Building the Infrastructure of the Arts

Of the many, many important points of cultural policy that were discussed today, one of the themes that I noticed, though it generally flew under the radar, was the importance of building and rebuilding the physical infrastructure that supports artists/creators and producers/cultural industries alike. Without theatres, galleries and museums the public would have no space to engage with the arts.
"Infrastructure is more than just roads and sewers," said David Stewart-Patterson of the the Canadian Council of Chief Executive Officers. Though David was one of the more controversial speakers of the day, as a representative of an industry typically not so supportive of the arts, this comment got people thinking.
In Anne-Marie Des Roches' workshop on artists/creators, one of the delegates mentioned the need for improvements to physical structures as an important part of federal cultural policy and funding allocation. When we consider the declining state of many of the country's arts venues - this statement seems particularly poignant. Looking at the Bloor Cinema in Toronto, in which falling debris caused a temporary closure, we can literally envision the state of arts infrastructure in Canada. While some might say that funding for physical structures pales in comparison to real artists who require real money to live, it might be worth reexamining the importance of renovations to ensure long-term housing for the arts.