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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Sounds like a preliminary report will be circulated before the summer, and further refinement and work will take place in the fall. Or sooner! It was suggested that we are entering another election cycle and so we need to make some key decisions more quickly.

Check the CCA website and bulletins for further updates.

Thank you! Please circulate the link to this blog to your friends and colleagues and encourage them to leave a comment on the blog. Folks at the CCA will be most interested in seeing the outcomes of this blog experiment.

Signing off,
Helen Yung

reporting back

Anne is inviting the roundtables to report back to the room on the discussion they just had. Fascinating stuff but virtually impossible (dangerous) for me to share with you on the fly (without context). Instead, I suppose this is a good time to reflect on today's experiment and ask you for feedback.

This live blow-by-blow blog was an idea from CCA's Policy Analyst, Jessica Litwin but it wasn't put into action until about 10 days ago when I found out about this idea she had had and volunteered to take on the challenge. So, given that the CCA office was already well-laden with work to prepare for the real-life workshop, there wasn't really any lead time to develop this cyberspace counterpart.

I say counterpart because I see, and (as I understand it) the CCA has it in their long-term plans, great potential for something like a 'live blog' to become more than just a running commentary or set of notes. A cyberspace counterpart to workshops like this would create space online for greater engagement across Canada from diverse constituents. The questions are: how to do this? And how to maintain engagement?

My two cents.. (and then you share yours please!)

How to do this: When I was working at a membership-based organization, I had an idea about engaging members by 'commissioning' specific individuals at regular intervals to post a short message about a recent challenge/success/question in a members-only online forum, to encourage exchange between peers who might otherwise have little communication with each other. I write 'commissioning' in quotes because these would be voluntary, not paid communications.

How to maintain engagement:

Keep content relevant. It's what gets people to come back and read more.
Use personal voices and personal (organizational) details to animate the content. (Avoid grantspeak!)
Make it easy to read, and to talk back.

What do you think? What's it gonna take to get you to leave a comment and to read more?

note about the roundtables

Scanning the room it's clear that there are great discussions taking place at every roundtable. People are talking through the break; everyone wants to hear more and to share more.

As you may expect, discussion often bounces between anecdotes (stories about specific successes and challenges) and theoretical considerations. Knowledge-sharing is important... meanwhile the questions that Anne posed to each Action Area roundtable help focus the discussion on mapping out our assets so that these can become useful notes moving forward.

a Federal Funding / Advocacy Roundtable

I've joined one of several Federal Funding / Advocacy Roundtable (closest to my AC outlet!). Around the table we have individuals who represent music, visual arts, media, arts administration and others, from emerging artists to professionals and arts organizations. A glimpse:

The Canadian Public Arts Funders (CPAF) is a 3-year old network of arts funders across Canada. CPAF allows funders to talk to each other and share best practices. Overall objectives: communications, improve professional practices of arts funders, create stronger arts funding environment.
In mapping out the advocacy players, audience members have to be part of our constituencies. They have always been included, but Anne's presentation gave an interesting model (parents as spokespeople in arts education advocacy).
How do we build a broader base? (to advance grassroots advocacy efforts)
Those who support arts and culture should be better leveraged. Those who seem to have anti-arts-and-culture views could be targeted with a campaign that creates awareness and appreciation for arts and culture.
Maybe we need to come to a consensus as to whether we want a single centralized place for arts and culture funding?
It's not clear what the messaging is.
Positive messages aren't always carried forth efficiently and effectively, in unison.
In the U.S. every member of Congress can be convinced of a same view regardless of their political affiliation.
Examples of grassroots advocacy successes were shared.

breakout groups

The breakout groups will be themed. Each group will address a different Action Area:

arts education
federal funding
creative economy
other issues

Those interested in arts education will start by mapping research available, looking at current issues. What research can we borrow? What new research is needed? Who has research capacity?

Those interested in federal funding will start by mapping out advocacy issues. Who are the constituencies, where are the networks, who is taking action today, what are the current messages?

For creative economy, we'll start with professional development. Who (what city, which network) is succeeding in this area? What are they doing so well?

