November 27, 2008
It’s a cold day in Saskatoon, but the sun is shining so brightly that I opt for the 30 minute walk that will take me to the Mendel Art Gallery, beautifully located on the bank of the South Saskatchewan River, where today’s Forum is held.
The turn out is good, some twenty-two people from various sectors of the arts, culture and education community having come to share views on the best way to position the sector's issues in public debate. We cover some of the same ground covered in other consultations, but there are some interesting and original points that are raised.
The first one is a suggestion that one of the reasons that arts and culture have a problem in getting support in a part of the population may be related to the long-held view by Protestant churches that hard work and sports activities are appropriate for a good Christian, but that the arts, while they may not carry the sinful stigma they once suffered from, are still considered a rather frivolous activity, not worthy of public support. It is suggested that maybe the United Church of Canada should be included in any awareness campaign about the importance of culture in our lives!
Here as in Toronto, it is pointed out that another reason for the lack of support may stem from the perception that arts and culture are akin to entertainment and as such, should not need or deserve public money.
On the issue the proper language to use in positioning the sector, someone comments that there is a world of difference for an advocacy group to be called “The Canadian Conference of the Arts” and “Sport Matters”, the former sounding rather elitist while the latter is much more inclusive. I must say that this comment has merit, although I am not quite sure we should rush to forego half a century of brand recognition without having weighed carefully the pros and cons of a name change… but eh, this may well be something to consider as we look at different scenarios on how to organize our common action!
The Saskatoon Forum concludes the tour of central and western Canada. Next week, five more forums in the eastern provinces will complete the series of regional consultations. Given the whirlwind nature of my travels in this last leg of the national tour, I can only hope that the weather cooperates and that I don’t get stranded in some snowed over or fogged in airport!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
The Winnipeg Forum
November 26, 2008
For some reason, either e-invite got lost in cyberspace or I have come to Manitoba on a particularly busy day for the arts and culture sector (I refuse to consider it’s for lack of interest in the topic!) but the meeting at the Cinémathèque on Arthur Street is a very intimate affair! All in all, eight people have gathered in the nice little auditorium…
But I must say that what we lack in numbers is more than made up in interest and insightful comments. As in other cities, I find here mixed feelings about the outcome of having seen the arts and culture play a prominent role in the last federal election. The main upside seems to be that it was an occasion for the sector in Winnipeg to come together (I am told there was here a very well attended all-candidates meeting during the campaign).
I don’t think it was to make up for the low turnout or to console me, but I must say I was particularly touched by the testimonies of appreciation I received for the work of the CCA in general and for the tools provided during the campaign in particular.
The format of the Forum was adjusted to the size of the group and allowed for more of a dialogue than usual. We covered pretty much the same ground as in other forums, about the necessity to remedy the fragmentation of the sector, the need for forging alliance with others, the importance of the medias in recasting the perception people have of arts and culture, the usefulness of the internet to activate networks and share information. The need for statistics and research to support our representations to the public at large and to decision-makers in particular was highlighted. People clearly indicated that the CCA could play a crucial role in this respect but also acknowledged that it would need to be better resourced.
We spent some time discussing the importance of adopting an inclusive definition of the sector to include other elements of culture beyond "the arts", without however falling into an overextended quasi-anthropological definition of culture.
We talked about the possibility of creating a link between provincial organizations and the CCA, without having to create yet another anemic structure. The idea of extending to the whole country the operation “Journées de la culture”, so successful in Québec, drew a lot of interest.
Half the group then went to a pub to continue the discussion in a more relaxed atmosphere and explore further how the CCA could be better connected to the Manitoban arts community. All in all, a very positive and pleasant encounter!
For some reason, either e-invite got lost in cyberspace or I have come to Manitoba on a particularly busy day for the arts and culture sector (I refuse to consider it’s for lack of interest in the topic!) but the meeting at the Cinémathèque on Arthur Street is a very intimate affair! All in all, eight people have gathered in the nice little auditorium…
But I must say that what we lack in numbers is more than made up in interest and insightful comments. As in other cities, I find here mixed feelings about the outcome of having seen the arts and culture play a prominent role in the last federal election. The main upside seems to be that it was an occasion for the sector in Winnipeg to come together (I am told there was here a very well attended all-candidates meeting during the campaign).
