ART. FUTURE. CHANGE. Investigating the dimensions of change in the Visual Arts in Canada

Transcription

1 ART. FUTURE. CHANGE. Investigating the dimensions of change in the Visual Arts in Canada February 18, 2015 Prepared for the Canada Council for the Arts by Helen Kerr

2 Table of contents INTRODUCTION KEY INSIGHTS PHASE 1 - DISCOVERY PHASE 2 - CONSULTATION A) National Participatory Workshops Methodology Summary of National Participatory Workshop Information B) National Online Survey Methodology Summary of National Online Survey Information CONCLUSION 2

3 INTRODUCTION The visual arts landscape has changed and continues to be in flux. In recent years, the visual arts sector has experienced significant change. The number of practicing artists has increased, as has the number of organizations and the type of organizational structures. The costs associated with having an arts practice or organization (materials, space, technology) have also been increasing. While there has been an increase in the number of platforms and venues for engaging with the public, for many artists and organizations, the incorporation of new technologies and skills to reach audiences is not yet easily integrated into the making and programming of art. The Canada Council for the Arts recognizes that its support to the arts sector can no longer underpin growth as it was intended in the past. Despite increased funding to the visual arts sector over the last 15 years, many artists and arts organizations are struggling. The majority of the Council s Visual Arts budget is dedicated to two multi-year programs, leaving a small pool of funds available for project support. Thus, only a restricted number of small grants is available for a large pool of organizations. The result is that the Visual Arts programs are less and less able to respond to the diversity of practices and organizational models, and to time-sensitive projects of ambition and scope. Since 2013, the Canada Council for the Arts has been reviewing its operating grant programs in a series of discipline-based consultations with the arts community. The goal of these consultations has been to find optimal ways to support the arts sector, now and into the future. In light of the significant changes affecting the visual arts milieu, the Visual Arts Section decided it was necessary to break from its usual practice of consultation and embark on a different process. Consultants KerrSmith Design were engaged to craft an alternative process that would engage the whole of the arts ecosystem to productively explore the dimensions of potential change. The result was a series of future visioning workshops in 11 locations across the country. These workshops were complemented by a national online survey, which enabled the Section to receive insights from a much larger number of participants than could be possible in face-to-face meetings. Why consult in this way? In his book Resilience: Why Things Bounce Back, author Andrew Zolli states that in times of change and stress, it is critical to gain the ability to maintain core purpose, with integrity, under the widest variety of circumstances. More broadly, it s the ability to recover, persist or even thrive amid disruption. [1] This report represents a distillation of the hopes, fears, aspirations and challenges expressed by participants from both the Visual Arts Section s cross country consultations and the accompanying national online survey. [1] Zolli, A., & Healy, A. (2012). Resilience. New York: Free Press. 3

4 Key insights 1. Ability of the Arts Ecosystem to Thrive Despite the persistence of funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, many artists remain economically disadvantaged, sometimes severely so. Council has limited capacity to support an expanding and evolving ecosystem while at the same time, many other public sector funders have decreased their funding. The modest art market in Canada favours a small number of artists, leaving many practitioners with few outlets outside of granting to maintain a living wage or to pay for the space they require to do their work. Artists are aging like the rest of the population but often without the benefit of pensions and their well-being is a concern. Public funding for the practice of art and the support of organizations that allow artists to connect to each other and their audiences is not only a critical component of a flourishing ecosystem, but is also understood as an essential defining characteristic of Canadian public values. 2. Equitable Access and Inclusive Perspectives Regional differences persist. The arts ecosystem is not the same across the country and needs vary accordingly. Regional disparities in the economy as a whole, including overall demographic shifts, impact the arts community despite thriving practice and established organizations in some areas. For example, the Atlantic region has seen dramatic decreases in funding options due to reductions in municipal and provincial budgets despite a productive community. Northern and remote regions feel distanced from their peers and customers and seek access to a broader conversation. Diversity of practice and of practitioners needs to be acknowledged in the peer review process as new communities evolve. As a pluralistic society, Canada needs to make room for new voices at the table while supporting those who have been disenfranchised in the past. What constitutes a peer should be re-examined to include a wider and more inclusive definition. 3. Connectedness The vastness of Canada with its relatively small population and differences in regional experience make it challenging to foster a sense of connectedness with peers, other Canadians and the rest of the world. Digital technologies and networks have contributed to making the world appear smaller, however focused effort is required to build the interconnection and relationships desired by the arts milieu. Blurring boundaries between arts practices, organizational models and sectors contribute to the complexity of navigating today s world. Borderless allegiances allow for trans-jurisdictional associations. The importance of partnerships and collaboration is becoming more evident for artists and arts organizations. For funders, a whole system perspective of the arts is increasingly necessary. 4

