What our role as future cultural workers is going forward
We need to support the creation and preservation of cultural value in our communities. It is important to ensure that we have the appropriate programs and support in place in our communities at the local level and beyond. We would like to end this chapter with a note from Jamie MacLellan, Community Developer, Culture and Events, Recreation and Parks in the Halifax Regional Municipality. He suggests that “one fundamental role of arts administrators is to recognise the inherent value that exists in the work of our artists and cultural producers and likewise the wisdom and worth of our varied cultural constituencies and institutions, and to reflect those same values in the creation of funding programs” (Email correspondence, September 2021).
Federal funding agencies, provincial funders, as well as municipal, and community-based arts councils play a significant role in the development and preservation of our arts and culture sector. These agencies provide coaching, mentorship and of course funding to artists, craftspeople, and cultural organisations and groups. MacLellan notes “while not itself sufficient, a program framework that weights the success of a project in direct relation to the real value of that project to our varied cultural communities is a very good starting point” (Email correspondence, September 2021). He adds: “Implicit to this is an understanding that administrators cannot – or should not – themselves define these values and that they should instead be developed through careful relation to community stakeholders and embedded partner organisations. Programs should be designed with flexibility to allow those in the community to define the values and to articulate the successful community impacts of a particular project in the course of their application” (Email correspondence, September 2021).
The framework of our funding programs needs to be inclusive and equitable. The structures and formats that have been used in the past are not inclusive of all sectors of our community, and whether intended to do so or not, can exclude individuals and groups from diverse and under-represented communities through the structure of their grant and funding programs, the application process, or eligibility criteria. We need to challenge the processes in developing our future cultural policies including funding, training and development programs and others to ensure that they are welcoming and inclusive and truly represent our communities.
As MacLellan suggests “perhaps the most valuable asset available to arts grant administrators is the peer jury principle which acknowledges, in practice, that the collective mind of the cultural community is the most reliable arbiter of the intrinsic cultural value of a project. Does a proposal reflect community connection and collaboration? Does it exhibit real and impactful engagement with the broader community? Does the project support and sustain lasting and meaningful dialogue? Debate within a jury room can anticipate the discourse that may take place around a particular project and provides an invaluable community-minded lens to establishing community impact itself” (Email correspondence, September 2021).
As cultural professionals, we have an opportunity to make a difference. We have an opportunity to live our values and use soft power to help get things done in our community, supporting and nurturing the development and preservation of tangible and intangible cultural assets, enhancing the cultural value in our communities. The concepts we have discussed in this chapter include defining cultural values, cultural value and soft power as well as exploring methodologies such as cultural and creative ecosystem approaches, communities of practice and creative placemaking. There are a number of opportunities for us going forward as those of us who work in the arts and culture sector like to experiment by nature. We tend to try new things in the creative process and we tend to learn from our failures and adapt and move forward in a better way.