CCA BULL ETIN / BULLETIN DE LA CCA
“MOVING FORWARD” WITH 2004 NATIONAL POLICY CONFERENCE
Ottawa, August 12, 2004 - Following up on last year's hugely successful (and sold out!) national policy conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, CCA is pleased to formally announce that this year's event, From Act to Action: Moving Forward on Status of the Artist , will take place at the MacKenzie Art Gallery in Regina, Saskatchewan on Friday, November 19 th and Saturday, November 20 th , 2004. The conference will address equity for Canadian artists by examining the federal Status of the Artist Act, including how it was developed, how it currently works, and what amendments are required to ensure its ongoing relevance to the country's professional artists. Through a series of panels and workshops, delegates will also examine how similar legislation is already working in Quebec and in other countries around the world, and will consider other provincial ventures into this field, including the current situation in Saskatchewan, with the report of the experts committee and the enabling legislation, as well as updates from provinces such as Ontario.
Based on past conferences, CCA expects to attract around 200 people to attend From Act to Action , including artists, arts organizers and managers, academics, legislators, arts labour groups, and government officials from federal and provincial departments charged with developing and administering similar legislation. The CCA 's annual policy conferences are unique events which, while aimed at advancing public policy for the arts, are focused on a specific timely issue or event and also include a dynamic artistic component and an awards reception. They are held in different locations every year with a view both to serving the broad membership of the organization and selecting a specific site that is appropriate for the policy issue in question. This year, Saskatchewan was selected because it is recognized nationally for its support of provincial artists' rights legislation. CCA believes the benefits post-conference will extend beyond the immediate purview of federal legislation to influence ongoing and future federal and provincial deliberations on equity for Canadian artists.
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend From Act to Action ! Registration forms and further information, including frequent updates to the conference agenda and program, will be made available on CCA 's new website as of early September 2004 ( www.ccarts.ca/en/events/index.html ).
At this time, CCA is delighted to announce that renowned Canadian actor Albert Millaire will join us a keynote speaker at this year's conference. This eminent performer, born in Montréal in 1935, has played some of the most important roles and produced some of the finest plays to be presented on the stages of Canada, the United States and Europe, including Lorenzaccio , Tartuffe , Hamlet , Don Juan and " La Céleste bicyclette ". On television, M. Millaire has been seen in Sir Wilfrid Laurier , D'Iberville, Rainbow Country , and Road to Avonlea , along with numerous productions by La Télévision de Radio-Canada. He was also the first President of the Council on the Status of the Artist (1991-1995) and will speak on his experiences, as well as his vision of the future of Status of the Artist issues.
BLOC QUEBECOIS ANNOUNCES CULTURE CRITIC
In CCA Bulletin 37/04, we reported on the Members of Parliament who were appointed new Canadian Heritage critics by the Conservative party and the NDP, Bev Oda and Charlie Angus, respectively. However, the Bloc Quebecois has only recently named its critic. As reported in the August 7 th edition of Le Devoir , the BQ announced that first-time MP Maka Kotto (Saint-Lambert) will be responsible for the portfolio. The Cameroon-born Kotto, who came to Canada over fifteen years ago, is the first every African MP elected to the House of Parliament and is an accomplished actor and writer, thanks to his input in films like Marche à l'ombre, ou Lumumba and several television series. A June 30 th story at www.crtv.cm champions Mr. Kotto as having made “visible contributions to the cultural life and political af fairs of Montreal”, citing his activism as a member of the Bloc Quebecois Citizenship Commission, member of the Montreal-based St John The Baptist Society , member of the Rights and Freedoms League, and as spokesperson for the Festival Vues d'Afrique and the organization Development and Peace.
NEW CCA WEBSITE
After several months of behind-the-scenes work, the CCA is pleased to announce the launch of a new and streamlined website. Among the new features at www.ccarts.ca :
Don't fret if some of the information that you've used in the past has gone missing on the new website. All of the information from the old version of the site, as well as new information, is being uploaded to the CCA website every day. In the meantime, members should contact info@ccarts.ca if they are having trouble finding any specific documents or information. Happy surfing!
For more information:
Kevin Desjardins
Communications and Public Relations Manager
(613) 238 3561 ext.11
Fax (613) 238 4849
38/04
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