"We need to get results, so we need a new approach"
Yesterday, during one of the workshops on “Producers and Cultural Industries,” one thing that was evident was that the participants had a hard time grasping the objective of what we were trying to do. Even though we had a very rich, heated, and interesting discussion, the participants had such a diverse background and so many years of experience in their own fields, that it was hard to avoid the inclusion of issues that were more particular to specific sectors instead of the more overarching ones. The workshop was also affected by the lack of connection between issues, and discussion on the points raised by each participant.
Having work in the cultural policy sector, I must say that what happened during the first part of the workshop did not surprise me. At the root of the problem of our attempt to arrive at an overarching cultural policy is the fact that there is no agreement between the members of the cultural policy community. It is understandable that each group should attempt to ensure the right of its members, but without compromises we will not be able to design the cultural policy that we, as Canadians, need and deserve. Even though this is easier said than done, I think we must take opportunities like this conference, when we all come together in a neutral ground, to attempt to find ways of designing possible solutions that could serve a common interest.
One of the useful lessons that I took from the workshop is that if the sector wants to encourage the new elected government to consult more with them before moving forward in the cultural policy front, they need to start moving in unison. Just like they did with the campaign to increase the funding of the Canada Council, the sector needs to present a united front for the different issues that have been raised today. Success definitely lies in the numbers, and in the repetition of the key messages. This should really be the “new approach.”
Finally, as a recommendation for the greater success of future workshops of this kind, I would suggest letting participants decide the workshop that they would like to attend. This would ensure that the people with first-hand experience with the issues are allowed to voice their valuable opinions in the right forum.
Having work in the cultural policy sector, I must say that what happened during the first part of the workshop did not surprise me. At the root of the problem of our attempt to arrive at an overarching cultural policy is the fact that there is no agreement between the members of the cultural policy community. It is understandable that each group should attempt to ensure the right of its members, but without compromises we will not be able to design the cultural policy that we, as Canadians, need and deserve. Even though this is easier said than done, I think we must take opportunities like this conference, when we all come together in a neutral ground, to attempt to find ways of designing possible solutions that could serve a common interest.
One of the useful lessons that I took from the workshop is that if the sector wants to encourage the new elected government to consult more with them before moving forward in the cultural policy front, they need to start moving in unison. Just like they did with the campaign to increase the funding of the Canada Council, the sector needs to present a united front for the different issues that have been raised today. Success definitely lies in the numbers, and in the repetition of the key messages. This should really be the “new approach.”
Finally, as a recommendation for the greater success of future workshops of this kind, I would suggest letting participants decide the workshop that they would like to attend. This would ensure that the people with first-hand experience with the issues are allowed to voice their valuable opinions in the right forum.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home