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City moving forward with Cultural Action Plan

artember-2
Airdrie City council was provided with an update on the 2018 Cultural Action Plan at a meeting June 17, which highlights some of the initiatives undertaken this year by the City's Community Development department. File Photo/Rocky View Publishing

While the City of Airdrie is still examining the possibility of creating a municipal arts council, the Community Development department has been implementing its 2018 Cultural Action Plan (CAP18) – indicating arts and culture remains a focus.

“The City has to be leaders in starting a lot of initiatives,” Coun. Tina Petrow said. “Being leaders and setting that example is how our city is going to thrive, as far as arts and culture.”

According to Michael Dougherty, team lead of Community Development, the department facilitates the advancement of culture within the community through two main policies – a cultural policy and a public art policy, which both aim to enhance Airdrie’s vibrancy and identity. In addition to these two policies, he said, one of the department’s key tools in providing these services is the CAP18.

Council adopted the CAP18 in June 2018, and Dougherty said Community Development staff officially began working on the document’s five strategic directions and 15 goals or action items that September.

“Detailed work on roughly 66 per cent of the action items is currently underway – all in various stages of completion,” he said in a report to council at a regular meeting June 17. “The remaining 33 per cent will be actionable or planned for the remainder of 2019 and into 2020.”

One primary directive highlighted within the plan is the goal of enhancing Airdrie’s cultural sustainability by retaining the community’s small-town feel, despite consistent growth. Michael McAllister, community developer, said part of achieving this goal involves preserving the municipality’s historic resources – which, according to provincial data, includes 89 built-heritage resources and 39 archeological resources within the City boundary.

In March, the department requested council issue a Notice of Intent to designate Nose Creek Bridge as a Municipal Historic Resource. According to McAllister, a bylaw to that effect will be presented to council in 2019.

“Upon third reading, this bridge will be Airdrie’s first municipally-protected historic resource and will be the beginning of formal heritage management for the City,” he said.

Another goal of the plan is to increase recognition of arts and culture as contributors to municipal prosperity – and Dougherty said Community Development has been organizing opportunities to connect local artists with the business community through workshops, professional development and mentorships.

“These are important opportunities that have the ability to provide an artist with the confidence and tools to take their artwork into the public realm and find meaningful support in the community,” he said, adding some of the initiative’s efforts will be showcased during upcoming cultural events in September.

The CAP18 also intends to offer additional opportunities for community participation, highlighting the Nose Creek Park amphitheatre as a potential venue for visual and performing arts exhibitions and events. This summer, McAllister said, the City plans to activate this venue by introducing a new Music in the Park concert series through a partnership with a start-up non-profit, Airdrie Music Fest.

Additional initiatives through the CAP18 include the future installation of a donated public art sculpture, an upcoming civic partnership policy framework, engagement with post-secondary students and the development of new relationships with industry professionals, Dougherty added.

“The CAP18’s broad scope allows for many opportunities, laying a foundation for future success in cultural development in Airdrie,” he said.

According to Dougherty, the plan will be comprehensively reviewed and updated in 2020, “as Airdrie’s cultural community continues to evolve.” Progress is also evaluated on a monthly basis within the department, he added.

However, some councillors – including Coun. Candice Kolson, Petrow and Mayor Peter Brown – suggested an upcoming report regarding the possibility of developing a City-led arts council may impact the future direction of the CAP18 and the Community Development department.

“I would like to see us bring more arts projects,” Kolson said, adding she’d prefer the City introduce more initiatives like public art installations and do less event-planning and seminar-hosting. “I just think there’s some missed opportunities in our community.”



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