The Will & The Way for Arts and Culture in Canada

Anne reviewed some of the conclusions drawn in the Regional Forum Report.

CURRENT CLIMATE

• economic uncertainty - "never waste a good crisis"
  
• public image of the arts - see, for example, the views expressed last federal election
  
• cuts in national funding
• concern for arts education
• policy opportunity

WORKING TOGETHER

• inclusion and consensus - diversity (of opinion, of expertise, of experiences) is a fundamental value for arts and culture workers; we would never back an initiative that didn't have a strong consensus
  
• partnerships
  
• communication within sector - must overcome isolation in our work
  
• long-term strategy
  
• dealing with short-term limitations

TOP PRIORITIES

• federal funding
• creative economy
• arts education
• determining full policy agenda >> we're going to do some of this work today!

TOOLS WE NEED

• mapping the sector
• valid research
• coordination - so we can sing together!
• regular information
• advocacy training - our issues are deep and complex so it takes specific training to boil it down to the words most important to the media-watching public

So now we're going to do an Asset Exercise in breakout groups to map assets in each policy area.