Arts and Culture “Reverse Debate” Participants Announced

On September 26, the Alliance for Arts and Culture and SFU Woodward’s Cultural Unit present Vancouver’s first Reverse Debate on arts and culture, a twist on the typical debate format, for the upcoming civic election. Modelled on a similar event held recently in Toronto, this event will focus on the race for Vancouver City Council. It takes place as Culture Days celebrations kick off across Canada. Like all Culture Days events, the Reverse Debate is free and open to the public.

Each municipal party running candidates for Council was invited to submit a question and send one representative. The following six candidates have confirmed participation on behalf of their parties: RJ Aquino (OneCity); Elizabeth Ball (NPA); Adriane Carr (Green); Nicholas Chernen (Cedar); Jennifer O'Keeffe (COPE); and Niki Sharma (Vision).

The candidates’ questions will be presented to a panel of arts and culture professionals with diverse experience across a range of disciplines. The panelists are: Elaine Carol (MISCELLANEOUS Productions); Bob D’Eith (Music BC); Mike Forrester (Coastal Jazz and Blues Society); Kenji Maeda (DOXA Documentary Film Festival); Catherine Murray (SFU School of Communication); and Lou-ann Ika'wega Neel (Authentic Indigenous).

The discussion will be moderated by Marcus Youssef, Artistic Director of Neworld Theatre and Chair of the City of Vancouver's Arts and Culture Policy Council. 

The objectives of the Reverse Debate format are to inform candidates of all parties about ideas and viewpoints emerging from the arts community, and to raise the profile of arts and culture on the overall election agenda. 

Plan to join us!

Friday, September 26, 2014 at 9:30 a.m.
In the Djavad Mowafaghian Cinema, Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
At SFU Woodward's
149 West Hastings Street, Vancouver 

Admission is free. Seating is limited; first-come, first-served. 

*If you would like to host a similar event in another BC community, please contact Rob Gloor at executivedirector[at]allianceforarts[dot]com.