City of Richmond Seeks Input on Arts Strategy

The following is excerpted from a call issued by the City of Richmond.

The City of Richmond is working with Patricia Huntsman Culture + Communication and Nordicity to develop an updated Richmond Arts Strategy and Cultural Facilities Needs Assessment to enrich Richmond's quality of life through broad accessibility and engagement with the arts. The Strategy will serve as a guide for decision-making to empower ideas, people and resources around a shared vision and set of goals, strategies and tactics.

“The arts are integral to our well-being,” says Richmond mayor Malcolm Brodie. “It is through the arts that we can express ourselves and learn about each other including those who differ from us in ways that often transcend language. Moreover, art and artists are not only essential contributors to a vibrant community, they are key elements to a healthy, sustainable and creative economy.”

There are many ways to join the conversation: complete the online survey (in English or Chinese) by Sunday, June 3; tweet your ideas to #ArtWorksRichmond; email culture@richmond.ca or follow @howartworks on Instagram to find out about surprise pop-up kiosks. You can also visit one of many upcoming local events where there will be a Richmond ArtWorks “sounding board” or interactive activity, including: 

• Saturday, April 28 from noon to 4 p.m. at Aberdeen Centre for We Dance International Dance Day performance (4151 Hazelbridge Way);
• Saturday, April 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richmond Gem and Mineral Show, Richmond Cultural Centre (7700 Minoru Gate);
• Sunday, May 13, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Branscombe House Artist-in-Residence workshop (4900 Steveston Highway);
• Saturday, May 26, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Richmond Chinese Community Society Arts & Cultural Festival at Lansdowne Mall (5300 No. 3 Road).

Community and stakeholder input received will contribute to the development of a vision and guiding principles for the updated strategy that will be presented to Council for consideration this summer. 

For more information about the Richmond Arts Strategy and the arts in Richmond, visit howartworks.ca.