ADVANCING PLURALISM CAPACITY BUILDING OF ABORIGINAL AND ETHNO-

RACIAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS - DEVELOPMENT PROCESSFUNDING

PROPOSAL
1. Introduction:
This is a sectoral initiative to assess the project being developed by Cultural Pluralism in
the Arts Movement Ontario (CPAMO) entitledAdvancin P!"#a!i$% Ca&aci'(
B"i!din )* A+)#iina! and E',n)-Racia! A#'$ O#ani-a'i)n$. This process will
eplore the !easibility o! the proposed CPAMO project" including the best ways to
establish such a project and to attract the !unding to get it o!! the ground and sustain it.
#evelopmental is needed to underta$eresearch and consultations" including a
literature%document review" interviews and !ocus groups" and receiving comments on
dra!ts o! the report that will be developed to address the !easibility o! such a project.
CPAMO has been in operation since &''( and has wor$ed in partnership with a number
o! organi)ations to promote pluralism in the arts and to support Aboriginal and ethno*
racial artists and arts organi)ations. As part o! CPAMO+s growth" a survey o! its
members was ta$en in #ecember &',& and one o! the $ey !indings !rom this survey was
the urgent need o! CPAMO members !or !inancial" human and technological resources
to sustain and enhance their growth.
This survey was !ollowed up with interviews o! a number o! CPAMO members to eplore
in more detail the survey results and to discuss ideas on best ways o! moving !orward.
-esulting !rom this" CPAMO has developed the dra!t project entitled Advancin
P!"#a!i$% Ca&aci'( B"i!din )* A+)#iina! and E',n)-Racia! A#'$ O#ani-a'i)n$.
To support and assist in the development o! this project" CPAMO has also established
an Advisory Committee. The CPAMO survey" dra!t project proposal and Advisory
Committee Terms o! -e!erence areappended.
2. Guiding Principles:
.ince its establishment in &''(" CPAMO has been guided by a commitment to
e/uity%inclusion and shared learning in the arts. 0ith the involvement o! Aboriginal and
ethno*racial artists" CPAMO wor$s to build relationships" capacities" cultural
competencies and understanding o! pluralism in the arts to enhance the pro!ile o!
Aboriginal and ethno*racial artists" build the interest and capacities o! presenters and
enable audiences across Ontario to access high /uality artistic epressions..
1n underta$ing this !easibility study" CPAMO see$s to continue its wor$ in this process o!
capacity building and shared learning.
3. Scope of the Research:
The research will yield in!ormation on2 (,) 0hy .uch a Project 1s 3eeded 3ow4 and (&)
0hat 0ill 5e 6plored.
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3.1 Why Such a Project Is Needed No and What Will !e "#plored:
This will eplore the urgency o! this project in the contet o! trends in the arts and
society" guided by principles o! e/uity and inclusion. To do this" CPAMO will eamine2
Canada And Pluralism.This will include in!ormation on demographic changes"
particularly the growth o! Aboriginal and ethno*racial communities" and the
in!luence on%contributions to globali)ation" the development o! diverse stories
and artistic traditions and the impact o! these on Canadian cultural identity4
The Current Funding Environment. This will re!erencethe history o! arts !unding
in Canada and the era beyond historical eclusion o! Aboriginal and ethno*racial
artists" drawing on evidence o! disparities in artists7 incomes and !unding4
The Challenges of Public Funding in the Arts. 1n an environment with little
growth in public !unding dollars !or the arts" there is an almost eponential growth
in applications !or !unding" much o! it !rom Aboriginal and ethno*racial artists4
The 'Shared Platform' Conversation and Its Relevance to the Arts. This will loo$
at the dialogue now un!olding !ollowing the release o! the 8Shared Platfor$%
report by 9ane Marslandand &horeographing the 'uture by .hannon
:it)enberger!or the Metcal! ;oundation and the growth o! this dialogue amongst
!oundations (e.g." :aidlaw" Metcal!" Trillium) and arts groups4
The Groth of Aboriginal and ethno!racial artists.This will loo$ at the increase in
Aboriginal and ethno*racial artists and arts organi)ations and their disciplines4
Challenges Faced "# Artists And Presenters. This will draw data !rom reports
and !orums eamining how each is ma$ing e!!orts to address demographic
changes and developing an understanding o! diverse artistic epressions. 1t will
also loo$ at e!!orts to attract new audiences to the diverse artistic epressions4
Communit# Engagement. This will loo$ at e!!orts to engagethe arts" particularly
Aboriginal and ethno*racial arts" within diverse communities as an integral
component o! community well*being.