I don’t think it was to make up for the low turnout or to console me, but I must say I was particularly touched by the testimonies of appreciation I received for the work of the CCA in general and for the tools provided during the campaign in particular.
The format of the Forum was adjusted to the size of the group and allowed for more of a dialogue than usual. We covered pretty much the same ground as in other forums, about the necessity to remedy the fragmentation of the sector, the need for forging alliance with others, the importance of the medias in recasting the perception people have of arts and culture, the usefulness of the internet to activate networks and share information. The need for statistics and research to support our representations to the public at large and to decision-makers in particular was highlighted. People clearly indicated that the CCA could play a crucial role in this respect but also acknowledged that it would need to be better resourced.
We spent some time discussing the importance of adopting an inclusive definition of the sector to include other elements of culture beyond "the arts", without however falling into an overextended quasi-anthropological definition of culture.
We talked about the possibility of creating a link between provincial organizations and the CCA, without having to create yet another anemic structure. The idea of extending to the whole country the operation “Journées de la culture”, so successful in Québec, drew a lot of interest.
Half the group then went to a pub to continue the discussion in a more relaxed atmosphere and explore further how the CCA could be better connected to the Manitoban arts community. All in all, a very positive and pleasant encounter!
Toronto Forum
November 24, 2008
The room at the Royal Ontario Museum is so full that we have to open up the sliding door to the next room. We are surrounded by copies of Egyptian artifacts and while the venue is a bit crammed, it does not stifle a lively conversation amongst participants.
As in other forums, we start with a review of the last electoral campaign and of the divisive nature of the debate about arts and culture. Someone quotes a journalist who, in a recent panel, said that it was precisely the debate’s polarization which guaranteed the continued interest of the press, always on the look out for adversarial, black and white issues. However, what pleases journalists is not necessarily good for the sector and there are many who would argue that the arts and culture community has come out of the election worse off within public opinion and no doubt, with a government which may blame it for having failed to achieve the majority it was seeking.
We had a series of exchanges about the issue of defining culture and about the fact that many people don’t even realize how arts and culture are pervasive in their lives. For them, as for many a politician, culture is either an elitist concept or is synonym with entertainment, in either case not qualifying for public financial support.
One participant warns about the fact that we have entered a potentially very difficult and challenging period. The current economic crisis severely diminishes revenue from foundations and may lead to a drying up of sponsorships. But even more importantly, it provides a government which does not believe that culture is a priority, or a constitutional responsibility, with a reason to inflict more cuts on those who have positioned themselves as the enemy during the election campaign. And there is the temptation to yield to the Quebec government’s calls for devolution, something which would have dire consequences for the sector, even in Quebec itself: isn’t it better to have two sources of funding rather than only one?
There is a consensus that we must find a way to unite our forces, which are far too dispersed. We have the CCA, the Canadian Arts Coalition, the Arts Summit, Canadian Business for the Arts, a multitude of arts service organizations, etc. How can we coordinate efforts, define a vision of the common interest, develop a winning strategy? Some mention the importance of establishing partnerships with other sectors of society, with education and health. Others raise the need to convince business philanthropists, who generously support the arts, to speak up and explain why culture is important to all citizens.
It would appear that there is more agreement on the questions than on the answers, but throughout the discussion, one can sense the beginning of a common awareness of what is needed and, who knows, of a common will to find a solution?
The room at the Royal Ontario Museum is so full that we have to open up the sliding door to the next room. We are surrounded by copies of Egyptian artifacts and while the venue is a bit crammed, it does not stifle a lively conversation amongst participants.
As in other forums, we start with a review of the last electoral campaign and of the divisive nature of the debate about arts and culture. Someone quotes a journalist who, in a recent panel, said that it was precisely the debate’s polarization which guaranteed the continued interest of the press, always on the look out for adversarial, black and white issues. However, what pleases journalists is not necessarily good for the sector and there are many who would argue that the arts and culture community has come out of the election worse off within public opinion and no doubt, with a government which may blame it for having failed to achieve the majority it was seeking.