5 4. Understanding and Valuing Art The landscape is changing around artists and organizations, especially with respect to the impact of technology in art-making, in dissemination and connection with audiences/publics, and in the day-to-day activities of organizations. New forms and practices of art, including collaborative expression, intangible or virtual presentation, and hybrid practices require new skills and knowledge in addition to prior learning. Academic discourse is not always in sync with innovative approaches and may not recognize new forms of experimental practice. Critical writing has fewer outlets, meaning less sense-making of these new directions and less engagement with a wider audience. The granting system also has a direct impact on determining the shape of both artistic practice and the organizations that have risen to support them. While peer review continues to be seen as a necessary component of maintaining the integrity of visual art funding, rapid emergence of new practices and loci of activity may mean that there are significant and important shifts in the art ecosystem that elude funding, especially if there are few practitioners at the outset to establish merit. Emergent artists are beginning to work outside the current art system that they may feel does not meet their needs. While more people than ever are seeking to participate in creative endeavors, Canadian society at large, and the general economic infrastructure in particular, are not keeping pace by valuing art practice, art dissemination, art literacy and art integration into other sectors as fundamental to the well being of society. Greater levels of both fiscal and policy support were deemed necessary for the betterment of the arts ecosystem and Canada. 5. Capacity to Adapt in a Changing Environment In changing times, emergent operational models for organizations are needed. Despite the desire to adapt, necessary skills for transformation are not diffused across the ecosystem. While the arts milieu is not the first to experience disruptive change, its unique problem solving skills have the potential to turn a lack into a gain by collaborating with sectors that have already faced this challenge. Beyond the need to keep pace with technological change, adaptive strategies must also include new approaches to co-operation, partnership and engagement. Pervasive in the consultations was a strong resistance to being viewed through business frameworks that are seen as insufficient representation of the arts sector. However, much can be learned from innovative strategies in start-up culture, social enterprise and experimental development; as well as emergent non-profit business models that are being explored across other sectors. 5

6 Phase 1 - discovery Methodology In order to develop a deeper understanding of the changes taking place in the visual arts sector, KerrSmith conducted an extensive review of internal Council and Visual Arts Section documentation, as well as national and international studies and reports on the sector. To probe deeper into the purpose of the consultation, the Visual Arts Secion team was led through a Purpose ViewFinder exercise. Armed with a deeper understanding of the challenges affecting the visual arts milieu, KerrSmith worked with the team to identify what outcomes might be achieved through a different multi-stakeholder consultation with the visual arts community. To do this the team explored a broad range of issues facing the visual arts sector and Council, to clarify how Council s role has been changing and uncover what types of insights the team expected to gain from the consultation process. Summary of Purpose ViewFinder Workshop The Purpose ViewFinder workshop revealed the specific purpose for this consultation with the arts community, and the principles that would guide the engagement with members of the visual arts community. The purpose of the consultation process was to facilitate an inclusive, productive and empowering conversation with the visual arts community that was focused on an evolving sector-wide perspective. The goal was to foster a shared understanding of how the landscape is changing and what this might mean for artists, arts organizations, audiences and funders. It was also very important for the Section to gain insights into how Council support could help the visual arts sector to achieve its aspirations and continue to help to stimulate a vibrant and thriving community. As the consultation team, comprised of several members of the Visual Arts Section and KerrSmith Design, proceeded through the consultations, we were guided by a set of core principles: Artist centred recognizing that artists and their work are at the centre of the visual arts sector Arts organization focused understanding that arts organizations are instrumental in bringing audiences in contact with artists and their works Transparent committed to a transparent exchange of ideas Inclusive seeking the diversity of perspectives in the whole visual arts community, through both the face-to-face workshops and the national online survey Arts community empowering desiring a productive conversation about change that enables the arts community to create new opportunities Sector-focused seeking for this intervention to stimulate a vital and diverse visual arts sector Future-focused looking to the future needs and aspirations of the visual arts community 6

