RRU in the Media: Imagining a more inclusive Canadian cultural policy

In a recent article for The Conversation, Deniz Ünsal, assistant professor at Royal Roads University and University of Regina Professor Taiwo Afolabi explore how future Canadian cultural policy can be imagined through BIPOC artists’ experiences. 

At a time when the creative arts are experiencing strain from economic downturns, environmental concerns and increasing polarization, it is crucial that the frameworks guiding Canadian arts and policy move beyond old models which focus only on economic outcomes.

Here’s some of what they wrote: 

“What’s needed for the new era in Canada’s arts landscape is a fundamental reimagining of how cultural institutions define success and responsibility. This shift calls for cultural policy that upholds the diverse realities of those who live, create and contribute across these lands and is grounded in their experiences.

Cultural policies must explicitly encourage and require institutions to prioritize care, trust and ethical leadership in their daily practices, instead of focusing solely on outputs and compliance. Policies should centre community and accountability to relationships as core to institutional purpose.”

Read the full article on The Conversation website 

Image by Seventyfour from Adobe Stock.