Vancouver Creates Ten-year Plan For Arts and Culture

The City of Vancouver’s Creative City Task Force used a $20,000-grant from Creative Communities to maximize opportunities related to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, and recognize the City’s 125th Anniversary and its expanding creative sector. The City formed a Creative City Task Force comprising members of the arts community, the School Board, business community, and senior City staff. Members took part in three learning sessions to familiarize themselves with the City’s history of cultural planning, and its creative sector. The group identified themes for further study leading to community consultation.

The task force held a number of focus and discussion groups, a Creative City public hotline, an online quiz, and an interactive survey. A key highlight was Creative City Conversation, a culture, creativity and community forum that drew 485 artists, creative sector workers, and national and international guest speakers. The goal was to discuss the future of arts and culture in Vancouver along four themes: creative spaces and places; creating learning for the future; creative engagement and participation; and creating economic wealth. The free event was open to the public.

The task force compiled all information to form a Draft Culture Plan. Forum attendees were encouraged to offer feedback on the draft via a survey, telephone hotline, and open house. The task force used the feedback to adjust the draft plan. The final result, A New Culture Plan for Vancouver 2008-2018 is the City’s first strategic cultural plan. Its new vision, values and themes will guide Vancouver’s role in the creative sector for the next ten years.

Creative Communities assists local governments to take stock of their cultural assets and identify strengths and challenges in their local arts and cultural sector. The program also guides governments through community consultations to determine how and where to expand local arts and cultural programs and projects. The program is supported by the Province of British Columbia.