7 Phase 2 Consultation The national consultation process was comprised of two main activities: National Participatory Workshops and a National Online Survey. These activities are described in the following sections. A) National Participatory Workshops Methodology As the aim of the consultation was to facilitate a sector-wide discussion about how the visual arts ecosystem was evolving, it was clear that a future focused process would be necessary. To this end, KerrSmith designed a 4-hour workshop based on the Three Horizons [2] futures method pioneered by UK foresighters Bill Sharpe and Anthony Hodgson. The Three Horizon method enables participants to develop a deeper understanding of the importance of short (Horizon 1), medium (Horizon 2) and long term (Horizon 3) potential future conditions. The foundation of this method is the recognition that businesses, technologies, political policies and even whole civilizations exhibit life-cycles of initiation, growth, peak performance, decline and even death. These cycles can be viewed as waves of change in which a dominant form is eventually overtaken and displaced by another. [3] The Three Horizons method has been successfully used in a number of settings and social sector domains, including education and healthcare [4]. As an effective tool for exploring change and transformation in the social sphere, we felt it was an excellent tool for fostering a deep, sector-wide discussion about transformation in the visual arts ecosystem today and into a future of years from now. The approach to processing workshop information was to take a national perspective and group generated ideas according to emergent thematic clusters. Both significant trends that were reflected across the country as well as regional differences that indicated specific experiences and perspectives were of interest. Consultation workshops took place in 11 cities across the country Vancouver, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Fredericton, Halifax and St. John s. In order to have a productive working session, a maximum of 20 community members were invited to engage in each workshop. Participants were divided into 3-4 small sub-groups and worked with facilitators from KerrSmith Design and the Visual Arts Section to proceed through a series of exploratory exercises. The Three Horizons method is highly visual and each sub-group contributed their ideas to a large sense-making chart. The following exercises guided the discussion: (see Illustration 1). [2] Seeing in Multiple Horizons: Connecting Futures to Strategy, Journal of Futures Studies, Andrew Curry, Anthony Hodgson, August [3] [4] Bill, S. (2013). Three Horizons: The Patterning of Hope. Triarchy Press. 7

8 Illustration 1 - Three Horizons Workshop Map H1 H2 H3 FIT FoR PURPosE Ex 1 Ex 4 Ex 2 PATHWAys To THE FUTURE CHAllENGEs IN THE VIsUAl ARTs ECosysTEM EXPloRING A FUTURE VIsUAl ARTs ECosysTEM Ex 3 EVIDENCE of THE FUTURE THAT EXIsT ToDAy Ex 5 WHAT PERsIsTs TIME Exercise 1: Horizon 1 Challenges in the visual arts ecosystem The first exercise was designed to bring to the surface the evidence that indicates how and where the visual arts ecosystem is under strain. The intent was to for participants to articulate any dissatisfaction with the status quo situation. Facilitators prompted discussion among the participants with the following questions: How is today s visual arts ecosystem challenged? What evidence suggests the current system is under strain? How do emerging conditions change things? Exercise 2: Horizon 3 Exploring a future visual arts ecosystem The second exercise shifted the perspective to the future (10-15 years from now) and pushed participants to explore transformational change. Participants were asked to move beyond simply extending into the future the structures and practices of today and rather imagine how tomorrow s visual arts ecosystem might evolve more completely. The details of a preferred future condition were elicited. The prompting questions were: How could this be vibrant and thriving? What values and norms could stimulate the change? Exercise 3: Evidence of the future that exists today Recognizing that pockets of the future exist already today, the third exercise enabled participants to put forward examples of change already in practice in the arts in Canada and elsewhere, or in other domains and sectors that could be models. Information gathered from this exercise informs our analysis of Horizon 1. 8

9 Exercise 4: Horizon 2: - How do we get there? The fourth exercise explored the pathways needed to reach our aspirational futures. Actionable steps that could be built upon were sought in order to make productive and positive change a reality. This discussion was prompted by the question: What emerging practices are aiming at the future we desire? Exercise 5: What persists? Recognizing that there are current activities that are productively enabling, the final exercise allowed participants to identify those aspects of today s ecosystem that should persist into the future. Information gathered in this exercise informs our analysis of Horizon 3. Information sharing Finally, in order to support the sharing of perspectives, the subgroups reported in plenary and each presented their Three Horizons Posters back to the whole group twice after exploring Horizons 1 and 3, and again at the end of the session. Discussing what persists from Horizon 1 Participants explore Horizon 3 9

10 Summary of National Participatory Workshop Information The Three Horizons posters that emerged from each of the 11 cities visited (typically 3-4 per city) were reviewed, in addition to the notes taken by scribes attending each session. Thematic clusters emerged in each of the three horizons. The Three Horizons method enabled participants to engage in a constructive dialogue about what is no longer working as it should in the visual arts system today, what shape an aspirational future for the visual arts might take, and what a pathway to achieving that future might look like. To aid with processing workshop data, the consultant team made use of affinity mapping, a method for sorting qualitative information using natural relationships for review and analysis. This type of information processing enables the wide range of ideas raised in the 11 workshops to be mapped onto one board, where key themes and clusters of ideas could rise to the surface. Colour coded short form notation was used to represent key concepts. Horizon 1 data were presented in red, Horizon 2 data were presented in blue, and Horizon 3 data in green, reflecting the same usage in the workshops. Illustration 2 - Affinity Mapping of Workshop Information 10

