Introduction: making the case for arts and culture
Why arts advocacy?
Because arts and culture are at the heart of communities, and voicing support is important!
“Imagine, for a moment, a Canada without plays, paintings, dancers or musicians. … It would be a bleak vista – devoid of colour, life and excitement that our artists bring to our country.”
Culture & Heritage: Making Room for Canada’s Voices, Department of Canadian Heritage http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/mindep/misc/culture/htm/6.htm
Government investments in arts and culture have helped foster artistic activity throughout Canada, and they have helped make our cities and towns more attractive places to live and visit. Without the arts – and without these sustained investments – Canada would not have its current international reputation for being a cosmopolitan, dynamic and creative country. Without doubt, the arts are the heart of Canadian communities.
Elected representatives and government officials consider the views of Canadian citizens when making decisions regarding the investment of public funds. When decision-makers are informed about the vital importance of arts and culture in Canadian communities – particularly by the people who live in them – they are more apt to recognize the value of making continued investments to build upon the nation’s successes.
“Social value is created when resources are devoted to generate improvements in the lives of individuals or society as a whole. Thus, investment in the arts generates results with high intrinsic value, that is, a social return on investment that is not easily quantifiable. Quality of life issues are enormously important to business throughout the Provinces in order to attract and retain employees and their families to live and work in our communities. This factor is just as critical for a small mill town as it is for a big city competing for major head office reallocations. Families want to stay in communities that are rich and diverse with significant opportunities for personal development, including music, dance,drama, and visual arts.”
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Policy Resolution: Investment in the Arts http://www.chamber.ca/article.asp?id=465
Anyone who cares about arts and culture can advocate their importance – artists, cultural managers, Board members, volunteers, patrons, subscribers, community leaders, cultural supporters, youth and government officials themselves.
For individuals, voicing an opinion can be as quick as picking up the phone or sending an email. For arts organizations, arts advocacy is a year-round effort, and it extends beyond specific concerns to highlight the importance of the entire sector. The arts, for example, would not exist without the imaginative determination of creative individuals who are often educated in our schools. Similarly, the cultural industries, like film and video, sound recording, broadcasting and book publishing, would not exist without artists and other highly skilled workers. The growing linkages to other sectors of the economy are also important, most notably with science, engineering and multimedia where Canadians are playing a leading role in developing new creative technologies for worldwide distribution.
One of the most important goals of arts advocacy is to become part of the consciousness of decision-makers – to be “at the table” when decisions are made because arts and culture matters to communities, to Canadians and to the country as a whole. Arts and culture are at the heart of communities: they help bring a community to life, and they create enjoyment for Canadians and international travelers.
The vital role of the arts and cultural sector is clearly recognized by Canadians:
“Another defining characteristic of our communities and of our reputation around the world is the vitality and excellence of our cultural life. Canada’s artists and cultural enterprises are among our best ambassadors, as well as being an increasingly dynamic element of the knowledge economy. Their work holds a mirror on our society and builds a legacy for future generations. The Government will work with parliamentarians to modernize our arts and culture policies and federal cultural institutions to bring to bear the new technological possibilities of the digital age and to reflect Canada’s regional diversity and multiculturalism.”
Speech From The Throne, February 2, 2004
http://pm.gc.ca/eng/sft-ddt.asp
What To Advocate?
The arts are important, government investments yield very significant returns.
The three levels of government in Canada clearly recognize the value of supporting arts and cultural activities. Arts and cultural issues are often included in Throne Speeches, and departments, agencies and councils have been created across the country to foster and promote the arts. Governments also know that their $7 billion investment in culture helps generate $26 billion in economic activity and creates 740,000 jobs. (http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/87C0033.htm)
“We all want our municipalities to be great places to live; to be able to compete for talent and investment, and to play a role in strengthening our regional economies. We want our small towns to be able to share in our prosperity. We want our large cities to be international, and internationally competitive; to be centres of commerce and culture. And we want them all to provide safe and healthy homes for our families.”
Rt. Hon. Paul Martin
Prime Minister of Canada
Reply to the Throne Speech
February 3, 2004
http://www.pm.gc.ca/eng/sft-ddt.asp?id=2
Government investments have helped create and sustain libraries, museums, heritage sites, art galleries and performance venues across Canada, as well as arts organizations – the world renowned ballet companies, theatre organizations, symphonies and opera companies – and investments in individual artists have been essential – not only for their own careers but also for the success of the cultural industries, like film and video, sound recording and book publishing.
Elected representatives and government officials need to hear these stories – to know that public investments are meaningful. Some of the most effective advocates for public support of the arts are artists – the people who know what it takes to transform the imagination into a tangible work of art. Many artists would not have achieved their success without receiving government support – grants from the Council, for example, or support for cultural industries that helps produce the books, CDs or films and videos. In the words of Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan:
“There is no way I would have had any career without government support. I think it’s unfortunate that we all feel a bit embarrassed about the fact that artists need support, but historically that has always been the case. I would never have known that I could do what I’m doing today if it wasn’t for the encouragement early in my career.”
There is no question about the role Canadian artists are playing on the international stage: they are winning awards, prizes and fans in all artistic disciplines around the world, and they have become some of Canada’s best ambassadors for promoting the country as a great place to live and emulate.
The experiences Canadians have in their communities by attending arts performances, festivals and events, or by enjoying the work of a Canadian writer or artist, or by seeing the benefits of an arts education for a son or daughter are worth sharing. These experiences are the real evidence that artistic offerings in communities are appreciated, and encouraging Canadians to voice their support to politicians and other decision-makers by letters/emails or phone calls, therefore, is an important component of arts advocacy initiatives.
