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Rome: First museum dedicated to contemporary art of the 21st century
A new contemporary art museum will open its doors in Rome in the spring of 2010. Designed by Zaha Hadid, an English-Iranian architect, the Musée national des arts du XXIe siècle (MAXXI) reports to be the "first national public museum dedicated to contemporary creation". Under construction for the past 10 years, at a cost of 150 million Euros, the new space will house two institutions, namely: the MAXXI Art and the MAXXI Architecture museums, as well an auditorium, a library, a media centre and a space dedicated to temporary exhibits. Finally, installations and performances will be presented at an outdoor plaza.
"Un nouveau musée d’art contemporain à Rome", AFP (cyberpresse.ca), November 12, 2009 | weblink
Paris: The Louvre museum on iPhone
The Louvre Museum launched a new software application last month for Apple’s iPhone and iPod technologies that will enable visitors to explore the museum’s collections, exhibit rooms and its architecture. The application is available in French and English and can be downloaded free of charge. The newly launched applications coincide with the opening of an Apple boutique in the commercial space at the Louvre, the first of its kind in France.
"Le musée du Louvre à tout instant sur iPhone", AFP (cyberpresse.ca), November 7, 2009 | weblink
Virtual visits of World Heritage sites will be available online
Thanks to an agreement between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the international corporation Google signed on December 3rd, internet users around the world will be able to explore sites of outstanding universal value inscribed on the World Heritage List. The 18 sites are located in Europe and will be presented online in nearly spherical panoramic views of 360º, free of charge. The goal of this alliance is to increase awareness and to encourage participation in the preservation of these treasures. Other heritage sites will be available in this way in the future.
Press release, "Google and UNESCO announce alliance to provide virtual visits of several World Heritage sites", December 3rd, 2009 | weblink
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CREATIVITY COUNTS advocacy website launched!
“Vancouver artists and arts supporters took a metaphorical Wrecking Ball to the BC government’s devastating cuts to arts funding at a full-house event at the Vogue Theatre, and the Alliance [for Arts and Culture] took the opportunity to introduce a province-wide campaign, Creativity Counts: Restore Arts Funding Now, as [their] contribution to the groundswell of arts community protests against the devastating cuts in provincial arts funding this past fall.” The website includes six action item requests to move the campaign forward. Visit the website now: http://creativitycounts.wordpress.com/
Alliance for Arts and Culture – Blog, November 24, 2009 | weblink
Speak Up Winnipeg – Blog
“As part of creating a new 25-year blueprint for the future of our city, we want to talk to you about Winnipeg…Speak Up Winnipeg is more than the name of this web site; it is a way of doing things. The Speak Up Winnipeg approach holds that Winnipeggers have the vision and creative energy to plan for the future, and that an open, involving and empowering process can capture this collective wisdom and turn it into action. From April 2009 to April 2010, Speak Up Winnipeg is open to anyone, at any time. Input is accepted in a number of ways: pictures, videos, words and points of view and ideas can be shared through this web site.” The information shared here and through public events will be used to shape the new Plan Winnipeg. Speak Up Winnipeg includes a page dedicated specifically to the City of the Arts where visitors can discuss what ‘being a city of the arts mean[s] to you?’”. Visit the website here: www.speakupwinnipeg.com/blog/
Ticket to the Future Phase 1:
The Economic Impact of the Arts and Creative Industries in Winnipeg
Prepared by PRA Inc. for the Winnipeg Arts Council, November 16, 2009 | weblink
“This study represents the first step in the creation of a new cultural planning strategy for the City of Winnipeg. A significant legacy project of Winnipeg’s year as the Cultural Capital of Canada, the completed strategy, Ticket to the Future, will be released in November 2010. Phase One is a landmark document. This is a complete inventory of Winnipeg’s wealth of cultural assets. This report reveals that the arts and creative industries have a significant impact on Winnipeg’s economy. It also defines an arts network that is well-established and sophisticated, with remarkable depth, diversity and integrity in its achievements.”