We had a series of exchanges about the issue of defining culture and about the fact that many people don’t even realize how arts and culture are pervasive in their lives. For them, as for many a politician, culture is either an elitist concept or is synonym with entertainment, in either case not qualifying for public financial support.
One participant warns about the fact that we have entered a potentially very difficult and challenging period. The current economic crisis severely diminishes revenue from foundations and may lead to a drying up of sponsorships. But even more importantly, it provides a government which does not believe that culture is a priority, or a constitutional responsibility, with a reason to inflict more cuts on those who have positioned themselves as the enemy during the election campaign. And there is the temptation to yield to the Quebec government’s calls for devolution, something which would have dire consequences for the sector, even in Quebec itself: isn’t it better to have two sources of funding rather than only one?
There is a consensus that we must find a way to unite our forces, which are far too dispersed. We have the CCA, the Canadian Arts Coalition, the Arts Summit, Canadian Business for the Arts, a multitude of arts service organizations, etc. How can we coordinate efforts, define a vision of the common interest, develop a winning strategy? Some mention the importance of establishing partnerships with other sectors of society, with education and health. Others raise the need to convince business philanthropists, who generously support the arts, to speak up and explain why culture is important to all citizens.
It would appear that there is more agreement on the questions than on the answers, but throughout the discussion, one can sense the beginning of a common awareness of what is needed and, who knows, of a common will to find a solution?
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Montreal Forum
November 10, 2008
The venue of the meeting had symbolic value: the “Institut national de l’image et du son (INIS)" is one of the institutions severely impacted by the federal cultural budget cuts which have surfaced during the recent months.
Its Director, Michel Beauchemin, and the President of Culture Montreal, Simon Brault, made the introductory remarks to the discussion. Both underlined the critical importance for the Canadian arts and culture sector to remain united in the current situation which, given the economic meltdown, can only spell more trouble for all of us. This is not the time for isolation or for wasting energies in fragmented efforts. The CCA was thanked for the information work it accomplished during the election and for launching the current series of regional forums across the country.
These themes were woven throughout the afternoon’s discussion. Someone regretted the fact that the electoral debate was overly focused on the impact of the cuts on artists who, for many, came out as eternal whiners, as opposed to being focused on the critical contribution arts and culture make to our society: it was suggested that this fact greatly contributed to the polarization of positions. Here as in other forums, interveners underlined the strategic importance of establishing links with stakeholders outside of the arts and culture sector and to find champions who support the multi-faceted contributions artists and cultural institutions make to all citizens.
The need for an on-going awareness campaign was once again mentioned. What arts and culture provide to the public should be the number one priority in the message to be developed. And while recognizing the importance of promoting popular cultural expressions, the question was raised as to how we can position more “high brow” art forms without falling into the trap of counter-productive elitism.
And once we have defined the proper message, it is crucial to choose carefully who the spokespeople will be, some types of interventions being more hurtful than useful, as we witnessed during the election. The objective is not to please ourselves by preaching to the choir but to be as effective as possible with a communication essentially destined to those who have not yet been sensitized to the role of arts and culture in our society. Here again, people mentioned the central role of the media and of education in pursuing the long term objective of positioning arts in public debate. In the short term, the point was made that we have to keep hammering the economic impact of the recent cuts on our artists and cultural institutions.
The venue of the meeting had symbolic value: the “Institut national de l’image et du son (INIS)" is one of the institutions severely impacted by the federal cultural budget cuts which have surfaced during the recent months.
Its Director, Michel Beauchemin, and the President of Culture Montreal, Simon Brault, made the introductory remarks to the discussion. Both underlined the critical importance for the Canadian arts and culture sector to remain united in the current situation which, given the economic meltdown, can only spell more trouble for all of us. This is not the time for isolation or for wasting energies in fragmented efforts. The CCA was thanked for the information work it accomplished during the election and for launching the current series of regional forums across the country.
These themes were woven throughout the afternoon’s discussion. Someone regretted the fact that the electoral debate was overly focused on the impact of the cuts on artists who, for many, came out as eternal whiners, as opposed to being focused on the critical contribution arts and culture make to our society: it was suggested that this fact greatly contributed to the polarization of positions. Here as in other forums, interveners underlined the strategic importance of establishing links with stakeholders outside of the arts and culture sector and to find champions who support the multi-faceted contributions artists and cultural institutions make to all citizens.
