ArtWorks: Richmond Arts Strategy

ArtWorks: Richmond Arts Strategy 2019-2024 serves as a guide for decision-making to empower ideas, people and resources around a shared vision to advance the policies, programs and services needed for the arts to thrive in Richmond.

Rooted in local context, the Strategy positions the arts as a means to achieve community goals in economic development, health and well-being, infrastructure and tourism.

The development of the Arts Strategy took into consideration the goals and vision for Richmond as outlined in the Official Community Plan and related City Plans and Strategies. It is based on broad community input and was the result of extensive research and community engagement.

 
 

The Vision

Richmond’s thriving arts scene:

  • Animates our city every day;
  • Offers rich arts education and experiences, festivals and events;
  • Fosters social connections and wellness;
  • Builds arts and culture leadership; and
  • Provides creative spaces

 

 Photo: Richmond Art Gallery

Guiding Principles

The following Principles will guide arts development in the City of Richmond through 2024:

  • Striving for EXCELLENCE among all who participate in and contribute to the artistic life of Richmond from City services to community organizations to individuals of all ages and skill levels.

  • SUSTAINABILITY to 'future-proof' the arts through funding, education, infrastructure, mentorship and the integration of the arts into the everyday fabric of our city.

  • Expressing CREATIVITY through experimentation and fostering collaboration among diverse voices.

  • Providing broad ACCESSIBILITY to arts experiences and advancing INCLUSIVITY to connect people through the arts.

  • COMMUNITY-BUILDING through creative engagement and dialogue, and honouring the spirit of Reconciliation.

  • CELEBRATION to showcase and inspire Richmond's artistic vibrancy

 

Strategic Directions

Five Strategic Directions will lead the City’s arts and cultural development:

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Strategic Direction 1: Ensure affordable and accessible arts for all

  • Continue to support a diverse range of free and affordable arts programming.

  • Support access to creative tools and resources, especially for youth.

  • Engage the imaginations of all generations through creative education and outreach.

  • Identify and address accessibility barriers to creative participation.

 
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Strategic Direction 2: Promote inclusivity and diversity in the arts

  • Celebrate Richmond's diversity, history, growth and change as a community.

  • Cultivate a sense of belonging through creative engagement.

  • Broaden understanding of what artistic expression can be through education and experimentation.

  • Leverage Richmond’s diversity to develop representative programming and events that attract audiences from within and beyond the City.

  • Enable partnerships, connections and collaboration among diverse organizations, venues and creative partners.

 
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Strategic Direction 3: Invest in the arts

  • Build creative capacity through planning and development.

  • Connect creative producers to the tools, training and supports that are vital to their work.

  • Broaden the economic potential and contribution of the arts.

  • Attract and engage high-profile leaders to advocate and invest in arts and culture.

  • Integrate the arts at a strategic level in community, economic, tourism, environmental and wellness planning.

 
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Strategic Direction 4: Increase awareness and participation in the arts

  • Cultivate arts and cultural leadership.

  • Connect the Richmond community to creative events, news and resources.

  • Engage the Richmond community with creative experiences and artistic encounters in their daily life.

 
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Strategic Direction 5: Activate public spaces through (and for!) the arts

  • Work towards meeting the demand for creative spaces and cultural facilities.

  • Generate creative spaces and cultural amenities in new developments.

 
 
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Photo: Community Engagement, Aberdeen Mall

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Photo: Launch event, Lipont Gallery

Community Engagement and Launch

The Richmond Arts Strategy is the culmination of an extensive process of community engagement and input.

The 25-member multi-generational and multicultural Task Group — mirroring various aspects of life in Richmond, including representatives from local arts and cultural organizations, businesses and independent artists—was essential to ensuring the Strategy appropriately reflects community input.

Feedback from the community at large was also integral to each stage of the Strategy's development, and was collected from hundreds of Richmond residents and community stakeholders who responded, contributed and gave feedback, along the way. Download a list of community engagement activities.

The Arts Strategy was officially launched on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at Lipont Place.