;ollowing the establishment o! the urgency !or such a project" the report will eplore2
The /Advancin P!"#a!i$%/ Program Theme Areas. This will be done to assess
the !easibility o! the program+s o!!erings" their relevance to Aboriginal and ethno*
racial arts+ organi)ations and howto develop and roll*out o! such services2
Shared Platforms and Collaborative$Co!o% &odels.This area will assess the
appropriate organi)ational structure needed to support this Program e.g." arts
incubator" collaborative%co*op model or 7.hared Plat!orm7 and how this dovetails
with current models promoting pluralism in the arts4
Eligibilit# Criteria And Selection Process. This will assess the criteria !or entry
into the ()d*ancing Pluralis$( program and the process !or selecting Aboriginal
and ethno*racial arts+ organi)ations to participate in this program4
Criteria and &ethodolog# to Assess Partici%ant Financial 'eeds. This will
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eplore how best to support Aboriginal and ethno*racial arts+ organi)ation who
may be selected to participate in this project. 1n essence" to support an e/uitable
approach" there will need to be some criteria to guide how to wor$ with small arts
organi)ations to address their speci!ic needs. ;or eample"while some
organi)ations may do well in generating revenue !rom the bo o!!ice" others may
not. As such" the criteria !or providing speci!ic support to selected organi)ations
will need to be clear as well as the methodology !or how such an assessment will
be done in a sensitive and supportive manner.
Efforts to Promote Pluralism in the Arts. This will review what is ta$ing place in
the arts ecology to support pluralism in the arts. ;or eample" arts councils" e.g."
the Ontario Arts Council" Toronto Arts Council and Canada Council !or the Arts
as well as the Canadian Public Arts ;unders" have been actively supporting and
eploring mechanisms to support pluralism in the arts. Parallel to this" arts
organi)ations have been actively engaged in this.;or eample" CPAMO has
established several public programs" i.e." Town <alls" building relationships
between artists and presenters" conducting research and sharing $nowledge"
and supporting public engagement activities to promote pluralism in the arts. As
well" other arts organi)ations have been involved in such endeavours"
includingthe 3eighbourhood Arts 3etwor$" =ancouver 1nternational #ance
;estival" Canada #ance Assembly" Prismatic Theatre ;estival" 1MPACT ;estival"
;latoMar$ham Theatre and others.
Resources ()uman And Financial* 'eeded. This will review the ()d*ancing
Pluralis$( programs and the !unding" human and technological resources
needed to support it
Financial Anal#sis of Pros%ective Partici%ants. This would involve a review o! a
number o! Aboriginal and ethno*racial organi)ations to assess their !inancial
status" including capacities and needs as they may relate to the Advancin
P!"#a!i$% P#)#a%0
Funding Sources And Im%lementation +%tions. This will loo$ at the sources o!
!unding to support the ()d*ancing Pluralis$( program" the process re/uired to
receive the !unding needed and the methods o! accountability !or !unds received.
Out o! the areas eplored above" a report will discuss and bring !orward
recommendations related to2
Program +%tions for Collaborative Services and Program Im%lementation ,ith
Timeframes. This will include issues related" but not limited" to2 diversi!ication o!
revenue sources !or Aboriginal and ethno*racial arts organi)ations" mentoring
supports" $nowledge management and sharing" volunteer engagement methods"
mar$eting%promotion o! Aboriginal and ethno*racial artists per!ormances%events"
community and audience engagement strategies and supports" relationship with
presenters" public pro!ile to promote pluralism in the arts through Town <alls"
showcases and wor$shops.
Funding Sources and Processes to Secure Re-uired Funding. This will address
the sources !or operating and%or project !unding needed to success!ully support
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the ()d*ancing Pluralis$( program.
+utcome And Evaluation &echanisms. This will set up the criteria and process to
assess outcomes and impacts o! the project.
Promotion of The Program to +ther Areas. This will address the potential value
o! the recommended model and how it might be replicated in other communities
across Ontario and Canada.