The need for an on-going awareness campaign was once again mentioned. What arts and culture provide to the public should be the number one priority in the message to be developed. And while recognizing the importance of promoting popular cultural expressions, the question was raised as to how we can position more “high brow” art forms without falling into the trap of counter-productive elitism.
And once we have defined the proper message, it is crucial to choose carefully who the spokespeople will be, some types of interventions being more hurtful than useful, as we witnessed during the election. The objective is not to please ourselves by preaching to the choir but to be as effective as possible with a communication essentially destined to those who have not yet been sensitized to the role of arts and culture in our society. Here again, people mentioned the central role of the media and of education in pursuing the long term objective of positioning arts in public debate. In the short term, the point was made that we have to keep hammering the economic impact of the recent cuts on our artists and cultural institutions.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
The Regina Forum
November 6
A very windy day in the broad streets of Regina! I wish I had taken my gloves with me…
But the atmosphere in the room at the Globe Theatre, where some twenty-five people have gathered, more than makes up for the cold outside. The Saskatchewan arts community is well established and has a long tradition to be proud of. Did you know that this province was the very first one in Canada to give itself an Arts Council in 1948, almost ten years before we got a national one? Amongst many other distinguished artists, this is the land that gave us Joe Fafard, last year’s recipient of the CCA’s Diplôme d’honneur. I take the opportunity to invite people to submit names for this year’s CCA Awards (for more information, see http://www.ccarts.ca/en/awards/ )
As in previous Forums, the Regina participants welcome the call for a coordinated effort to better position arts and culture within Canadian society. The need to expand networks outside the cultural sector itself is underlined: it is deemed crucial to find allies in the business community, in the education sector, in the health sector, etc. and to identify the right people to carry the message for the importance the arts have in our lives and in our society.
But the need for fact-based advocacy, the need for proper statistics and the need for proper training for advocating are underlined once again and participants turn to the CCA to help provide these basic tools and the leadership required to achieve our common goals. Participants also acknowledge that we have to find ways of breaking silos and identify common objectives and strategies. As in Ottawa and Vancouver, the CCA is invited to take the lead in defining a sustained awareness campaign to raise public awareness of the value of the arts and culture in their lives. Here again, the opportunities offered by the Internet are highlighted as people point to the mobilizing effects it has had in the Canadian and American election campaigns. More strategizing must be done in this respect.
Once again, I welcome this enthusiasm but I must realistically point at the modesty and precariousness of CCA’s resources. In the ensuing discussion, the strategic importance of better connecting the CCA with its grassroot organizations and the need for some sort of provincial connection with the mother ship is highlighted. I agree that this must be explored in the coming months and undertake to do so with the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance to determine how this could be achieved in a mutually satisfying way.
All in all, I can say that the energy of the Forum and a series of positive meetings with key players in the Saskatchewan’s cultural scene have made a success of my visit to Regina. I shall be back in Saskatchewan for the Saskatoon Forum on November 27...
A very windy day in the broad streets of Regina! I wish I had taken my gloves with me…
But the atmosphere in the room at the Globe Theatre, where some twenty-five people have gathered, more than makes up for the cold outside. The Saskatchewan arts community is well established and has a long tradition to be proud of. Did you know that this province was the very first one in Canada to give itself an Arts Council in 1948, almost ten years before we got a national one? Amongst many other distinguished artists, this is the land that gave us Joe Fafard, last year’s recipient of the CCA’s Diplôme d’honneur. I take the opportunity to invite people to submit names for this year’s CCA Awards (for more information, see http://www.ccarts.ca/en/awards/ )
As in previous Forums, the Regina participants welcome the call for a coordinated effort to better position arts and culture within Canadian society. The need to expand networks outside the cultural sector itself is underlined: it is deemed crucial to find allies in the business community, in the education sector, in the health sector, etc. and to identify the right people to carry the message for the importance the arts have in our lives and in our society.
