Editor: Re: New West arts strategy ‘not fully baked,’ the Record, May 17
I agree with the main points of this article. My main concern is the focus of the document on business and arts service organizations. The fact that the lead entity on this file is the “arts services department” speaks volumes. I would like a more active role for the arts council in this process on an ongoing basis, and a more serious attempt to consult with working artists on a strategy that will have direct impact on their livelihoods.
Another problem is a feeling that the document contains information transferred from a spreadsheet to bullet points throughout the “strategic priorities” section, rather than it being the result of a planning process with an editor’s eye on the result. There are vague vision statements throughout that could apply to any city, but no coherent directives are articulated, other than rather obvious fair-minded observations about inclusiveness and consultation, etc. Even the “supporting actions” are a mess and could not be “actioned” by staff due to redundancies.
What is the purpose of an arts strategy document? Such a document should create action items that city staff can understand and implement to create an environment in the city in which the arts thrive. All the content in such a document should contribute to this goal.
Here is an example of an opening paragraph that I would like to see: “We want to create a city where the artist and their work is visible and viable. The creative artist is at the core of our arts strategy.”
If the city did that, all the other benefits they spend many words putting into their document would simply flow from a process guided by this principle.
John Oliver, New Westminster
