|
At a recent meeting of the planning and economic development committee of the council of the District Municipality of Muskoka, Muskoka Arts and Crafts Incorporated presented the idea of Muskoka becoming a "Designated Arts Community". This initiative is part of the mandate for Muskoka Arts and Crafts, a non-profit visual arts organization. Formally started in 1963, Muskoka Arts and Crafts represents a growing membership of more than 360 artists and art supporters. Through its annual art and craft shows, gallery exhibitions, student art bursaries, permanent collection, workshops, lectures, open drawing studios, website, outreach to community groups and schools, advocacy and lobbying, as well as an informative monthly newsletter, Muskoka Arts and Crafts helps to foster an environment where artists thrive, students are financially supported and patrons can engage in the visual arts. "From national icons, international musicians, renowned artists to people who are picking up a paintbrush for the first time, Muskoka inspires creativity. Our artists have become as integral as our landscape," remarked Sara Hall, the president for Muskoka Arts and Crafts who spoke in support of declaring Muskoka a Designated Arts Community. "Arts and culture are important to making a community stronger by contributing to the economy and quality of life of its citizens. This designation will help to make the public aware of the strength and richness of the arts community in Muskoka," said Hall. Information provided by Statistics Canada supports Hall’s economic claim that the arts are big business. Economically, the arts generate 19.1 billion dollars annually in Ontario. Over the course of a year, 54 per cent of people in Ontario attend an arts event or festival and nearly one third of money spent by overnight visitors to the province is spent on arts events. Muskoka Arts and Crafts believes that focusing on the arts will help to promote Muskoka as a year-round destination and this designation could be used by a variety of organizations and groups such as Muskoka Tourism, the chambers of commerce, resorts, businesses, theatre and film, private and public galleries, studio tours, along with arts and music festivals. "By designating Muskoka as an arts community, district council will be showing a level of support for the arts that could open the doors to other levels of government funding. Having the visible support of the community is also beneficial to individual artists and organizations when applying for grant money," Hall explained. Other towns such as Warkworth, which adopted the description in 2004, have used this designation to their advantage. After their municipal councillors embraced the motion, the town benefited from increased publicity and local business now promotes the town as a Designated Arts Community. Artists in the area continue to reap the rewards of living and working in an area that actively supports the arts. At the conclusion of Hall’s presentation, the planning and economic development committee motioned their support to endorse Muskoka as a Designated Arts Community. The district council will vote upon this motion later this month. Once the motion to declare Muskoka as a Designated Arts Community is passed by district council, Muskoka Arts and Crafts will be designing and developing posters as well as an information package for artists, businesses, tourism agencies, resorts and attractions to help them utilize this designation to the fullest. "By passing this motion to declare Muskoka as a Designated Arts Community, the council of the District Municipality of Muskoka will be making a genuine affirmation to the strength of the arts in this area," Hall concluded. "Council will be giving the arts community visible support and a tool for businesses and organizations to further develop Muskoka’s reputation as a culturally vibrant area."
website designed, copyrighted and maintained by |