11 It became clear that key ideas from the workshops could then be sorted into resonant categories, which have been identified as the scope of the discussions and which cross the three horizons. Each of these categories represents a range of dimensions; core issues of concern, potential areas of risk, potential opportunities for change and underpinnings of hope within the sector: Ability to Thrive refers to the necessary conditions for a flourishing sector at every level Access & Inclusion references the lack of, and need for, diversity, multi-stakeholder participation and equity throughout the arts ecosystem Connectedness The network and relationships necessary for a productive ecosystem Understanding & Valuing Art refers to the intrinsic and extrinsic worth and importance of art to individuals, groups, organizations and society as a whole Capacity to Adapt how to navigate the pressures of the changing environment and conditions for success All of these clusters of information can also be understood at different contextual scales, which also cross the three horizons. These scales were identified as being at the level of: Artist - related to the needs and behaviours of artists and art-making Arts Organizations - related to the needs and activities of arts organizations, galleries and museums Arts Infrastructure - related to the service and support activities of government agencies, education, policy and funding bodies Art & Society - related to the impact, value and interaction of the art sector with the wider world. On the following pages is the summary information mapped into chart format. The comments included are neither exhaustive, nor verbatim transcriptions of the discussions in each city. Rather, they are cumulative and represent a synthesis of the voices of the many participants throughout the country. In some cases, contradictory information has been included to demonstrate the dimensions of an issue that has yet to be fully resolved. No hierarchy of importance has been placed on the order of their presentation. 11

12 Summary of Workshop Information 1. Ability to Thrive Necessary conditions for a flourishing sector at every level Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Artists Artists are unable to make a living wage. Keeping up to date with technology change is expensive. It s difficult for artists to promote themselves they don t have the skills or the time to do it properly. Artists and cultural workers are burnt out from doing more with less. Remote regions of Canada are still recovering from the effects of the economic downturn. Artists in remote regions can t develop skills in new media they are too busy trying to sell work to survive. While it s a challenge to survive as an artist it is acutely more so for artists in remote regions. There is a lack of affordable spaces for visual artists and organizations. For Next Generation Artists, membership in organizations is less important. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Artists will have a living wage, affordable space to live and work, time to think, and the money to travel. Artists will receive state salaries - there will be no need for funders. Artist will be fully employed and paid full retail value for their work. Arts students will be well prepared for a career in the arts. Artists won t be subsidizing arts organizations with the donation of their artworks. There will be tax breaks to support artists and arts supporters, a healthcare program and retirement support for artists and cultural workers. In the north and remote communities, artists will be able to generate sufficient money to stay and thrive here. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Start paying artists full retail value for their work. Develop ride share program so that artists can travel affordably. Stop the practice of asking artists to subsidize arts organizations with their art donations. 12

13 Summary of Workshop Information 1. Ability to Thrive Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Arts Organizations There is a mentality/mindset of scarcity within the arts community. Individuals and organizations are doing more with less. There is a pressure to do more - Organizations are motivated to do too much. Arts organizations are under strain from artists and funders and are drifting from their missions. Keeping up to date with technology change is expensive. Volunteers in arts organizations are under strain. Many volunteers are practicing artists or cultural workers. Most of the work is done by a small number of people. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Arts groups that are starting out will be nurtured. Arts organizations will be able to maintain their mandates and activities because they are financially sound. There will be benefits for staff and organization members. There will be digital rentals of art works. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Create funding programs outside of Council which would enable large budgets and projects. Maintain long-term Council grants for predictability. Create tax credits for investing in/donating to the arts. Pool resources to address digital collections. Require fewer exhibition cycles and publications. Art & Society The sector has experienced a loss of long-term philanthropists. Audiences are stressed and can t afford to participate. Capitalism will come to an end and there will be even distribution of wealth. There will be ample arts funding via multiple sectors, such as health, education, justice etc. Stimulate a culture of philanthropy. Create subsidized studio spaces in schools, hospitals and other public buildings. Real estate developers will fund the arts sector. Artists will have a different role in society and be better paid. 13

