The Arts Policy Diaries:
Introduction and Disclaimer
With much gratitude to the Metcalf Foundation, the Toronto Arts Foundation, the John McKellar Foundation, and Business for the Arts, I’ve been afforded the opportunity to spend some time over the next two years thinking and writing about arts policy. This time will be exploratory in nature, allowing me to ask questions, follow hunches, make assumptions, and test ideas. Via ‘The Arts Policy Diaries’ blog, I intend to share with you my thinking in real time, as it evolves.
While I hope to bring forward compelling ideas, interesting perspectives and good questions, I equally wish to swim around in murky waters, exploring ideas that may or may not have merit or be ultimately substantiated. So, it is a public experiment where I will share with you my (mostly) uncensored train of thought. And I welcome your comments and responses to my missives, especially those that challenge, reinforce or add to my thinking.
Please feel free to use this blog to comment directly, or send me your thoughts at shannon@torontoarts.org.
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Shannon, great to connect with you at the Canadian Dance Assembly. The book(s) I was talking about include:
1. D.Paul Schafer and Andre Fortier, Review of Federal Policies For The Arts In Canada (1944-1988), prepared for the Department of Communications (prior to becoming Canadian Heritage), published by the Canadian Conference of the Arts, January 1989.
2. Steven Globerman, Culture, Governments and Markets: Public Policy and the Culture Industries, The Fraser Institute, 1987.
3. Art is Never A Given: Professional Training in the Arts in Canada, Report of the Task Force on Professional Training for the Cultural Sector in Canada, Supply & Services Canada, 1991.
4. Canadian Arts Consumer Profile, Canadian Heritage, May 1992.
I have more in mind and documents at home that might be of interest to you – we should probably talk – also memories of writing policy and legislation that someone currently in government would not be allowed to speak about. Let me know if you want to meet.
Ronald
Hi Ronald,
I have definitely read the first book on your list and would love to take a look at the others. Thank you for these recommendations!
Shannon
Great – if you cannot find them, let me know via an e-mail, and I can lend them to you.