Well, I know nobody would expect the standard year-in-review post, so here it is. I know you've all been waiting for it (I don't know which punctuation marks are used for sarcasm...)
It seems 2007 was a year of loss and of possibilities. We lost some wonderful artists, especially Canadians. Oscar Peterson, Doug Riley, Richard Bradshaw, Celia Franca (founder of the National Ballet) - people who put Canada on the artistic map.
Maybe I'm naive, but these people excelled at the arts during a time when there wasn't a lot of prestige to be had-playing 7 nights a week in rough bars, enduring racism, obscurity and the challenge of being an artist in a country without a well-supported artistic network. They did it because they loved it, and we have been enriched by their contributions.
As for possibilities, the arts are on the local radar. Talk is afoot of a major civic project including some kind of theatre renovation/arts centre and in 2008 I will be returning to council to follow up on the arts coordinator positition I advocated for last June.
A couple more thoughts to chew on- first a great article by our Lieutenant Governor (Hermenegilde Chiasson) who is also a poet, playwright and visual artist.
Second, I read this book called "the Creative Class." The basic idea is that the real source of economic growth is creativity-from research, artistic work and technological innovation. And in order to attract these kinds of people, an area needs access to higher education, good street-level culture (nightlife, music, cafes etc.), an atmosphere of tolerance, diversity and respect, and access to good outdoor recreation.
The wheels have started turning again-woke up at 3:45 a.m. yesterday deluged by plans and ideas. I guess that means it's time to get back to work...
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