Arms-Length Cultural Development Feasibility Study
ANNOUNCEMENT: DECEMBER 11, 2017
Click here for the French version.
The Steering Committee of the Ottawa Cultural Alliance (www.ottawaculture.ca) is pleased to announce the launch of the Arms-Length Cultural Development Feasibility Study. This community- driven, community-wide study will identify potential new models and best practices for Ottawa’s cultural community and the City to work together to advance our city’s dynamic cultural sector. Community engagement is a big part of the study methodology, reflecting the importance of our community’s diverse voices being heard and reflected in the outcomes.
The Study is being led by a consulting team of Lord Cultural Resources and Nordicity, whose proposal to complete the work was selected through a competitive bidding process. In November, the Alliance issued a public call for Study Advisory Committee members, which met with enthusiastic response. From well over 30 applications, the Steering Committee selected an impressive 12-person Advisory Committee. Chaired by Barbara McInnes, former CEO of the Ottawa Community Foundation, the Advisory Committee brings together the diverse and balanced representation, knowledge, leadership, and personal qualities needed to help ensure a high level of community input and engagement, offer quality input to the study draft recommendations, and act as a strong sounding board on other activities that will strengthen the consultation process and engage the community more broadly.
Advisory Committee Members are: Barbara McInnes (Chair), Alexandra Badzak (Ottawa Art Gallery), Nicole Fortier (Société franco-ontarienne du patrimoine et de l'histoire d'Orléans), Julea Boswell (Propeller Dance), Christos Pantieras (visual artist, cultural events), Nik IvesAllison(Ottawa Music Industry Coalition), Christopher Blake (theatre, management/administration), Kelly Neal (Ottawa International Animation Festival), Christina Ruddy (Algonquin Way Cultural Centre), Julie Harris (historian, cultural heritage), Laila Djiwa (heritage, culture), Nicolas d’Arros (La Nouvelle Scène Gilles Desjardins). Earlier in November, we also launched a study consultation list from the Alliance’s website (www.ottawaculture.ca), where people can sign up to keep abreast of study progress and ways in which they can provide input to the process. Seventy people have already signed up
to the list.
The Ottawa Cultural Alliance is a network of six umbrella organizations that collectively serve as a voice for Ottawa’s dynamic cultural sector. Representing over 800 artists, arts groups, heritage groups and programmers, festivals, fairs and events across the City, we actively collaborate to advance the development and impact of the cultural sector for residents and visitors to Ottawa. As a result of the Alliance’s advocacy to Ottawa City Council on the importance of continued investment in the City’s Renewed Action Plan for Arts, Culture and Heritage in Ottawa (2013-18), the City of Ottawa’s 2017 budget included funding to be applied to undertake this study.
The Study’s Steering Committee is comprised of Ottawa Cultural Alliance Board and staff members:
The consultant will officially kick-off the study together with the Steering and Advisory Committees study on December 12, 2017, after which plans for public consultations and other project activities will be implemented in 2018.The Ottawa Cultural Alliance gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa for this study.
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