Re: Re:Star - Nurture T.O's Creativity, Report
Tudararms:
Here is one series of suggestions from the report:
1. Expand Creative Programming for Youth
All youth in Toronto, regardless of where they live, should have access to free, high-quality education and training in creative activities such as visual arts, music, theatre, dance, and media. Expanding creative programs of this sort will complement recent public investments in major cultural institutions by investing in the creative capacity of future artists and creative workers.
This goal can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Here are just two ideas:
— ‘Doors Open’ visits for schools – The popular ‘Doors Open Toronto’ program27 could be expanded so school children can visit culturally significant buildings during the school week. This program would expose young people to inspiring creative spaces and great architecture.
— Free museums and art galleries for under- 20’s – Once again, barriers to creative exposure could be removed by giving young people from all neighbourhoods and income levels free access to public museums and art galleries.
2. Transform Local Community Centres into Creative Community Hubs
Toronto has many thriving community centres that can and should be transformed into neighbourhood hubs. Creative Community Hubs would combine cultural/creative development programs with the economic revitalization of an at-risk neighbourhood by providing enabling financial support and services. This approach capitalizes on existing organizations and knowledge of local issues and conditions, allowing programs to be developed and adapted to each neighbourhood’s specific needs and creative talent – whether in the central city or more suburban locations. Pilot projects could be carried out in a few neighbourhoods to start, both downtown and in Toronto’s suburbs.
The Point Community Development Corporation in New York City is an effective example of this type of creative community programming linked to local economic development. The Point uses the creative heritage of the South Bronx (a neighbourhood better known for poverty, crime, poor schools and inadequate housing) to catalyze community development by encouraging youth to cultivate their artistic and entrepreneurial capabilities. The Point recognizes the talent and aspirations of local residents as the area’s greatest assets and offers programs to develop that talent in music, dance, photography, theatre, fashion and other disciplines. Enterprise and community development activities are connected to the artistic programs while, at the same time, small businesses and non-profit organizations are incubated. In the process, the Point promotes projects that address locally relevant concerns such as transportation, pollution, open space and environmental stewardship.28
Another example of successful leveraging of local resources in this manner can be found in Creative London’s Hub Strategy, working in areas of London with high concentrations of creative businesses. In each neighbourhood, a lead organization is designated as a focal point through which further assistance to cultural industries and creative activities is channelled to continue addressing local needs. Hubs differ in their structure depending on local circumstances, but can act as incubators for creative businesses, clearinghouses of information on locally available property, developers of long-term plans for the local creative sector and promoters of local creative work.29 In many neighbourhoods, Creative London is using this approach to address the needs of economically and socially disadvantaged communities. In this way, they are pursuing an economic development strategy that is both creativity-based and socially inclusive.
3. Fund Arts and Creativity in Public Education
Experience in California (as described in the sidebar on Cultural Initiatives Silicon Valley) confirms that long-term neglect of arts education in public schools weakens a city’s attractiveness to highly educated workers with school-age children. Toronto cannot afford to take this risk at a time when its economic future depends on its ability to generate, attract and retain a talented workforce.
As long as funding of arts and creativity remains unstable and spatially uneven within the public school system, Toronto’s youth are being short-changed. We are giving them less of an education than they deserve and limiting their ability to succeed, as well as the ability of the region to reap the social and economic benefits of their education.
While governments are prepared to acknowledge the importance of arts programming, they are not always prepared to fund it. Stronger advocacy on the part of parents, communities and educators is essential to ensure that governments make arts programming a priority in public education.
This is largely but not solely an appeal to governments. Private sector partners who are prepared to fund arts programs in schools must be encouraged to step up to the plate and help the artists and creative workforce of tomorrow – people, in fact, they may some day be employing – receive a full and well-rounded education that includes the arts.
And here are some of your suggestions:
directing money for the funding of supplies to community centres or the funding of performance/atelier space, or investments in and imrovements to venues, or organizing of events for the exposure of artists, and so on
Aren't they remarkably concrete and similar in many ways, and hardly nebulous?
AoD