+. Research ,ethodology:
There are three principal research methodologies that will be used to produce the
document outlined above2(,) a literature%document review4 (&) interviews o! $ey
peoples4and (>) !ocus groups with diverse sectors.
5ased on these approaches" a !irst dra!twill be prepared and be the source !or
consultations to review and receive comments on the dra!t. This will be !ollowed by
revisions to the document based on these consultations. The revised document will be
the subject o! a second and !inal consultation and !or discussion with potential !unders
!or the proposed project.
A dra!t bibliography is provided separately and a list o! sectors%individuals to be
interviewed and%or invited to participate in !ocus groups is provided below. These
individuals and organi)ations have been identi!ied based on2
i) their $nowledge o! the arts ecology and how it has evolved in Canada and
what they see as the challenges it !aces in this area4
ii) possible program collaborators%partners who may have services" $nowledge
and s$ills that can be brought in to the project so as to ensure there is no
duplication o! e!!ort and that potential collaborators and partners are identi!ied
and are !ully able and ready to participate in the project
?uestions will be developed in advance to guide the interviews and !ocus groups. 1n
terms o! the process !or interviews and !ocus groups" it would un!old as !ollows2
a) the !irst set o! interviews and !ocus groups ta$e place while the document
research is happening. This will ensure inclusion o! these participants at the
outset and allow others to contribute ideas and documents to be considered4
b) !ocus group consultations will then be convened to review a !irst dra!t4
c) consultations will be held with !unding bodies to discuss the document a!ter the
!ocus group review o! the !irst dra!t4
d) a !inal consultation will be held to discuss changes to the !irst dra!t and to !inali)e
the report and its recommendations4 and
e) a !inal report will then be issued.
+.1 Inter*ies
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Approimately >,interviews will be conducted. 1t is anticipated that each interview will
be !or & hours. 1ndividuals to be interviewed will be !rom diverse sectors" including2.
;ormer and Current <eads o! Arts Councils and Arts ;unding 5odies" e.g." 9ohn
<obday""9oyce @emans" and representatives o! the Canada Council !or the Arts"
Ontario Arts Council" Toronto Arts Council" Ontario Cultural Attractions ;und"
#epartment o! Canadian <eritage" Metcal! ;oundation" Ontario Trillium
;oundation" Toronto Community ;oundation4
Aniversities with programs in the Arts" e.g." OCA# Aniversity" Bor$ Aniversity"
Aniversity o! Toronto .carborough4
Arts Organi)ation Consultants" e.g." 9ane Marsland" #oug .impson" Peter 5rown
=oluntary .ector and <eads o! Major Arts Programs" e.g." 5usiness !or the Arts"
Maytree ;oundation" Ontario 3on*pro!it 3etwor$" :aidlaw ;oundation" T1#6.
Canada" 5an!! Centre !or the Arts" Toronto #istrict .chool 5oard" 1nstitute !or
Canadian Citi)enship" Artscape" :uminato" 0or$ in Culture4
+.2 'ocus Groups
There will be approimately si !ocus groups !or a duration o! three hours each. There
will be an open call !or participants to the !ocus groups with emphasis on the !ollowing
groups2
Presenters and Arts .ervices Organi)ations2 ;latoMar$ham Theatre" Oa$ville
Centre !or the Arts" -ose Theatre" :iving Arts Centre" Toronto Centre !or the
Arts" Community Cultural 1mpresarios" Prologue to the Per!orming Arts" Theatre
Ontario" Can#ance3etwwor$" Canadian #ance Assembly" PACT" Opera
Canada" etc.
CPAMO-oundtable Members" 3eighbourhood Arts 3etwor$ members and 3orth
Bor$ Arts" .carborough Arts" :a$eshore%6tobico$e%Arban Arts
+.3 -rafting Report )nd Re*ie
5ased on the data gathered through the literature%document review as well as interviews
and !ocus groups" the !easibility study will be developed as !ollows2
> wee$s !irst dra!t o! !easibility study" including high level financial analysis
of prospective participants;
one !ull day !irst consultation on !easibility study to include presentation and small
group sessions4
, wee$ revisions based on !eedbac$ !rom review4
second consultation * one hal! day to review changes made as a result o! ,
st
session4
& days to ma$e !inal changes to document
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There will be a series o! meetings with potential !unders !ollowing the !irst !ull day
consultation. This may re/uire between ,&*,C hours meetings with potential !unders.
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