Alliance endorses the Common Arts Election Platform
/The Alliance is endorsing the Common Arts Election Platform, which brings together the concerns of many different arts and cultural organizations and artists across Canada. If you would like to also endorse this document, please let The Canadian Conference for the Arts know by Friday April 15th. You can send your message to jessica.litwin@ccarts.ca You can also find specific questions and strategies to make the arts and culture part of the public dialogue with voters here on our site, and on the Conference for the Arts, Canadian Arts Coalition, and Arts Advocacy BC websites.
As you know, none of the political parties has made arts and culture a major talking point in their campaigns in this election; all have, however, included statements and promises regarding arts and culture within their platforms. The strategy that has emerged for the arts community regarding this election is to share the various positions on the arts and to encourage the arts community and its supporters to vote with those positions in mind. We believe that investing in arts and culture is critical to the economic recovery, identity, health, cultural diversity, and well being of all Canadians.
- Conservative election platform – see page 42
- Green election platform - beginning on page 94 under Arts and Culture: Beauty and Integrity
- Liberal election platform – see pages 18-19 and 60
- NDP election platform – see sections 5.2-5.4
Our approach, shared by many arts service and arts and cultural organizations across the country, is to encourage a focus on getting out the arts vote in local constituencies. We encourage all our members to engage their local candidates and ask the questions that resonate for them. Be aware of any opportunities to publicly ask questions regarding arts and culture, especially on call-in radio shows, or public meetings.
We want to encourage you to engage candidates from all parties at the local level to ensure that they think about the important role of the arts in their ridings. Invite them to events, write them, call them, e-mail them, ask questions in public forums…
We need to determine who will be friendly to our cause after the election, or who will require further encouragement.
The overall strategy is to engage local candidates to ensure sustained and improved federal support for arts and culture.
Amir Ali Alibhai
Executive Director
Alliance for Arts and Culture