The Council has prepared the following thematic documents to highlight the importance of arts and culture in Canada as well as some of its current challenges. As many of the statistics and success stories show, sustained investments over the years have brought the sector to where it is today and the benefits of these investments have accrued both at home and abroad. To assist arts organizations, artists, board members and cultural enthusiasts with advocacy planning, the Council has also prepared a tips and strategies document.
Key messages
Advocacy work at the Canada Council for the Arts
Advocacy is inherent in the legislated mandate of the Canada Council of the Arts – namely, to “foster and promote” the arts in Canada, and to “arrange for representation and interpretation of Canadian arts in other countries.”
In keeping with its mandate, the Council maintains a public and parliamentary advocacy program where journalists, media representatives, elected representatives and Canadians are informed about the activities of the Council and its clients. The Canada Council also:
- arranges events across the country to meet with artists, creators, arts professionals and the public to inform them about the important work of the Council and its clients;
- publishes a quarterly newsletter, For the Arts (/news/newsletters/);
- provides promotional and advocacy materials as well as event-related publications for clients;
- appears before Parliamentary Committees on a variety of arts and cultural issues; and
- works with government departments, cultural agencies, foundations, councils and arts funders to develop policies and programs to benefit artists and arts organizations in Canada.
“With the support of the arts community, in all our advocacy efforts, we intend to highlight the public value and public excitement of the arts. We will work to attract new audiences of all ages. A significant focus of this activity will be the celebration of the Council’s 50th anniversary in 2007. … We plan to use this opportunity of 2007 not only to celebrate artistic achievement but also to provide clear evidence of the role the arts have played in the economic and social development of Canadian communities, in social cohesion and in Canada’s international reputation. … My reason for believing that we can develop new audiences and attract new funding is that Canada’s artists and arts organizations have achieved a tremendously high degree of excellence and are reaching insatiably for more. The arts in all their forms are one of Canada’s great success stories; the sad reality is that too few Canadians – and particularly too few decision-makers – are sufficiently aware of this.”
John Hobday
Director of the Canada Council for the Arts
Chalmers Conference, Feb. 27, 2004
/news/speeches/oc127238591540156250.htm
The Council’s advocacy efforts also extend to the international community where it has played a pivotal role in establishing the International Federation of Arts Council’s and Culture Agencies (IFACCA) after organizing the first World Summit on the Arts and Culture in 2000.
For more information, please link to:
The Canada Council: background & performance highlights
Be an advocate – share your views with government
The Canada Council encourages interested Canadians, including artists, creators and arts professionals, to share their views on the value of arts and culture with federal decision-makers. For every letter, email or phone call that a Member of Parliament or Senator receives, he or she knows that many other Canadians feel the same way.
Without its vibrant artistic and cultural life, Canada would not have its international reputation for being an innovative, creative and cosmopolitan nation. Nor would there be such an international “buzz” about our newest “great” artist from one discipline or another. The international enthusiasm for Canadian artistic works reinforces Canada’s position globally, and it produces pride among Canadians for living in such a great creative nation.
Since its creation in 1957, the Canada Council has acted as the federal government’s primary vehicle of support to professional artists and arts organizations across the country. In its first year of operation, 28 arts organizations received support, whereas in 2002-03, the Council assisted 2,279 individual artists and 2,058 arts organizations with funding totaling $130 million.
“In a society as diverse as ours, two things are essential to succeeding in the 21st century. One is our capacity to promote creativity. The other is our capacity to involve all citizens in the vast collective undertaking that is Canada. This in an enormous challenge! It’s when we dream big dreams that we can accomplish great things. It took a big vision and big dreams to create a country like Canada. We needed them then and we need them even more today. This is exactly the mission of the portfolio that has been entrusted to me – to give our youth, our artists, and Canadians of all backgrounds the capacity to dream big dreams. We have to give everyone the opportunity to realize their dreams and to fully participate in society. After all, culture is the expression of the dreams, aspirations and potential of an entire population. … In Canada, we have always been committed to promoting the development of our culture. Maybe it is because of our closeness to the world’s most powerful cultural market, and our concern for making Canada’s viewpoint seen and heard.”
Hon. Hélène Chalifour Scherrer
former Minister of Canadian Heritage
Chalmers Conference, Feb. 27, 2004
http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/min/discours-speeches/2004-02-27_e.cfm
The phenomenal success of the arts and cultural sector in Canada would not be possible without federal government support – through federal departments and government agencies, including the Council itself. The Council’s grants budget costs Canadians $4.32 per year – a modest investment with enormous returns.
The Council encourages interested individuals to share their views about the importance of arts and culture with The Prime Minister of Canada and other key decision makers by linking to the following: pm@pm.gc.ca
[cc’s to: The Minister of Canadian Heritage, The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, The House of Commons Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, The Senate Standing Committee on Transport & Communications, The Director of the Canada Council for the Arts]
Advocacy is not lobbying
Arts advocacy is not lobbying. Lobbying aims to influence particular decisions, policies or legislation whereas advocacy fosters awareness and understanding of the arts and cultural sector as a whole. As an apolitical Crown Corporation, the Canada Council for the Arts does not engage in political activities during elections. Information regarding political action campaigns for the arts can be obtained at the Canadian Conference of the Arts at: http://www.ccarts.ca/eng/04res/advocacy.html.
In addition, since the Director and Board Members of the Canada Council for the Arts are Governor-in-Council appointments, the Council is subject to the Lobbyist Registration Act which requires paid “lobbyists” who communicate with the Council to register with the Lobbyist Registration Branch at Industry Canada.
For more information, please link to:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inlr-el.nsf/en/lr00046e.html)