Other issues will look at strategic alliances. Who are our natural allies in this area? Who could be common partners in success?

The Will & The Way for Arts and Culture in Canada

Anne reviewed some of the conclusions drawn in the Regional Forum Report.

CURRENT CLIMATE

economic uncertainty - "never waste a good crisis"
public image of the arts - see, for example, the views expressed last federal election
cuts in national funding
concern for arts education
policy opportunity

WORKING TOGETHER

inclusion and consensus - diversity (of opinion, of expertise, of experiences) is a fundamental value for arts and culture workers; we would never back an initiative that didn't have a strong consensus
partnerships
communication within sector - must overcome isolation in our work
long-term strategy
dealing with short-term limitations

TOP PRIORITIES

federal funding
creative economy
arts education
determining full policy agenda >> we're going to do some of this work today!

TOOLS WE NEED

mapping the sector
valid research
coordination - so we can sing together!
regular information
advocacy training - our issues are deep and complex so it takes specific training to boil it down to the words most important to the media-watching public

So now we're going to do an Asset Exercise in breakout groups to map assets in each policy area.

introduction to breakout sessions

Breakouts will happen in two 30-minute sessions with a short break in between.

Anne started in the research department of Americans for the Arts. Her job was to answer any research question that came in from their diverse constitutencies on a daily basis. During this time, she became focused on policy issues. Inspired, she figured "all we've gotta do is to get some very specific, technical policy changes and voila it'll [be resolved]". She found out that that wasn't quite all that was needed. (But it was a start!)

Two key points: create a context around the issue you want to advance; and present arts and culture as the solution.

In creating a context, you need:

intelligence (information) informing the discussion - not just my opinion
constituencies knocking on doors
examples of good outcomes
recommendations
evaluation of our work

Ultimately, it's most important that arts and culture be presented as a solution to equally busy policymakers. We are not a weak link, a charity, or a handout. We are a solution to the problems of the day. For example, an old historic building that is empty and underused, in an area full of empty storefronts. You turn the historic building into a multi-use building: mix of market-rate and subsidized housing, create ways for artists, arts organizations and schools to use the space somehow. Show how arts and cultural investment can create multiple public benefits (takes the conversation out of the silo).

sustaining values

Americans for the Arts holds the following as its core values:

arts are alive in every community - large and small
asset-based strategy: what do you do well and how can we advance that? (remember that arts are alive in every community)
diversity is the best asset of the arts and cultural sector
authenticity is key to economic value: an economic strategy that destroys the cultural asset is no way to go
art is more than economic value
network of leaders makes the difference: this is what makes Americans for the Arts work (and what I think everyone in this room and reading this blog believes will work to advance our sector:) having a network of leaders across diverse constituencies at all levels who are committed to leveraging the knowledge, resources, and strategies to make it all possible.

On this note, Anne has ended her presentation. After a short break, folks will gather round in small breakout groups to discuss common advocacy needs and priorities.

advocacy

Anne gave us a glimpse of what is possible:

during most recent campaign, Americans for the Arts was able to galvanize supporters and generate 85,000 messages that were sent to Congress over a few days in support of a $50-million dollar ask.
Sometimes they "bust a representative's phone system or voicemail system because of all the calls we make".
From 2008 to 2010, they made sure that in every stop in every city made by the presidential candidates, they made sure that someone posed a question regarding their arts and cultural policies.

At the same time, says Anne, "we always make sure we work to advance the visibility and the authority of the local [arts agencies and advocates]."

arts education

An important area of focus for Americans for the Arts is in arts education. Much of their work in this area is centred around empowering parents to influence change and to demand more arts. Their public awareness campaign, Art. Ask for More., for example, rallies the support and influence of parents to ensure full access to high-quality arts education for all students.

More information here: http://www.artsusa.org/networks/arts_education/arts_education_004.asp

Phoenix Metro Light Rail

An example of the work that Americans for the Arts has helped realize is the Phoenix Metro Light Rail. Each station on the light rail features beautiful, well-designed public art. Moreover, artists, arts workers and designers were involved early enough in the planning and building of the rail system that many of the stations are located strategically near significant cultural centres in the city.

