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!