THE CREATIVE ECONOMY:

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• THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
• THE VALUE OF THE ARTS
• October 11, 2007

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Overview

• Context
• Defining the arts
• What value does it bring
• What makes a creative community?
• Case studies
• Discussion

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Context

• The arts, communities and the Canada Council for
  the Arts

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Canada Council for the Arts

• Federal arms length funding agency
• Mandate foster and promote the study and
  enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the
  arts
• 150 million in grants 2006-07
• Cost to taxpayer 5.29 each
• Peer Assessment Process for grant recommendations

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Canada Council for the Arts

• Support professional artists non-profit arts
  organizations
• Help artists gain access to international
  opportunities
• Partnership network with all three levels of
  government
• Prizes/ Art Bank/ UNESCO

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Canada Council for the Arts

• Nova Scotia in 2005-2006
• 3.4 million in grants
• Funded 63 individual artists
• Funded 64 arts organizations
• 500 writers receive Public Lending Right payments
• Share of Council funds in proportion to pop.
• Funding went to 39 communities

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Arts in Nova Scotia

• Total government funding at all levels in N.S. in
  2003/04 was 210 million
• Nova Scotians spent 670 million on culture in
  2005
• Sixth highest in Canada at 758 per resident
• Artists earn average of 20,000

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Arts in Nova Scotia

• 37 attended a performance of music, dance or
  theatre in 2005
• 23 visited a gallery
• Numbers stable since 1992
• Reading is the favourite activity

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Defining the arts

• What do we mean by the Arts?

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Defining the arts

• The arts can reach people, can move them, can
  inspire and challenge them.
• Rogers and Spokes
• Small towns Big Picture
• 2003

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Defining the arts

• Our art makes us unique, it records our lives,
  it provides forum for debate, it improves
  education, creates community engagement, drives
  national brand identity, encourages multicultural
  expression.
• The Council for Business and the Arts
• The Case for Investment in the Arts
• 2006

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Defining the Arts

• Canada Council definition
• Professional artists and arts organizations
• Artistic excellence
• Integral to healthy society
• Note the continuum from amateur to professional

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What is the value of the arts?

• Many experts have discussed how to define the
  value of the arts
• Valuing Culture Adrian Ellis, AeA Consulting
• Gifts of the Muse U.S. Think Tank Rand
  Corporation

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Valuing culture

• Paper by Adrian Ellis, U.K. Consultant (2003)
• Highlights historical views on value of the arts
• Contribution to the development of the human
  spirit
• Cultivation of the human mind
• Aesthetic pleasure

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Valuing culture

• Ellis notes recent shift to value being defined
  by
• Contribution to urban generation, tourism
• Creation of jobs
• Encouraging lifelong learning
• Vibrant arts infrastructure results in higher
  educated, more involved, creative residents
  (Richard Florida)
• Argues that intrinsic and instrumental values
  should be considered together

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Defining Value

• Richard Florida, Author Rise of the Creative
  Class
• Supports concept of creative communities
  attracting more creative, innovative people
• Creative community invests in lifestyle amenities
  that provide a community legacy
• These include arts facilities, public art, green
  space
• All provide for a better quality of life

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Gifts of the Muse

• Rand Corporation published Gifts of the Muse in
  2004
• Defined value in two ways
• Instrumental value how art helps to achieve
  other social and economic goals
• Intrinsic value the enjoyment of the arts,
  personal experience

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Gifts of the Muse
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Defining a value framework

• What are the benefits?
• The arts experience
• Personal development
• Interaction with family or friends
• Community/civic engagement
• Economic and macro-social benefits

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Defining a value framework

• Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
  study
•  Rediscovering the meaning and value of arts
  participation 
• Designed to define the value the arts bring to
  Connecticut residents
• Provided tools to arts organizations
• Over 700 residents participated
• Helped to define value connections

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Defining a value framework

• Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism
  study showed
• Respondents recognized existence of an
  inter-related arts ecosystem
• Arts are important to children
• Many had unexplored interests in art forms
• Real arts experiences were important
• Value is not dependent on knowledge or competency
  with the art form

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Defining a value framework

• Study input produced following values
• Cognitive engages the brain
• Aesthetic quality of life altered by art
• Physical acquiring physical skills
• Emotional provides means of feeling
• Socio-cultural connects people with
  communities
• Political art used to express political views
• Spiritual being transformed by arts
  experience

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Defining a value framework

• What values do you see?