14 Summary of Workshop Information 1. Ability to Thrive Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art & Society (Cont d) Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem There will be 50 patrons for every individual artist and 500 patrons for arts organizations. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Art will be part of economic incubator initiatives. Arts Infrastructure Art schools are blamed for academization and of art and the growing number of artists competing for limited resources. There is a lack of private sector funding. Funding appears to go to artistic work and organizations that are already receiving funding. Funding from Council is static while costs for artists and arts organizations are rising. Assessment criteria should be centred on programming and artists. The art market is underdeveloped. There will be no need for funding agencies as artists and arts organization will be resilient and will be able to generate their own incomes/revenues. There will be an active arts market in Canada. There will be as many art galleries as there are Tim Horton s. There will be flexible funding e.g. 20 people funded for a year instead of one organization for 20 years, support to modular operational models. The grant application system and process will be simplified. There will be greater support for emerging practices and organizations. Establish a different conversation with Council one that is relational and not transactional. Get new money for the Canada Council. Revise Council s discipline boundaries. Group organizations according to size and budget for peer evaluation. Arts funders should be looking for artists to give money to instead of the other way around. Encourage funders to take more risks in in investing the unconventional. Create special programs for tackling high risk projects. Institute CARFAC fees for those who write about the arts. Develop a true art market. A balance will exist between big and small initiatives. 14

15 Summary of Workshop Information 1. Ability to Thrive Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Arts Infrastructure (Cont d) Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem There will be greater support for long term thinking and investing in the future. Public funders will be implicated in the development of philanthropic and sponsorship initiatives. There will be better tax benefits for non-government donors to arts organizations. Private sector corporations will make use of resident artists. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future 15

16 Summary of Workshop Information 2. Access & Inclusion Diversity, multi-stakeholder participation and equity throughout the arts ecosystem Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Artist For artists in remote regions, there are constraints around programs and the levels of funding available to them. There are large distances between where artists make their work and where their buyers are. Artists in remote regions can t develop their mastery in technique because too focused on making and selling work to survive. There isn t a lot of access to jobs to complement their practice, such as opportunities to be paid to teach, etc. Female and transgendered artists receive fewer commissions. Internet connectivity is not present in many communities cutting them off from the rest of Canada and the world. Many arts groups are working outside of institutions because they have no access. How practices are defined is exclusionary. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Provide opportunities for artists to participate on planning initiatives and government committees. Create opportunities for recent grads to be mentored by older and more established artists. Art students need to understand that there are many ways to be an artist. Arts Organizations There is a lack of cultural diversity in organizations staff, boards, volunteers, programming. Some organizations don t have the funds to engage the indigenous population in the desired way. New spaces and places will be used for the arts e.g. empty spaces. All art institutions will have a Canadian wing with an Aboriginal art collection. Decentralize where people experience art. Create multi-year support for community programming. Be welcoming of the public, be open and inviting. 16

17 Summary of Workshop Information 2. Access & Inclusion Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Arts Organizations Art forms that are not centred on exhibition (Cont d) are not well integrated into the visual arts system. In the North and remote regions, established organizations are in the performing arts; visual arts organizations are newcomers to the scene. There is a need for ethics guidelines for engagement with regard to representation on boards. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Diversity will exist in artists, organizational staff, programming and on boards. A heritage equipment collection will be established to preserve old technology. Collections will be inclusive and robust. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Have art openings on weekends, at times when the public can attend, not just when it s convenient for artists. In addition to connecting with kids and youth, connect with their parents too. Diversify boards by having directors who come from communities that don t frequent the gallery/organization. Encourage organizations to post info online about past and futures shows. Art & Society There is a perception that only the rich can afford to pursue a career in the arts. There will no longer be a need for cultural diversity programs as these artists and organizations will be integrated into milieu. There will be an artist on every municipal planning committee. More Canadian artists will be on the international scene. Factor galleries and arts support into the development of cultural plans Bring the arts into offices and businesses Make systemic racism and gender inequality a thing of the past There will be greater exposure to the arts in rural and remote communities. Major infrastructure for visual arts would be built in the north and remote communities - gallery, venues, youth programs, studios. 17

18 Summary of Workshop Information 2. Access & Inclusion Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art & Society (Cont d) Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem The visual arts will go to the people and not the other way around. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Audiences/public will experience art everywhere, not just in galleries. There will be art fairs to serve local communities. Arts Infrastructure Charges of elitism in the arts today. Who the best peers are for a given artist or organization is in question, especially if evaluation is based on past practice and not on future practice. Peer only juries are limited there is no room for educators to participate. The extent to which arts organizations are included in community is not part of assessment. There will be an indigenous post-secondary art school. Share learning gained from failures. Reallocate Council funds more equitably across the sections. Have Council act as a facilitator of access to other sources of funding. Make consequences for achieving objectives or not achieving them, such as the objective of working with underrepresented groups. There aren t many collectors or private galleries in Quebec. Power rests with the dealers and traders, not with the artists, this inhibits critical thinking. 18

