Editorial: Canada’s creative economy

by Mary E. Hofstetter

It used to be that when the economy suffered, people tended to view a season’s pass to the opera, a new work of fiction, or a music concert ticket as a “frivolous” or discretionary expense. Wallets would be put away. Purses, snapped shut. Government funding would dry up. And the arts would be expected to somehow survive without support.

But while many arts organizations are struggling to cope with a downturn in ticket sales and endowment earnings, there is a cautious optimism that Canada’s cultural institutions will not only survive the current economic recession, they will emerge from it stronger than ever.

That optimism stems from a new understanding of what the arts and creativity contribute to Canada.

Our collective understanding of the arts has evolved considerably over the past decade. As a society, we have always prized the ability of the arts to lift our spirits and inspire our imaginations. What’s new is that artists, donors, and governments have begun to recognize that a strong Canadian economy is integrally linked with a thriving arts sector — that the arts are an economic powerhouse.

The Federal Government acknowledged the essential role that cultural industries play in our economy when it invested $100 million in the Marquee Tourism Events Program as part of its stimulus package, with much of that investment going to high profile arts events such as the Shaw and Stratford festivals. This strategically applied funding signals a change in how political leaders view the arts. In a June 1 National Post article entitled “The Business of Culture,” Ontario’s Minister of Culture Monique Smith declared that “Festivals and events are economic drivers.” Those sentiments were echoed by Canadian Heritage Minister James Moore on June 30 when, citing the importance of the creative economy, he announced a five-year $1.51-billion investment in arts funding.

The essential contribution that the arts make to our economy cannot be denied. In 2007 Canada’s cultural sector generated an estimated $46 billion — nearly four per cent of our total GDP. Arts and culture account for some 600,000 jobs in Canada, roughly the same as agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, oil and gas, and utilities combined. Here in Alberta, the Centre’s own Banff Summer Arts Festival and Banff Mountain Festival generate an estimated $7 million annually in expenditures by overnight visitors.

And while times may be tough right now, Canadians vote with their pocketbooks when it comes to the arts. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians spend nearly twice as much on live performing arts as they do on live sporting events — $980 million on artistic events, compared to $530 million on sporting events. In fact, Albertans lead the country in per capita spending on culture — each Albertan spends over $800 annually on cultural activities and goods.

But the importance of arts and culture as economic drivers is but one aspect of the story. Artists play many other important roles. Their creative thinking generates new perspectives and understanding of economic and social issues, and ultimately helps inspire innovative ways of addressing those challenges. A burgeoning body of research points to the fact that the arts are critical to sustaining healthy and vibrant communities.

Connectivity among creativity, community, and the arts is at the heart of The Banff Centre. The Centre was born in the depths of the Great Depression, when our founders recognized the need for a place where creativity could flourish. For over 75 years, we’ve fueled Canada’s artistic capital, and since the 1950s, our Leadership Development programs have helped business and community leaders gain inspiration and creativity, which they then take back to their workplaces. Using methodologies grounded in artistic practice, these leaders learn new approaches to problem solving, teamwork, and brainstorming.

Next year, we’ll celebrate the completion of the most significant building project in The Banff Centre’s history when the Kinnear Centre for Creativity & Innovation opens. And just this past spring The Banff Centre Board of Governors approved a new Strategic Plan for The Banff Centre, “Towards 2020”. Despite these uncertain economic times, we remain passionately committed to our mission of “inspiring creativity”, and to brilliantly fulfilling our role as Canada’s creative leader in arts and culture.

We will continue to add to Canada’s cultural repertoire and develop multidimensional artists for the international stage. We will commission, enable, and support new works of art, and we will add to the global knowledge base in arts, culture, and the ideas that surround them. And not least, The Banff Centre itself will “walk the talk” by being a creative entrepreneur in support of our goals.

Happily, creativity has suffered no downturn. The stories in this edition of Inspired and the creative works showcased at this year’s Banff Summer Arts Festival prove just that. We believe in the power of the arts and creativity to not only fuel our economy, but to also change the world, and we invite you to join us on our journey.

Mary E. Hofstetter
President & CEO
The Banff Centre