Arts Culture and Heritage

7- What is the place of Arts, Culture, and Heritage in a remote community like Tofino ?  What can be done to help artists stay in Tofino and help them make this town a thriving artistic community ?

Tom Stere

As many of us know, Arts, Culture and Heritage is the soul of the community.  We have a strong ACH community with creative and innovative ideas. The newly endorsed ACH action plan is a crucial step.  I would enthusiastically support the actions laid out within it as well as any new initiatives to promote and encourage the arts in Tofino.

Stephen Ashton

A community without Arts, Culture and Heritage is a community without soul.  Everything must be done to support and further enhance their role in our community.

Stephanie Hugues

I believe Arts, Culture and Heritage are a priority to support in all communities be they remote or urban.  To fully answer this question I would like to hear from the artists, and the curators of culture and heritage, who live here to better understand needs and how to give support a clear direction.  Perhaps during the next term for Mayor and Council, there could be a needs asessment done with the councils, organizations, committees, and individuals in the arts community so that we can move forward with initiatives that are well-planned and current.

Josie Osborne

Put most simply: arts, culture and heritage are the glue that truly binds us together as a community. They make our town livable in the rainy and dark winter. They make us happier and our lives more meaningful and enriched because they provide us the opportunity to express and appreciate our humanity. They also help us thrive economically! A strong arts and culture scene makes our community more attractive for the nurses, teachers, pilots, credit union employees, and other people we need to form a part of our community. Investing in arts, culture and heritage is non-negotiable, but how we do it is an important discussion at the Council table. The very recently completed Arts, Culture, and Heritage Action Plan – built by the very people who are leading the way in arts, culture and heritage – sets out the roadmap for the sector, and extremely importantly, provides a financial investment plan that I think will be easy to accept and follow.

Jason Brown

I'm a supporter of Arts and Culture believing they play a very important in all communities.  Growing up beside a thriving metropolis I was lucky to enjoy the benefits of a melting pot of diversity in music. art and cinema.  I believe Tofino is a great place to be an artist and there are a lot of really great opportunities to enjoy and create.  Moving forward I feel the one thing that could help benefit the Arts, Culture and Heritage of our community would be the addition of a community centre with a proper library and a space to display art and history.

Jarmo Venalainen

Arts and culture is central to identity of Tofino.  It has been so for millenia and should always be so, as if it were not, Tofino would not be Tofino.  We can all help promote arts and culture.  Any one of us can advocate or organize arts events.  The role of council in my opinion is to support activities in the community through grants which individuals and organizations apply for in the course of their arts activities.

Eric Kingsley

The place of arts, culture and heritage in ANY community is the very soul. I have always been astonished at the level of art we have here. There are so many talented people working through so many different mediums that it’s a wonder we don’t have more art installations all over town. 
If elected to council I would absolutely endorse the funding of this sector. I have always daydreamed about how many perfect spots we have for murals or sculptures or galleries and how many venues we have for exhibits and shows.

Duncan McMaster

As has been said many times before “ACH is the heart & soul of a town”. As a councillor one has a duty to support a variety of public art, the museum, the library and promote ACH projects. Council recently endorsed a 3-year action plan which if successful should lead to an even more thriving artistic community than we have at present.

Dorothy Baert

Since my first days on Council, I have possibly been the strongest voice in support of Arts Culture and Heritage. From chairing the Committee that created the ACH Master plans, advocating for an RMI funded Public Art program with a Public Art advisory Committee, engaging wherever possible in highlighting the role of ACH in the creative economy. Recently we received and supported a 5 year Strategic plan for ACH that will see several initiatives that will strengthen the ACH community.

Craig Heber

Like any community, Arts Culture and Heritage plays an essential role in maintaining a vibrant Tofino.  It is essential for our children's development, providing recreation and stimulation to residents of all ages and acts as societal 'glue' that binds residents together as a town.

Artists can be assisted best by affordable housing being available so more can stay or join our community and add to our overall enjoyment of this special place.

Chris Heisterman

I think the district currently does a lot to support ACH and is always willing to listen. I think simply encouraging the local artists to appear before council with their ideas for the community would go a long way.

Britt Chalmers

I think Arts, Culture and Heritage are incredibly important in any town, and especially Tofino.  I think the strong arts community we have here is a large part of what makes this community so special and desirable, and supporting it is essential.

Andrea McQuade

The same things that we do to grow, manage and retain everyone else in Tofino - manageable and predictable taxation, availability of housing, and community support! Whether you are a senior, an artist, a kayak guide or a business owner these assets attract and retain you. Your contribution beyond that - historical knowledge, art, recreation or business - is what builds us into a community.

Al Anderson

The best thing that council can do for artists is to promote Tofino as an artistic and creative place, to support festivals and events and to bring public art into our streets and buildings to celebrate our cultural achievement. Council should continue to support and follow through on the work detailed in our Arts, Heritage and Culture plan and strive to develop a thriving cultural economy.