'Art Works' – Cultural Labour Markets: A Literature Review
Kate Oakley, London, Creativity, Culture and Education Series, 2009 | weblink to PDF
“The Creativity, Culture and Education Literature Review Series has published its eighth volume entitled 'Art Works' – Cultural Labour Markets: A Literature Review. This series of research monographs was commissioned to make the most of Creativity, Culture and Education's cross-disciplinary workings, drawing on learning from the widest fields of endeavor. In this review, Kate Oakley offers an overview of the literature surrounding the nature of work in the cultural industries, as it has permeated policy-making, public debate, and practice across many sub-sectors within the arts, and the cultural sector more generally; and in more academic writing by scholars and cultural commentators.” [Culturelink Network]
Multidisciplinary Arts: Approaches to Funding
IFACCA, D'Art Topic No. 28, prepared by MDR Burgess Consultants on behalf of the Canada Council for the Arts, November 25, 2009 | weblink
“The report, which summarises the findings of a D’Art question developed and conducted by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Australia Council for the Arts, notes that definitions of multidisciplinary arts are broad and inclusive, with an emphasis on the presence of more than one discipline, which may extend beyond the arts…. The report includes a detailed bibliography and a guide to relevant resources and background information on the topic. As well as Canada and Australia, respondents to the survey included agencies in England, Finland, New Zealand, Burundi, Cuba, Singapore, Colombia and Sweden.”
NEA's Cultural Workforce Forum now online
National Endowment for the Arts, November 20, 2009 | weblink
“The National Endowment for the Arts presented a live Webcast of a forum about U.S. artists and other cultural workers who are part of the country's economy. The archive is now online. Academics, foundation professionals, and service-organization representatives came together to discuss improving the collection and reporting of statistics about arts and cultural workers, and to develop future research agendas and approaches. It includes three panel discussions with researchers, economists, union representatives, government analysts and public scholars, speaking on "What We Know About Artists and How We Know It," "Putting the Research to Work" and "Widening the Lens to Capture Other Cultural Workers." [Community Arts Network]
Government expenditures on culture / Performing arts organizations / Heritage organizations
Hills Strategies Research Inc., Arts Research Monitor Vol: 8 Issue No: 6, November 25, 2009 | weblink
In this issue: A summary of recently-released statistics on Canada’s cultural sector, including government spending on culture as well as the financial situation of performing arts organizations, museums, art galleries, historic sites, zoos and botanical gardens. These statistics relate to the 2006-07 fiscal year or the 2007 calendar year, obviously pre-dating the recession and recent shifts in government spending.
New Course: Cultural Tourism: Realizing the Opportunity
Cultural Resource Management Program – University of Victoria, Offered January 18 - 23, 2010, HA 489H (1.5 units)
“For the past decade, the growth of cultural tourism has challenged cities and regions to capitalize on their cultural and heritage tourism assets. Once regarded as a niche market, cultural tourism has emerged as a major market segment for tourism and economic development. This course explores how to make the most of the fast-growing consumer demand for cultural tourism whether you market or manage a museum, gallery, festival, heritage attraction, or other cultural experience or lead the tourism marketing effort in your city, town, or region. Special emphasis will be placed on providing tools to help develop and market your cultural institution, heritage site, business operation, or community. Instructor: Steven Thorne has worked in Canada’s cultural sector for 30 years as a cultural educator, manager, and consultant. For more information on this course, visit: http://www.uvcs.uvic.ca/aspnet/Course/Detail/?code=HA489H
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Copyright 2009, Creative City Network of Canada. All Rights Reserved. Please post and/or distribute. When reprinting Creative City News, please give appropriate credit.
All content provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Information contained in this newsletter has been provided by external sources. Links are provided for convenience purposes only. The Creative City Network is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of the information supplied.
Creative City News is published by the Creative City Network of Canada. The Creative City Network connects municipal cultural staff across Canada, enabling this community of practice to share information and expertise, to support one another, and to be more effective in nurturing the cultural development of our communities.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and all member municipalities.
Editors: Kelsey Hicks and Célyne Gagnon
Translations: Célyne Gagnon
General Manager: Katherine Clark
For more information and list of Board of Directors: creativecity.ca
To send comments, questions, press releases and news items, contact us here: creativecity.ca/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=1&Itemid=283
The newsletter is archived on our website at: creativecity.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=204&Itemid=272
Please feel free to forward or sample from this publication – just let us know so that we can track our success! Contact us here: creativecity.ca/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=1&Itemid=283
ISSN 1710-1824
Next issue: January 26, 2010
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