December 10, 2015
Ontario Presents’ Response Paper to Ontario Culture Strategy Discussion Paper
Ontario’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Sport (MTCS) call for responses to its Discussion Paper: Telling Our Stories, Growing Our Economy: Developing a Cultural Strategy for Ontario, offers a timely opportunity for the province’s culture networks, business associations, agencies, creators and conservators to provide valuable feedback on what the province is doing well and what it might do better by aligning the strengths of the province’s cultural sector in the four key areas supported by MTCS: the arts, cultural industries, public libraries, and heritage.
“The presenting programs of many municipal supported performing arts centres are moving away from the old model of profit-focused programming and moving toward mission-driven, curated programming aimed at supporting important artistic work and community cultural development”.
Ontario Presents echoes the view of the Provincial Arts Service Organizations (PASO) coalition that top down and bottom up strategies will be most effective when aligned to the shared goals. A key potential, strategic goal that will yield strong community and economic development benefits is the alignment between municipal performing arts centres, municipal culture plans, and the support provided by MTCS through its three, key agencies: the Ontario Media Development Corporation, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Mentioned in the response paper, the City of St. Catharines recently opened First Ontario Performing Arts Centre, will have an important role to play in the future cultural and economic landscape in St. Catharines.
In summary, Ontario Presents makes the case for the recognition of arts presentation in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport’s Culture Strategy and the increasing role and impact that municipal performing arts centres are playing and having in communities across Ontario. Moreover, the Ministry is encouraged to consider its alignment and support of municipal cultural planning processes as effective means by which cultural, social, and economic development goals of the ministry are realized at the local level by alignment of MCPs with local organizations such as libraries, museums, art galleries, and performing arts centres.
To view the complete response paper, download the document.