Today, Vision Mayor Gregor Robertson released Vision Vancouver's arts and culture platform, which focuses on creating new artist spaces, promoting the use of cultural attractions, and fully funding City grants for arts and culture over the next three years.
“Vancouver's creative sector is a driving force for our local economy, and Vision wants to enable local artists to grow and thrive,” said Vision Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Our arts and culture platform focuses on how we can help Vancouver artists access affordable space, expand their opportunities, and give them the tools they need to succeed. Vision and COPE are committed to making the arts and culture a priority over the next three years.”
Vision's platform to support Vancouver's creative sector includes a commitment to fully maintain arts and culture funding at the City, identify 'creative zones' and use by-laws to encourage and protect artist space, and develop a City Attraction Pass, to promote the use of our cultural and educational attractions. It also includes a promise to begin public consultation on the expansion of the Vancouver Art Gallery without delay.
COPE Council candidate R.J. Aquino joined the announcement today, voicing COPE's support for a platform that focuses on affordability for artists and protecting artist space. “COPE and Vision share the goal of helping Vancouver artists access affordable space,” said Aquino. “We want everyone in our cultural communities – visual artists, actors, writers, musicians, and more – to be able to thrive in Vancouver.”
Vision Councillor Heather Deal, a long-time supporter of the arts and a member of the Vancouver Bach Choir, said the Vision platform builds on the work of the past three years, while addressing ongoing challenges of affordability and funding for artists.
“I'm proud that over the past three years, Vision did not make any cuts to arts and culture funding, despite facing a difficult economic climate,” said Deal. “The policies we're putting forward will help protect affordable studio space and ensure access to stable funding.”
The platform also includes a commitment to facilitate the use of the School Board and other City properties for artist studio space. Vision school trustee candidate Rob Wynen, head of the Lord Roberts PAC and a long-time community activist, stressed how Vision's openness to innovative partnerships can help schools better connect with Vancouver's cultural sector.
"I have a son in grade 5 and have been amazed at the ability of art to bring students together from the many diverse communities in Vancouver,” said Wynen. “Art is a common language that helps us understand each other, art plays a large role in our schools. The Vision Vancouver School Board team is committed to finding innovative partnerships with our artist community to facilitate connections between our students and Vancouver artists."
The complete launch of Vision Vancouver's arts and culture platform follows on the success of Monday night's Time Raiser, where local artists donated work for people to bid on by offering to volunteer on the Vision campaign. The event raised over 300 volunteer hours.
Arts and Culture: Platform Commitments
Develop a City Attraction Pass
We will develop a City Attraction Pass to promote the use of our cultural and educational attractions. A limited number of passes would be available at all local libraries, which could be checked out by individuals and families for the day, and used to gain free access to a number of local attractions.
Create an artists-led Arts Advisory Council
Work to consolidate arts funding programs to ensure artists lead a transparent decision making process for granting funds.
Support arts funding as a core city investment
Despite difficult economic times, Vision’s support for arts funding was consistent throughout the past three years. We will maintain arts funding at existing levels during the next term, with no cuts to current programs.
Make creating cultural spaces a city priority
We will work to create new cultural spaces, and improve access with the following five-point plan:
- Undertake a full review to find ways to streamline and improve access to city-owned arts facilities.
- Identify “creative zones” in which by-laws and zoning requirements are used to encourage, and protect creative activity.
- Lead a plan to support the creation of new cultural spaces, and move forward with public consultation on expansion of the Vancouver Art Gallery without delay.
- Facilitate the use of Vancouver School Board, Park Board and City properties for artist studio space. Build on the agreement between the School Board and Green Thumb Theatre by developing and implementing a Studio Space Pilot Project.
- Increase the amount of studio space available to the arts sector by 10,000 sq feet over the next term of Council.
Read the full platform document.