19 Summary of Workshop Information 3. Connectedness The network and relationships necessary for a productive ecosystem Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Artist Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem There will be hubs where artists can engage with other creative industry professionals. Artists participate in a variety of other sectors. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Help artists to recognize the importance of their membership in a community, not just as an exclusive group of professionals. Arts Organizations There is a lot of pressure for organizations to be relevant to their communities. Silos separate ARCs, galleries/museums and art service organizations. Lack of collaboration between ARCs and galleries despite the fact that there are common interests. Visual arts sector is competitive and not used to collaboration. Networks are fragile and there is not a lot of collaboration with other organizations. Multi-use spaces will bring the arts and arts organizations in contact with health centres, libraries, etc. There will be more collaborative community centres. Large arts organizations will support smaller organizations rather than competing with them. Enable more funds for international exchanges. Foster strong connections between artists and communities, between organizations, artists and universities. Make museums a meeting point for many sectors. Create art projects with non-arts sectors. Create cross-sectoral networks to pool and share knowledge and other resources. Work together as a sector for mutual benefit, sharing equipment, resources and knowledge - avoid being fragmented and working at cross purposes. Seek connections to the non-arts world to share wisdom and learn from others. 19

20 Summary of Workshop Information 3. Connectedness Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art & Society Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Lobby as a whole sector to increase the impact of the effort. Arts Infrastructure Funders aren t working in concert with each other and there needs to be a coordinated approach to funding the sector. It is difficult to establish and maintain national connections. Artists need to understand what is going on in arts elsewhere important to make national and international connections. Some are starved for a sense of an international community. There is a desire to show work internationally but inadequate opportunities. There is a need to raise awareness of Canadian art on the international scene. Exchanges between artists and curators will proliferate and Canada will be a frontrunner on the international arts scene. There will be strong connections between artists and communities. Artist residencies will proliferate across the country. There will be more cross-disciplinary partnerships. The corporate sector will collaborate with the arts sector. Artists, funders and organizations should work together. Funders should work in concert, create joint programs and partner with other sectors to develop larger grants and enable large projects. Build bridges between arts disciplines. Establish a dialogue between all the sectors touching the arts. Public funders to reward, instead of penalize, resource sharing and collaboration. Make collaboration part of assessment criteria. Pan-Canadian and international collaboration is difficult. There is an inadequate national touring network. Shows between cities/regions are lacking. Have juries that travel to see the work and organizations. 20

21 Summary of Workshop Information 4. Understanding & Valuing Art The worth and importance of art to individuals, groups, organizations and society as a whole Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Artist Next Generation artists think differently about their art. Visual Arts practice is changing. Notions of modernism and high art are being challenged. Tensions between skills based and conceptual art. Conceptualism is strong but materiality is experiencing a resurgence art as object is valued again. Definition of visual arts doesn t make sense to many artists in remote or Aboriginal communities. It doesn t reflect their understanding of art making. Eurocentric approach to art needs to be examined. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem There will be artists who are household names. The Prime Minister will be an artist. Definitions of art will be broad and inclusive Object based art will disappear. There will be a return to craftsmanship and apprenticeships. Diverse artistic practices will be valued. There will be an holistic approach to art, with fewer categories. Art will be an expression of a community. Artists and arts organizations will be treated professionally. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Participate in municipal politics beyond just attending events and change the government to one that supports the arts. Find and cultivate a political champion for the arts. Develop a Canadian cultural action plan to be delivered by the people. Develop a better understanding of the social role of the artist. Arts Organizations Create funds for educational programs. Create a platform to curators and collectors to discuss their passions. Create specialized outlets for disseminating/ showing cultural content. Celebrate what the arts community does bringing communities together. Encourage audiences to get their hands dirty in marking art. In art schools, curricula focus less on art history and more on the social role of artists. 21