But the need for fact-based advocacy, the need for proper statistics and the need for proper training for advocating are underlined once again and participants turn to the CCA to help provide these basic tools and the leadership required to achieve our common goals. Participants also acknowledge that we have to find ways of breaking silos and identify common objectives and strategies. As in Ottawa and Vancouver, the CCA is invited to take the lead in defining a sustained awareness campaign to raise public awareness of the value of the arts and culture in their lives. Here again, the opportunities offered by the Internet are highlighted as people point to the mobilizing effects it has had in the Canadian and American election campaigns. More strategizing must be done in this respect.
Once again, I welcome this enthusiasm but I must realistically point at the modesty and precariousness of CCA’s resources. In the ensuing discussion, the strategic importance of better connecting the CCA with its grassroot organizations and the need for some sort of provincial connection with the mother ship is highlighted. I agree that this must be explored in the coming months and undertake to do so with the Saskatchewan Arts Alliance to determine how this could be achieved in a mutually satisfying way.
All in all, I can say that the energy of the Forum and a series of positive meetings with key players in the Saskatchewan’s cultural scene have made a success of my visit to Regina. I shall be back in Saskatchewan for the Saskatoon Forum on November 27...
Friday, November 7, 2008
The Calgary Forum
The group may have been smaller in the windowless room at the Glenbow Museum than it had been in the sunny lobby of the TransAlta Arts Barns in Edmonton, but the energy was the same and the conversation was just as animated and full of interesting insights.
Once again there was general acknowledgement that the election campaign had illustrated clearly that the art sector has an image problem which allowed cuts to cultural programs to be used as a wedge issue. It was suggested that while we may have communications problems with the population at large, our lack of cohesiveness and communications between us may be the first thing we have to address.
The need for more coordination, for stepping back from daily specific concerns to establish areas of common interest and develop supporting strategies was stressed by a number of interveners and expectations that the CCA should play a major role in this respect were considerable. The need for tools and training in advocacy were underlined and the CCA was complimented and thanked for the work and information it provided to its members during the recent election campaign, but more was expected from it.
While I can only agree about the need and about the fact that by its very nature and mission, the CCA is well positioned to play a key role in this respect, I had to underline the modesty of our means with regards to the breadth of our mandate.
This led one participant to state that the CCA must become financially more independent from governmental support and he offered to help find new resources from Albertan philanthropists, an offer which I welcomed and which I will certainly follow up on!
Another issue raised was the generational gap within the arts community and the impact that new technologies have on the very concept of what it is to be an artist. Where are we to draw the line between professionalism and amateurism? Should this growing phenomenon be perceived as a threat or quite the opposite, as an opportunity to expand the notion that the arts can be part of everyone’s active experience and not the fact of elites? Maybe the law of the market and time will, once again, establish what has enduring quality. But in the meantime, is there a danger that a growing schism between “highbrow” and “middle or lowbrow” art will make advocating for the arts even more difficult because it fragments the sector even more? And how can we muster these new technologies to better advocate?
Important questions to ponder indeed!
Once again there was general acknowledgement that the election campaign had illustrated clearly that the art sector has an image problem which allowed cuts to cultural programs to be used as a wedge issue. It was suggested that while we may have communications problems with the population at large, our lack of cohesiveness and communications between us may be the first thing we have to address.
The need for more coordination, for stepping back from daily specific concerns to establish areas of common interest and develop supporting strategies was stressed by a number of interveners and expectations that the CCA should play a major role in this respect were considerable. The need for tools and training in advocacy were underlined and the CCA was complimented and thanked for the work and information it provided to its members during the recent election campaign, but more was expected from it.
While I can only agree about the need and about the fact that by its very nature and mission, the CCA is well positioned to play a key role in this respect, I had to underline the modesty of our means with regards to the breadth of our mandate.
This led one participant to state that the CCA must become financially more independent from governmental support and he offered to help find new resources from Albertan philanthropists, an offer which I welcomed and which I will certainly follow up on!
Another issue raised was the generational gap within the arts community and the impact that new technologies have on the very concept of what it is to be an artist. Where are we to draw the line between professionalism and amateurism? Should this growing phenomenon be perceived as a threat or quite the opposite, as an opportunity to expand the notion that the arts can be part of everyone’s active experience and not the fact of elites? Maybe the law of the market and time will, once again, establish what has enduring quality. But in the meantime, is there a danger that a growing schism between “highbrow” and “middle or lowbrow” art will make advocating for the arts even more difficult because it fragments the sector even more? And how can we muster these new technologies to better advocate?
