Looking to strengthen the region’s rich arts and culture scene, close to 70 local residents came together Friday at the Midland Cultural Centre.
Featuring a wide range of topics, panel discussions and group work, this year’s Creative Communities Culture Conference strove to follow a theme titled ‘more than entertainment: the value of arts and culture’.
Liz Cascagnette, cultural development coordinator with the Culture Alliance in the Heart of Georgian Bay which hosted the event, said the conference allows attendees to make new partnerships, learn valuable information from the experts, be inspired, grow businesses and make new friends.
“It offers a little inspiration to see what’s out there,” Cascagnette said.
Jennifer Withrow, deputy chief curator with the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, served as Friday’s keynote speaker.
She provided the kind of inspiration to local organizations and artisans Cascagnette mentioned by discussing various offerings her Kleinberg-based gallery has embarked on as a way to drive more people towards art and her museum.
“We’re not just a pass-by so having a good restaurant is a must,” she told attendees, adding that since they’re not a main transit line, they developed an "art bus" to help those without a vehicle get to the gallery during the weekend.
“The art bus has been a huge attendance driver.”
Withrow went on to discuss various exhibits they’ve hosted, including a recent one featuring women artists.
“A show like this would not have happened years ago,” she says, noting plans are now afoot to host an exhibit featuring Québec impressionist artists later this year.
Culture Alliance board member Faith Shergold said having an organization like the alliance and hosting a conference like Friday’s shows that culture extends well beyond municipal borders.
“The key thing about the Culture Alliance is that we’re examining culture as a whole,” said Shergold, who noted the alliance not only brings together all neighbouring municipalities, but also represents art and cultural interests throughout the region.
“We bring all those cultural groups together."
Cascagnette says they’re “pretty happy and proud” of what they’ve accomplished since being established in 2019.
With this year’s Creative Communities now over, the alliance will now focus on other events, including a special week in September that will examine and try to increase awareness of Indigenous arts and culture.
