LaVerne Erickson, founder of Rosebud’s theatre and school and Alberta’s travel ambassador, would like to see the Province put more emphasis on promoting culture and the arts.
He believes many societal problems may be solved through engaging people, especially youth, in those pursuits.
“I would love to see, at a provincial level, an arts and cultural mandate... truly articulated that shows the importance of arts and culture in the quality of Albertans’ life,” Erickson said during the hamlet’s celebration of Alberta Arts Days, Oct. 1.
Sharing a number of statistics that pointed out changing trends in the labour force, population and participation in arts and cultural events, Erickson made a case for more spending and facilities for the sector.
“I don’t think urban planners have caught up,” he said. “They are pouring their money into sports facilities and recreation centres when they should be putting it into arts and culture.”
Erickson would like to see more value placed on libraries, museums, art galleries, theatres and other venues to reflect the growing trend in participation in these events.
Alberta Arts Days, an annual province-wide celebration of the arts that took place this year from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, was a step in the right direction, he added.
According to Erickson, the growth rate in attendance at arts events over the past 30 years is up to double the growth of those going to sports events.
Despite those changes, Erickson said funding for the arts continues to decrease, especially in schools.
Encouraging arts and culture in youth would help foster empathy and understanding for other cultures and beliefs, creating more harmony in Alberta’s multicultural society, said Erickson.
“The effect it would have on our children would be outstanding,” he said.
Without the changes, our society will likely be segregated by belief and background, he added.
“If we don’t put the arts at the forefront of our culture, we are going to have moral (breakdown). If we don’t communicate the stories of who we really are, we will become a ghettoized community.”
Rosebud, located about 100 kilometres northeast of Calgary, is home to Alberta’s largest rural professional theatre. The hamlet’s approximately 80 residents earn their living mainly through tourism and the arts.