22 Summary of Workshop Information 4. Understanding & Valuing Art Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art & Society The public wants social experiences and not necessarily arts experiences. Interdisciplinary arts seem to be engaging more audiences. There is a disconnect between artists and audiences and contemporary art expression. There is a constant need to advocate for the importance of art. Public perception is that art is elitist. We need media campaigns to raise awareness about the arts. Advocacy and advocacy groups are crumbling. Artists have difficulty explaining their value to society. The role of artists is to make meaning, provide critical thinking. There is a lack of national discourse around arts literacy. Artspeak is at odds with arts literacy. Arts education isn t a priority in our society. There are tensions between notions of criticality and accessibility in art. Critical thinking in the arts is declining. Democratization of art risks lowering the bar. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Society will be art-centred, highly valuing art, and not just artists and art works There will be more great art and art will be recognized as a human right. People will experience art as they move through the city- in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, everywhere. Audiences will be engaged in the arts and art participative e.g. An ARTicipation program will exist across the country. The art public will grow in size and be art literate and engaged. There will be greater engagement and dialogue with communities. There will be effective media exposure for the arts. Artists will be at the centre of everything. There will be national recognition of the practices taking place in the regions. Quebec will be a must-see cultural destination. There will be a Quebec biennale rivaling Venice. Traditional art forms will be recognized and appreciated. There will be strong links between the arts, education and research. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Develop a better understanding of the social role of the artist. Draw the line between art and healing/wellbeing. Develop a public campaign to promote the arts and foster critical discussion with the press about art. Create a National Arts Foundation to promote the value of the arts. Use solid and big information to influence the discourse around the arts. In art schools, focus curricula less on art history and more on the social role of artists. Help artists to recognize the importance of their membership in a community, not just as an exclusive group of professionals. Have artists work with educators to redevelop curriculum. Create exchange programs for educators. Reestablish arts education in Kindergarten to Grade 12. Create commemorative plaques to increase visibility of art and artists. 22

23 Summary of Workshop Information 4. Understanding & Valuing Art Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art and Society (Cont d) Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Economic importance of the arts will be recognized. The criticality of art will be recognized and accessible to all. The arts/artists will be trusted and will spark dialogue on broad range of social issues, leading to greater investment in culture. Artists will be recognized as social problem solvers, their expertise will be recognized and used by other sectors. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Public support for the arts will be connected to a broader understanding of social value. Public support for the arts will be like support for sports. Arts education and literacy in contemporary art will be increased. 23

24 Summary of Workshop Information 4. Understanding & Valuing Art Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Arts Infrastructure Contemporary visual arts practice is seen by some to be over-academized. The theory is considered more important than the practice of art. Art is often less accessible to audiences without an MFA, PhD. There are few writers out there and few platforms for writing about art. Quantitative methods are inadequate for measuring the impact of the arts - there is a difference between attendance figures and quality of engagement. Applicants are often asked to say what the outcome is before the research has even started. Arts education isn t a priority in our society. Arts education is needed across the board in order to develop future audiences for the arts. The discourse around excellence is Eurocentric. Council grants are symbolic only. The public perception of the art market focuses on celebrity, high prices and scandals. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Art is emphasized from a young age and children will experience the arts as part of basic education. Art and culture will be embedded in all educations systems. In art schools, curricula focus less on art history and more on the social role of artists. Teaching institutions will be aligned with the arts milieu. There will be art super stars in Canada. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Reframe what success looks like and restructure how we measure it. Share success stories and tools with the sector. Redefine what is meant by excellence in an arts context. Assess artistic merit in relation to an organization s mandate. Have Council facilitate an annual discussion on topics of interest to the community. Establish arts prizes for different levels of practice. 24

25 Summary of Workshop Information 5. Capacity to Adapt Navigating the pressures for the changing environment and conditions for success Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Artist There is little training on how to raise private funding. Technology is changing practice for some. Lack of capacity building, resources for Aboriginal artists. A generational schism exists with regard to artists and audiences. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Artists will have a multidisciplinary view of the world and ways of working. There will be market development opportunities for artists. The maker movement and DIY culture will have influenced approaches to production and presentation. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Arts Organizations The programming organizations put together are bending to fit the objectives of grants. Reliance on public funding frames the dialogue in specific ways. There will be a system of incubation for the arts. Museums will look different and will program differently. Change the language to one of ambition and not one of lack. Have organizations articulate a long-term vision of financing. Balancing local mandate and a national conversation is difficult on limited funds. The business work of running the organization or a practice leaves little room for creative work. There is a desire to experiment but it is balanced by a risk of failure. Orgs feel a pressure to conform when it comes to funders and funding. There is a perception that static funding means diminished aspirations. Reluctance to talk about certain topics The arts sector will work in partnership to solve problems, rather than in competition. There will be new collaborative models, and longer-term collaborations will exist between arts organizations. Best practices in models of operation will be shared and promoted. Organizations will be led by artists with a broader skill set that includes business, staffing etc. There will be new organizational structures and roles. Arts organizations will be free to shift mandates as necessary. Use research to develop an understanding of audiences and how to engage them. Radically change practices for engaging audiences. Enable key human resources in organizations to circulate to other organizations so they can gain new experiences and perspectives and share their learning. Share admin staff across organizations. Have larger organizations partner with and mentor smaller organizations. 25

