Building a stronger Culture Policy to strengthen a community.

A community art project in partnership with ATB, working with local youth artists.

Let's talk CULTURE! Culture is a key pillar of the sustainability of a community, next to social, economic, and environmental. It is also one of my favourite areas to dive into, as it is the least understood.

Culture is considered to be the core of a community. This is an area that is the weakest in policy and urban planning, due to the research being in its primary stages for community development.

With Culture being a foundation, it needs to be built and strengthened. This is done by integrating cultural planning frameworks and best practices into City strategies, policies, plans, and departments. In addition, the Cultural Policy needs to be developed to support the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability.

Why is this important?

Cultural planning and development make growth 'human'. It ensures that as a city expands, it also becomes more creative, inclusive, and resilient - not just bigger. With a strengthened cultural policy, it moves a community from 'nice-to-have' to being a strategic, integrated driver of community well-being, economic vitality, and long-term sustainability.

Kristen