Mayor's Arts Visioning Committee - Edmonton as a Cultural Hub

I was fortunate enough to be a part of a Discovery Dialogue for Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel's Arts Visioning Committee last August 10.  Co-chaired by Dianne Kipnes and Brian Webb, the committee was tasked to understand and develop how Edmonton can use arts and culture to promote citizens' pride in the city through 2035 and beyond.  In the kick-off event "Think Tank for the Arts" last June that brought together artists, entrepreneurs, activists, performers, students, developers and community leaders, Mayor Stephen Mandel remarked that "Arts and culture form the very heart and spirit of a community, and are the things from which great cities are made.  I believe that Edmonton's vibrant arts community, knack for creativity and innovation, and unique multicultural character position us for success. This Think Tank event is about listening and working with the community to start to pull together an integrated and coordinated plan to raise the profile of arts in our city."

The Discovery Dialogues were the next round of consultations with various sectors of the community undertaken by the committee over the summer. Present were Councilor Ben Henderson, Dick Wong of the City Arts Council, Brian Webb and John Mahon, Executive Director of the Edmonton Arts Council. There were also representatives from various cultural communities engaged in the different arts - dance, music, opera, literature and the visual arts. The discussion centered around concepts and sharing of experiences on gaps in the Edmonton arts community, strategies, integration of arts and the business community, possible arts venues/locations, mentorship program, opportunities for emerging but mature artists, networking opportunities, festivals, free or low cost space, more quality performing venues, grants and other sources of revenue, artist recognition and integration of the arts further into the civic fabric.

The next round will be business, design and architecture stakeholder conversations on transforming and repurposing identified areas. These include the Rossdale Power Generation Station and riverfront plaza, MacEwan Centre for the Arts and Communications, Quarters area, downtown area and airport lands. Topics will include developing and planning the details about the amenities, programs and services that can be offered in these locations. The report with recommendations is targeted to be submitted by the Arts Visioning Committee to City Council by end of the year.

Ida Beltran-Lucila with Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel

It is gratifying to see that in these times of financial uncertainty, city government is pulling out all the stops in raising the profile of the arts and elevating it across the city, whereas other governments may be inclined to relegate it to the bottom of the priority list. After all, in the words of Mayor Mandel, "If we truly want to focus on attracting business and creating a superior quality of life for Edmontonians, we must start with the creative industry of our citizens... Opening our city up to the kind of creative excellence and energy that drives the arts industry is good business.  The arts can be a valuable economic driver for region."  Indeed, Edmonton will prove itself to be a good place for people, especially artists, to be.


* this article was written for Pinoy Times, published in September 2011 issue

Edmonton Heritage Festival 2011

Edmonton celebrated its 36th Heritage Festival from July 30-August 1 at the Hawrelak Park.  An annual showcase and celebration of Canada’s vibrant multicultural heritage, it boasted of 63 pavilions representing more than 75 cultures.  Inititated in 1974, then Minister of Culture Horst Schmidt declared the first Monday of August an annual holiday to recognise Alberta’s ethnic diversity.  A cultural feast for the senses, it showcased food, entertainment and arts and crafts displays.

Philippine Pavilion

Philippine arts and crafts on display, for sale

the Department of Tourism display with Phil. Pavilion Overall Chairman Wilf Ladores and choreographer/director Jojo Lucila

young boys performing the Maglalatik

dancers of the Karilagan Dance Society

The Heritage Days is one of my favorite festivals in the city.  As you go from one pavilion to another and watch the cultural presentations, you glean the commonalities countries have - traits shared either by geographic proximity or colonization.  It is heartwarming to see people dressed in their national attires, proud to show off their ancestry and earnest in sharing it with others.  And in the true spirit of intercultural collaboration, I saw the Pacific Island Dance Troupe, a Filipino group presenting Philippine folk dances and Hawaiian dances, performing at the Polynesian Pavilion.

The Philippine Pavilion on the otherhand, was overseen by the Council of Edmonton Filipino Associations (CEFA) with Wilf Ladores as Overall Chairman, Josie Pallard as Arts & Craft Chair, Elmina Cochingco as Entertainment Chair and Mandy Servito as Food Chair.  Also present was the Department of Tourism, San Francisco office.  I have observed that the Philippine cultural presentations were mostly done by the Karilagan Dance Society these past years.  They have successfully presented numbers that showed youthful enthusiasm and appeal.  One just only wishes that there were some presentations by other Filipino cultural organizations and performing groups  as well, for a more inclusive event and truly representative of the Edmonton Filipino community.  Kudos, however, to the organizers, participants and volunteers for all their dedication and hard work in the Heritage Festival every year. 

* this article was written for the Pinoy Times, published in the August 2011 issue

PCARDD Canada Day Performance

The Philippine Canadian Association of Red Deer and District (PCARDD) Folk Dance Troupe performed during the City of Red Deer’s Canada Day Celebrations held at the Bower Ponds.  This was the 15th year for the organization to participate in the Cultural Showcase.  For this year, in addition to their regular folk dance hits of “Maglalatik” and “Sayaw sa Bangko”, they premiered a new repertoire of Maria Clara and other rural dances, as staged and choreographed by Jojo Lucila, an Edmonton-based choreographer and dance director.