26 Summary of Workshop Information 5. Capacity to Adapt Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Arts Organizations blocks progress. (Cont d) Advanced programming planning doesn t lend itself to cutting edge shows. The rise of social media and digital technologies is leading to new strategies and models of operation. There is the recognition that new organizational models are needed today and in the future but organizations don t know how to develop them. Strategies are driven by fear and risk aversion. Organizations need new sets of skills. There is a lack of adequate training for today s cultural worker especially in terms of tech skills. Mentoring and succession planning is needed. We complain but do nothing to fix issues. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Research and exploration will be at the centre of arts/organizational practice. Organizations will have better governance. Organizations will have increased knowledge in how and why to use technology. Organizations will offer services to other organizations. There will be fewer hierarchical distinctions between organizations. Arts organizations will have operating and business models that work specifically for them. Arts organizations will see themselves as social enterprises. There is a greater acceptance of risk and experimentation. Practices that are grounded in uncertainty that can be useful in other sectors will be shared and leveraged. For profit and not-for-profit models will be acceptable. Arts organizations will offer micro-grants to artists. Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Bring expertise from outside the sector. Create an organizational mentorship system Connect those with skills to those who need them. Create training for organizational management. Create professional development programs for artists, cultural workers and smaller organizations. Encourage organizations to do succession planning. Ensure that boards have a better understanding of governance issues. Create seed funding for entrepreneurial projects. 26

27 Summary of Workshop Information 5. Capacity to Adapt Scale Horizon 1 Current Challenges Art & Society There is more competition for audiences due to fragmentation and more competition from other sectors around the globe. Demographics are changing and this has implications for arts audiences - diversity is increasing, gallery and museum visitors are increasingly aged and aging. There is an increase in online audiences and a decrease in physical audiences. Horizon 3 Exploring a Future Ecosystem Horizon 2 Pathways to the Future Arts Infrastructure There is little flexibility and predictability from funding programs. There is a lack of evidence-based research on the arts. Funders will be less bureaucratic and more flexible and responsive to the milieu and regional issues and specificities. Arts funding will support experimentation. Encourage universities to graduate art students with better professional skills. Build business knowledge alongside of practice. There is a strong fear of communicating failure. There will be flexible support for mobile and transitory spaces. Create risk capital so organizations can change as they need. Business and admin skills are not taught in art schools as a result students are not equipped with survival skills. Evaluations every 3 years do not help small organizations that are transforming quickly. Peer assessment s influence has led to safer choices. Peer assessment committees will exist for 3 years so they develop a better view of the sector. Create investment funding for profit-driven ventures. Recognize those arts organizations that are doing innovative things. Change the way we speak about what is difficult to measure. Let organizations assess the peer assessment process. 27

28 Post-Workshop Survey In practice, highly interactive and engaging methods such as Three Horizons serve to bring forward many ideas in the moment. However, some ideas only surface after reflection upon the whole experience. To capture these insights and impressions, we designed a short post-workshop survey with 6 questions: Which event did you participate in? How would you describe your role in the visual arts ecosystem? What changes/ideas most excite you? And why? What changes/ideas most concern you? And why? What new ideas would you like to add to the conversation? As a result of the workshop you participated in, how do you see the arts ecosystem evolving? The English-language post-workshop survey received 37 responses and the French-language survey received 8 responses. In addition to confirming that the workshop process had facilitated a productive sector-wide discussion, post-survey responses served to inform the formulation of the National Online Survey that followed. 28

29 B) National Online Survey Although it was not possible to conduct workshops with thousands of participants in huge workshops across the country, the Visual Arts Section wanted to hear from as many members of the community as possible. Based on insights from the National Participatory Workshops, we created the National Online Survey to reach a broader group of community members and dig deeper into some issues/concepts that surfaced in the workshops. Methodology Survey questions were designed to gather demographic information about respondents as well as their perspectives on changes in art and organizational practices, Council s present and potential future interventions in the visual arts ecosystem, and new organizational models. To support the National Participatory Workshops, the National Online Survey was made accessible from the Visual Arts Section s consultation webpage and disseminated throughout Council s visual arts network, and was additionally promoted through a digital push via twitter and e-bulletins. The survey was accessible to the public for two weeks in Mid-December 2014 and was offered in both French and English. The survey tool used for the National Online Survey facilitated the collation and processing of demographic information from both the English and Frenchlanguage surveys. In total, 982 people started the English-language survey and 285 people started the French-language survey. As the majority of questions and answers in the survey were narrative based, the information processing made use of affinity mapping to draw out the major themes. These were compared to themes and clusters identified through the National Participatory Workshops. Here follow the survey questions: Section 1 Some questions about you 1. In which city or region do you live and work? 2. What best describes your live/work context? (Please check one) Urban Regional Rural Isolated 3. What is the scope and reach of your work? (Please check all that apply) Local Regional National International 29