EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Town of Canmore enjoys an enviable number of attributes: it is growing; its populace is diversifying; it is located in a region that attracts tourists along with new citizens; and it has the potential to become a cultural hub for residents and visitors alike.

In order to achieve its full potential as a cultural destination and centre of activity, Canmore requires a comprehensive plan that includes a review of its cultural past, where it finds itself currently in terms of cultural practice, and how it can continue to grow its cultural community. Research has proven that healthy communities are born of numerous factors that affect the wellbeing of their residents: economic prosperity, access to education and healthcare, sustainability, liveability, a sense of belonging. A supported cultural sector plays a critical role in contributing to healthy communities on myriad levels – people from diverse backgrounds learn about each other through collaborating; youth are able to freely demonstrate their creativity; residents, whether new or long-settled, are made to feel welcome by participating in events that are unique to where they live; Indigenous peoples receive long overdue recognition for their cultural heritage as expressed in stories and tactile creations, past and present. Cultural industries play a major role in the practical aspects of community building, from providing employment, to contributing economically via direct and indirect spending, to beautification.

This plan is the result of an investigation into cultural practice in Canmore – how it emerged, how it serves the community, and what is needed to ensure continued growth. Support for culture in the form of a public art program, events, a bursary program, and municipally funded spaces, while effective, needs to be more robust.

After reviewing the results of intensive research involving in-person and virtual community consultations, it is clear that Canmore as a municipality has enormous potential to ensure its cultural sector will thrive and contribute substantially to its sustainability. Stakeholder interviews, focus group sessions, workshops, a public survey, and talking circles, as well as consultations with municipal staff, resulted in identifying a set of recommendations and proposed actions that will contribute to the growth, flourishing, and expansion of culture in Canmore.

The research resulted in identifying four areas of focus that will frame how culture will be managed going forward, as well as accompanying challenges:

• Leadership – engaging champions and individuals to promote culture as a fundamental component of community building

› Challenge: The broader relevance and role of culture is not fully understood or integrated into municipal development, planning, and strategic priorities.

• Inclusion – recognizing cultural differences and embracing equity, diversity, and inclusion within cultural programming as being crucial to creating a sense of belonging

› Challenge: There are socio-economic, cultural, and geographic variances in levels of participation in culture.

• Space – investing in appropriate spaces to ensure accessibility to culture in all its various forms

› Challenge: Canmore’s cultural spaces are at maximum capacity and are ageing, and with growth imminent, its sense of place is at risk.

• Investment – supporting a variety of initiatives such as mentorships, cultural organizations, accessible spaces, and non-traditional cultural and arts events to advance community building

› Challenge: The capacity of Canmore’s cultural organizations and festivals lack the support and flexibility needed to address sustainability and growth.

Advancing culture will be achieved through a series of recommendations and actions to be implemented and applied starting in 2020, summarized as follows:

Leadership – Elevate the role of culture in community building

Recommendations:

• adopt culture as a pillar of sustainability

• transition the Arts and Events Department to the Cultural Development Department with a focus on cultural placemaking, cultural sector support, and investment

• transfer responsibility for and functions of non-cultural community events and programs to an appropriate department

• develop three new service areas that focus on cultural placemaking, sector support, and investment

• develop procedures and reports to communicate the impact of the Cultural Master Plan

Inclusion – Advance right relations, promote cultural equity and expression, and increase community access to culture

Recommendations:

• address cultural disparities across race, age, ability, sexual orientation, and languages by intentionally facilitating opportunities in historically marginalized communities

• align efforts in community social planning to reduce overlap and increase community access to culture

Space – Ensure town spaces and places reflect the community’s shared history and advance local culture

Recommendations:

• increase presence and visibility of Indigenous culture throughout Canmore

• conduct a service review of publically funded spaces (artsPlace) to determine if desired service levels, participation, predicted growth, and use meet current and future needs

• invest in and support the development of a Cultural Infrastructure Plan

• assume management of spaces that can be repurposed (Miners’ Union Hall) to assess and improve access for cultural use

• examine regulatory frameworks and explore ways to reduce barriers to and increase opportunities for the creation, production, and presentation of culture in municipal and community spaces

Investment – Strengthen Canmore’s cultural workforce and sector; support and promote traditional and diverse forms of cultural expression

Recommendations:

• disperse the current funds in the Art Trust Fund to public art over a two-year period (2021–2022) in order to deliver on the current Public Art Policy vision and objectives

• beginning in 2023, reallocate the annual allocation of $3 per capita from the Art Trust Fund, and any remaining funds designated for public art to a new funding program for cultural development; increase the investment from $3 per capita to $6 per capita by 2030.

• develop, implement, and invest in supports that build the capacity of the cultural sector and promote local culture

• develop a public art plan that includes a percent-for-art funding model