Read more about the public art commissioned for the Phoenix Metro Light Rail system here:
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2008-12-25/culture/light-rail-stations-ride-the-line-between-public-art-and-construction-detail

Tale of Two Organizations

Americans for the Arts was founded as a result of a 1997 merger between American Council on the Arts and the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies.

Anne noted that this merger continues to leave a legacy of animating tensions within Americans for the Arts between the national and local perspectives. She emphasized that this is a positive tension; the dynamic animates the work of Americans for the Arts.

Their constituencies include:

local and state arts service agencies
arts disciplines
arts education
creative economies
public art and civic design
community development
emerging leadership
diverse cultures
arts in higher education
arts and business partnerships
philanthropic communities

For more information about Americans for the Arts, visit their website.

arts infrastructure in the U.S.

Anne just reviewed the founding of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) which occurred in 1965 as part of the Kennedy / Johnson Great Society program. This piece of legislation provided matching grants to state agencies. Prior to this legislation, there were only a small handful of agencies. Overnight, this legislation sparked much more infrastructure to develop over the past 50 years.

Can't find an exact number of agencies today, sorry. There's a Wikipedia article here dealing with Great Society, but not a lot of useful information related to the points that Anne has highlighted. Check back later; the CCA may have links to more information for those who are interested.

Anne L'Ecuyer

Anne L?Ecuyer holds policy expertise in cultural diplomacy, creative industries, cultural tourism & trade, as well as the contributions of the arts toward educational, social, and economic goals in communities throughout the United States.

She most recently served as Associate Vice President for Field Services at Americans for the Arts. In this role, she produced an annual program of leadership development events for a national audience of cultural professionals and their allies in government, business, and education. Anne consulted directly with hundreds of local arts leaders to provide strategy and support for their efforts and routinely met with delegations of foreign cultural leaders on visits sponsored by the U.S. State Department. She served as editor of the Americans for the Arts Monograph Series, and is the author of Public Funding for the Arts at the Local Level.

Regional Forum Report

Alain Pineau is giving an overview of the CCA's recent Regional Forum Report. A copy of the report is available here. A good and important read.

The report is subtitled: If There's a Will, There is a Way. Alain's presentation highlighted the will expressed by the 430+ participants in the Regional Forums, which leads us to today's workshop, which has been structured to find us a way.

Agenda

Kathleen Sharpe, CCA President is making opening remarks right now.

1:15 - 1:45pm Regional Forum Report, presented by Alain Pineau, CCA National Director

1:45 - 2:30pm Keynote Address, presented by Anne L'Ecuyer, Americans for the Arts

2:30 - 2:45pm Networking Break

2:45 - 3:30pm Breakout workshops to form consensus on common advocacy needs and priorities

3:30 - 3:45pm Coffee Break

3:45 - 5:00pm Conclusion to Breakout workshops and plenary discussion, moderated by Anne L'Ecuyer

5:30 - 7:30pm CCA Awards Ceremony, presided by Senator Tommy Banks

Introductions

Hello out there!

This is officially the first blog post live from the CCA's National Cultural Strategy Workshop at the Lord Elgin in Ottawa. My name is Helen Yung and I will be your blogger for the afternoon. ;)

A bit about me: I am a writer, artist and freelance arts manager. A graduate of the UC Drama Program at the University of Toronto, I have been working in arts and culture since 2003. I was previously Programs and Services Coordinator at the Canadian Dance Assembly, the national advocacy organization for dance, and General Manager of the Little Pear Garden Collective, a Chinese-Canadian opera and dance company. Currently I am involved with Culture Days, Canadian Arts Coalition, and Pixel Gallery. I am also a Steering Committee member of Cultural Pluralism in the Performing Arts Movement Ontario. My website is here.

Now it's your turn! Please post a comment introducing yourself.

Don't be shy. It can be something as simple as "Hello, this is Jane Doe from [place]." Let us know how you're involved with arts and culture - as a volunteer, professional, artist, writer, critic, educator etc. We want to know who's out there reading!

Live Blogging!!!

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Join us here for live blogging of the National Cultural Strategy Workshop
March 12, 2009 starting at 1:00pm EST