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Defining a value framework
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What is a creative community?

• How do the arts help to provide favourable
  conditions for cultural, social and economic
  growth?

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Defining a creative community

• A creative community includes the following
  components
• Artists and arts organizations
• Cultural infrastructure
• Human interaction
• Community support and pride
• Arts education

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Defining a creative community

• Integrate cultural planning into economic
  development
• Begin by defining the cultural assets
• Include the artists, arts organizations,
  community leaders
• Look beyond the immediate community
• Access best practices
• Consider positive impact on residents

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Defining a creative community

• Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities
  
• 2006 Workshop on cultural indicators at the local
  level
• Examined sustainability and quality of life
  indicators
• Sustainability now includes culture and community
  development in addition to the environment
• Community Foundations of Canada includes a
  cultural as a quality of life indicator

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Case studies Urban Regeneration

• Artscape, Toronto
• Mission is to build creative spaces
• Opened first artist live/work building 1995
• Redeveloped dilapidated warehouse
• Area of Queen Street very run-down
• Now home to 22 artists and families
• Area is a growing art gallery district

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Case studies - Urban Regeneration

• Artscape, Toronto
• Other project Arts Cultural Centre
• Revamped police station
• Combines artist living with cultural facilities
• Developed in partnership with City of Toronto

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Case studies Urban Regeneration

• Artscape, Toronto - Impact
• Impact of both projects
• Lower unemployment
• New retail and housing
• Better occupations
• Higher income residents
• Increased community activities
• Improved streetscape

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Case studies -Strengthening Community

• Art City, Winnipeg

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Case studies Strengthening Community

• Art City, Winnipeg
• Renowned artist Wanda Koop identified need to
  revitalize neighbourhood
• Older area, run-down buildings, some retail
• Building was a boarded up night club
• Created an accessible, open, safe centre for
  creative expression

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Case studies Strengthening Community

• Art City, Winnipeg
• 275 participants monthly
• Professional artists work with staff
• Host annual community events
• Summer mural projects
• Linked to West Broadway Development Corporation

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Case studies Strengthening Community

• Art City, Winnipeg Impact
• Strong sense of community
• Increased self-esteem adult youth
• Initiatives are embedded in the community
• Works with other social service programs

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Case studies Economic revitalization

• Trinity, Newfoundland
• Rising Tide Theatre professional troupe
• Staged productions throughout province
• Produced historical play for Trinity
• Included local actors from community
• Next year, resulted in festival
• Community involvement and support
• Play and festival became annual events

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Case studies Economic revitalization
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Case studies Economic Revitalization

• Trinity, Newfoundland - Impact
• 6 years later, town built performance house
• The play and festival attract summer audiences of
  more than 20,000
• Play created 5 jobs
• Festival created 100 short-term jobs
• Strong community character

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What can you do?

• Work with artists and arts organizations on arts
  infrastructure (venue, audience, donors,
  supporters)
• Integrate arts into economic development
  discussions
• Adjust a by-law, provide space or partner with
  business and the arts
• Recognize the impact of the arts
• Personal
• Community

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Arts and communities

• The quality of a communitys cultural
  infrastructure also has a direct impact on
  quality of life and therefore on the
  competitiveness of communities in attracting
  people and investment.
• Canadian Council of Chief Executives
• From Bronze to Gold 2006

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Creative economy value of the arts

• Arts encompass many activities
• Can mean reading a good book
• Seeing a performance of Shakespeare
• Learning how to draw
• Seeing beauty in a painting
• They offer a sense of meaning
• Bring communities together

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Creative economy value of the arts

• Must look at communities differently
• Not just as efficient urban developments
• Not just as economic engines
• More communities see culture as an emblem of
  their identity
• Development of a creative community must be
  inclusive
• Artists, business and residents need to be
  involved

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Creative economy value of the arts

• Culture is not just an ornament it is the
  expression of a nations character, and at the
  same time it is a powerful instrument to mould
  character.
• Somerset Maugham

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Resources

• Creative City Networkwww.creativecity.ca
• Municipal Cultural Planning Partnershiphttp//ccm
  .uwaterloo.ca/
• Centre of expertise on culture and
  communitieswww.cultureandcommunities.ca