Important questions to ponder indeed!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
The Edmonton Forum
If it’s Monday, it must be Edmonton! A record fifty-five people have gathered in the beautifully bright foyer of the TransAlta Arts Barns to discuss how to take advantage of the unexpected place the arts have taken in the recent federal election. Can we keep the momentum? Can we better position the cultural sector in public debate? Has the Conservative government got the message that arts do matter to ordinary Canadians? And more fundamentally, how can we ensure that they actually do? These are all questions that dominated an animated debate.
One of the themes that took me somewhat by surprise was the insistence of many participants to the Forum that in its documentation, the CCA stop talking about “arts and culture” and refer instead only to the arts. I finally understood when told that the newly created Albertan Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit has recently published a cultural policy based on a very broad, almost anthropological definition of culture. This policy, the result of two consultations with the Albertan population, defines culture “in the broad sense, to include not only the arts, but also heritage, sport and recreation, and the natural environment. It also includes creativity and innovation, especially in business and the arts”. After a good look at the glossy government’s brochure where the new Alberta’s cultural policy is explained in details, I get the message!
This cleared out of the way (or was it?), the discussion moved on in more and less familiar territory. The importance of education in the repositioning of arts in our society was again highlighted, as was the need for a coordinated effort to define a new language to present artists and creators and the crucial role they play in our lives, whether we realize it or not. Education being a provincial issue, the CCA was asked whether it was in a position to work on this issue, given its national mandate and its limited means. The idea of creating a provincial link to the CCA was also evoked.
One of Edmonton’s favourite sons, Senator Tommy Banks, had taken the time to join the discussion. To considerable applause, he made an impassioned intervention on the importance to hit decision-makers over and over again with the message that arts matter to our lives in a variety of ways. Senator Banks also insisted on the fact that we were embarking on a long process. Here again, the CCA was identified as a natural player in this endeavour and asked to provide the tools and, if possible, the training to help turn as many people as possible into efficient advocates for the arts within their communities and with decision-makers at all levels.
The meeting concluded on an upbeat note and after a very nice Vietnamese meal with a small number of participants, I hit the sack for a few hours of welcome and much needed sleep before heading tomorrow to the rival city of Calgary.
One of the themes that took me somewhat by surprise was the insistence of many participants to the Forum that in its documentation, the CCA stop talking about “arts and culture” and refer instead only to the arts. I finally understood when told that the newly created Albertan Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit has recently published a cultural policy based on a very broad, almost anthropological definition of culture. This policy, the result of two consultations with the Albertan population, defines culture “in the broad sense, to include not only the arts, but also heritage, sport and recreation, and the natural environment. It also includes creativity and innovation, especially in business and the arts”. After a good look at the glossy government’s brochure where the new Alberta’s cultural policy is explained in details, I get the message!
This cleared out of the way (or was it?), the discussion moved on in more and less familiar territory. The importance of education in the repositioning of arts in our society was again highlighted, as was the need for a coordinated effort to define a new language to present artists and creators and the crucial role they play in our lives, whether we realize it or not. Education being a provincial issue, the CCA was asked whether it was in a position to work on this issue, given its national mandate and its limited means. The idea of creating a provincial link to the CCA was also evoked.
One of Edmonton’s favourite sons, Senator Tommy Banks, had taken the time to join the discussion. To considerable applause, he made an impassioned intervention on the importance to hit decision-makers over and over again with the message that arts matter to our lives in a variety of ways. Senator Banks also insisted on the fact that we were embarking on a long process. Here again, the CCA was identified as a natural player in this endeavour and asked to provide the tools and, if possible, the training to help turn as many people as possible into efficient advocates for the arts within their communities and with decision-makers at all levels.
The meeting concluded on an upbeat note and after a very nice Vietnamese meal with a small number of participants, I hit the sack for a few hours of welcome and much needed sleep before heading tomorrow to the rival city of Calgary.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
