Feature ~ Blog

Between the months of April to June 2007, I had the opportunity to be part of the The Next Generation of Artistic Leaders and Arts Audience Dialogues presented by the Canada Council in partnership with the provincial and territorial arts councils. I attended the meeting that was held in Toronto last spring and was later asked by the Canada Council to represent the Emerging Arts Professional Network as one of four guest speakers at the Canadian Public Arts Funders Annual Meeting. The focus this year was to discuss the Next Generation of Arts Leaders, including the report that came from these focus groups and how Canadian arts funders could better meet the needs of our emerging arts community. Both experiences were interesting and involved two very different experiences under a common theme.

The Next Generation Dialogues in Toronto took place in a theatre space full of my peers who came from every corner of Ontario to talk about the nature of what we do and the issues that we would like to see addressed by public funders. The experience really created a sense of community. It proved to be a great opportunity to engage with young arts professionals from all disciplines and discover how much we all have in common. It was invigorating to discuss ways in which funders could help support us in our efforts to create stronger and healthier arts careers. We had a lot of fun dreaming up new schemes and while all of us wanted to ask for ‘more’ money, we were requested to specifically come up with ideas that could be added to the Canada Council’s new strategic plan. While the experience made for a great brainstorming session, where new friendships and connections were made, many of the attendees were left with mixed feelings. Was this just simply a gesture of positive outreach to a neglected part of the arts community or would the councils really listen to what was said and heed the call to action? 

To get a sense of what was said during the focus groups check out the comprehensive Next Generation Dialogues report posted on the Canada Council’s website.

Ottawa was a much more formal affair. I was very excited to be a guest speaker along side my fellow emerging artists at the CPAF meeting. Plus, I was very eager to see what it would feel like to speak in front of every director of the federal, provincial and territorial arts councils. The CPAF meeting itself was confidential but what I can say is that I was pleased to discover that the majority of the people in the room were exceptionally welcoming and eager to join in the discourse. The initially daunting task of talking in front of ‘directors’ quickly melted away as we realized that everyone in attendance did have at least one thing in common and that was a passion for the arts and a desire to really investigate ways to support it’s future.

That said one cannot overlook that the nature of any bureaucratic structure means that it takes oodles of time to create much of the proposed change that was being brought the table. This made me want to pose the question to all the members of the arts community, what could we do in the meantime to really support each other? While public arts funders can have a tremendous effect on the success or failure of our emerging artists and arts organizations, it is also true that the community as a whole must also take a responsibility for affecting positive change. I often think of that saying ‘It’s not what your country can do for you? But what YOU can do for your country.’ While this line itself does makes me cringe a bit, it still holds a lot of truth. The success of any endeavor or any community always comes back to the people contributing to it. How do you ensure that the growth of the arts doesn’t just stop with you?

As I returned from the most recent focus group meeting hosted by the Ontario Arts Council to discuss the direction of their new strategic plan, I was left wondering some more. As we sit together and talk, what real moves will be made for change? How can we implement a balance that sees all members of the arts community properly supported? Is it simply a dream? Does the nature of any art form require a little starvation for ‘good measure’ or will councils and the community really be able to work together to learn from our predecessors, our mistakes and our successes in order to find lasting ways that will truly fuel our efforts for years to come?

The Next Generation of Artistic Leaders and Arts Audience Dialogues was a nationwide process
undertaken by public arts funders in Canada to assess and engage young Canadians in a
discussion about key issues facing artists and arts audiences. The Canada Council for the Arts
initiated the project and partnered with provincial and territorial members of the Canadian Public
Arts Funders network to support this work.

Between April and June 2007, nine sessions with artists and arts administrators were held in St.
John’s, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Vancouver and Whitehorse.
Participants included practicing artists, recent graduates of arts training programs and young
arts administrators between the ages of 18 and 30. Participants were selected by the arts
funders to reflect diversity in both demographic categories and artistic disciplines. In each
session, participants were invited from across the province and territory, and in some cases,
different provinces and territories. Participants from Nunavut were invited but were unable to
attend due to logistical difficulties. In all, close to 200 took part. Focus group sessions with
people aged 18­30 who demonstrated some interest in the arts were held in Halifax, Montreal,
Toronto, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Vancouver.

This project was designed to facilitate a broad discussion of the future of the arts in Canada. As
a result, participants were encouraged to discuss issues and needs both within and beyond
current arts funder jurisdictions.