Thanks to community leaders and many supporters from major sectors, the Regional Arts & Culture Strategy document is complete!
Read The Power of Arts and Culture: A Strategy for Southern Georgian Bay and Beyond, which includes –
- Context for why this strategy is important
- Core Elements
- Poem by Claudia Ferraro Poet Laureate, Collingwood, and video, click here
- Cultural Activities spectrum
- Key Values
- Recommended Actions
- Appendices with supporting data, articles, and reports.
Through events held over 2020 and 2021, speakers and participants shared the important linkages between the arts and well-being, our local economy, and a shared sense of community. We thank all the participants who attended these events for their input. Special thanks go to the Co-Chairs of the Strategy – Susan Cook, Stuart Reid, and Dean Hollin; members of the weekly Coffee Chat; and the Design Team (see below), who devoted many hours towards finalizing this Strategy. Also, our gratitude is extended to Liz Rykert, without whom the creation of this Strategy would not have been possible. The formal work of the Design Team is now complete, and a new group is forming to start the work outlined in the Strategy.
We encourage you to have a read through and consider how you see yourself in the next phase of building the arts and cultural network, developing a strong local marketing campaign, and mapping all the amazing assets we have here in Southern Georgian Bay.
If you are an artist, you will find ways to cross-promote your shows or connect with other groups of artists to collaborate on coordinated efforts. If you are part of an arts-serving organization, maybe you have ideas about what would help if people worked together as we move forward. If you are a business person, you may want to get involved in enhancing the role of arts and culture in economic development plans.
Some initial ideas are being developed towards creatively rolling out the strategy and planning ways for the community to gather either virtually or in-person. We invite you to take advantage of the opportunities that are being presented and contribute to the work at hand. The Regional Arts Action Network welcomes everyone. Looking forward to what comes next!
Thank You, Design Team!
The Strategy was created through the collaborative effort of a dedicated Design Team and the many people who participated in online fall and winter events of 2020 and 2021. Together, we reflected, we laughed, and we imagined a collective future, where the arts and culture of Southern Georgian Bay would thrive.
The Design Team Includes:
Erica Angus, Executive Director, Theatre Collingwood, Arts Advocate
Patrice Clarkson, Artist, Photographer, Poet, and working on being a Videographer – Join me in Creating!
Susan Cook, Co-Chair and Manager, Blue Mountain Foundation for the Arts, Board member of The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, and Arts Advocate
Victoria Evans, Passionate about the role of arts and culture in empowering local communities, Operations Coordinator, Midland Cultural Centre
Dean Hollin, Co-Chair and Entertainer, music historian, broadcaster, emcee and educator
Heidi Light, Author, Artist, Counsellor and Advocate, heidilight.com
Lory MacDonald, ART POWERED Helping people stay connected to their Arts Community, Artist, President of Artfest Ontario, Arts Educator, www.shop.artfestontario.com
Rosalyn Morrison, Chair, The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, www.tisgb.com
Stuart Reid, Co-Chair. Stuart believes that access to the arts is essential for a healthy community
Kate Russell, Creative community activator and volunteer with The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay
Liz Rykert, Systems Change Facilitator and volunteer with The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay
Beverley Smith, an artist in a few mediums. While loving the solitude being an artist brings, Bev also loves her involvement in the Arts and Culture Council in Blue Mountains, especially hanging shows at the L.E. Shore Gallery
The team also benefited from the dedicated support of Brandon Houston, Collingwood Foundry who provided the Zoom Platform, unflappable technical support, and advice, and the expert facilitation skills of Christy Deere, who helped both with shaping the online events and animating them with skill and aplomb.