Under the leadership of President Alex Capicio, the organization infused new energy to its Folk Dance Troupe via a 10-week workshop on Philippine Folk Dance with Jojo Lucila.  This latest initiative saw an increase in number of participants from the Red Deer Community, fulfilling its mandate of conserving and promoting the Philippine cultural heritage in Canada.  The young dancers not only experienced the discipline that is always exacted by a professional artist but   were provided a context of the various folk dances in our Philippine culture.  The successful performance during Canada Day elicited positive reactions from the audience and enthusiasm from Filipinos of all ages to participate in succeeding programs.

Other performers for the Red Deer Canada Day Celebration were the Scottish Country Dancers, Irish Dance Club, Indo Canadian Dancers, Chinese Performers, Ukrainian Dance Group, Salvadorian Society, Belly Elegance and the Tahitian Dancers.

PCARDD Folk Dance Troupe

PCARDD President Alex Capicio

PCARDD Dance Troupe in "Bulaklakan"

Choreographer/Director Jojo Lucila with PCARDD President Alex Capicio

Performance for Atienza - Wolfaardt Wedding

Jojo Lucila conceptualized a surprise number to celebrate the union of Mia Atienza and Ulli Wolfaardt last May 2011 at the Matrix Hotel.  With the Philippine Choral Group and select dancers of The Lucila Project,  it was a presentation of Philippine and South African songs and dance that brought everyone, especially the bride and groom and their family, to tears.

2011 Summer Dance Workshop

Invest in the Arts

In the "MLAs Face to Face with the Filipino Community" session held last April 19, 2011 hosted by MLA Carl Benito, amongst the issues of temporary foreign workers, immigration,  and Filipino nurses, a concern on the significance of arts and culture in the work of the ministries represented, i.e. Health, Immigration, and Education, and a push for an increase in profile of Philippine arts and culture was raised. 

It was gratifying to hear Minister Dave Hancock's response that the next direction for Education is Creativity, after Literacy.  This thrust then makes the Arts a core subject, rather than a peripheral one.  For to create tomorrow's leaders in a world we are not definite on how it will look, we need to nurture creativity and innovation.

Music, dance, poetry, visual arts, etc., are thought to enhance intelligence, physical and mental health for the young and old, and foster multicultural understandings.  The arts are expressions of creativity and can instill confidence and build self-worth.

Mayor Stephen Mandel himself highlights the importance of arts in our community, with the following excerpts from his State of the City address:

• ...if we truly want to focus on attracting business and creating a superior quality of life for Edmontonians, we must start with the creative industry of our citizens...
• ...the promise of our future can be secured by cultivating and investing in our arts industry...
• ...the vision is to establish Edmonton one of Canada's clear cultural HUBs, supporting excellence across all mediums with arts as an economic driver for our region...

Arts then, indeed, is an industry and is an economic factor in society.  In America, its highest earning industry is Broadway and also its biggest export, with all the touring these productions do.

So with all these proven individual and societal benefits, why not invest in the arts?  It is never too early or too late to be involved.  Enrol in courses in dance, music, theatre and the visual arts.  Watch local performances, visit galleries, instill a love for reading.  Take advantage of the cyberworld and visit the different companies, theatres and witness the artistry in their various works.  Volunteer in and/or sponsor art events in your local community.  One does not have to have professional aspirations to appreciate and benefit from art.  For when the art speaks to one self, it speaks direct to the core, to the soul.

And having experienced that, we make our world a better place to live in.

Mayor Stephen Mandel's State of the City Address - April 5, 2011

Edmonton Mayor Stephen Mandel highlights the Arts in his State of the City Address


Here are some excerpts:

I want to thank the Belle Rouge Music group for entertaining us today and bringing a bit more of the spirit of spring into this event.  

I asked them to be here, not just for their talent but to provide a concrete example of what we all know to be true – that we have an amazing arts community in Edmonton.

And because I wanted to highlight something that I believe will be true about our future – that if we truly want to focus on attracting business and creating a superior quality of life for Edmontonians, we must start with the creative industry of our citizens. 

Yes arts are an industry. 

And I believe that the promise of our future can be secured by cultivating and investing in our arts industry as we do across many environments, and in more equal measure. 

One of my favourite urban commentators is Richard Florida who has shown repeatedly that cities who thrive do so on the creative industry of their citizens. 

And he notes that these people, who are mobile and who see a world without boundaries can choose to go anywhere. So why not here? 

Why not make Edmonton the kind of City that welcomes artists to a level that we have not yet contemplated? 

Doing so is good business. As a city government, we invest in structural foundations that help our communities and businesses to thrive. Why not consider arts in the same way? 

Edmonton has a tremendous, talented arts community, and we all enjoy its many expressions. 

But as we are entertained, I believe we fail to fully appreciate the economic inputs and energy that are also created. 

And as our three-year capital budget debates begin over the next few months, I want to infuse some thoughts about arts infrastructure into our long-term thinking. 

Which is why I’ve now tasked a new arts visioning committee, co-chaired by Brian Webb and Dianne Kipnes, who are bringing together artists, arts administrators, and local business leaders in an open forum focused on how we can raise the profile of arts, and through it, our city. 

This effort builds on our arts plan – the Art of Living – which started to frame some bolder thinking about the arts. It asks how we can ensure our arts industry is more fundamental to our core. 

The vision is to establish Edmonton one of Canada’s clear cultural HUBs, supporting excellence across all mediums with arts as an economic driver for our region. 

And from the efforts of these community thinkers, we will consider how we can help our arts community thrive as part of our overall mosaic of business and creative industry.