BC Creative Futures Strategy: Creative Youth Initiatives
Announced in January 2013, the BC Creative Futures Strategy was designed to develop and support BC’s next leaders in the creative economy by exposing school-aged children to creative activities and works, providing on-the-job skills and training in the creative sector and increasing youth engagement in the arts. The Creative Futures Strategy has three central goals: to increase skills training and participation in the creation, exhibition and performance of various art forms, to increase opportunities for engagement with art, and to increase opportunities to train and work alongside creative professionals.
The first part of the strategy is Arts Engagement for Creativity, a package of programs intended to support and assist youth and art students, with the goal of encouraging engagement in the arts and the growth of creative thinking in young people. The second part of the strategy is the establishment of Creative BC, an independent agency that is responsible for promoting the development of creative industries in British Columbia. The adoption of this cross-sectoral approach will encourage growth by creating a climate for business development and sustainability. The third part of the strategy, a one-time investment of $113 million to support a new state-of-the-art facility at the Emily Carr College of Art and Design, is also a part of the BC Jobs Plan, and is intended to help build on the province’s national and international reputation as a leader in media, creative arts and design. The expansion supports the BC government’s long term commitment to the arts and ensures that future generations have a place to hone their creative talents.
For more information, please see: https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2009-2013/2013CSCD0006-000156.htm
The Creative Futures Strategy consists of three parts:
1. Arts Engagement for Creativity
This is a $6.25 million package of new and expanded existing programs delivered by the BC Arts Council (BCAC), an independent agency supporting artists and cultural organizations, and the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development (MCSCD), which includes:
- Creative Youth Initiatives – $2 million (BCAC)
- The Youth Engagement Program supports innovative and inspiring approaches to actively engaging British Columbia’s young people with professional arts and cultural organizations and their programming.
- The Early-Career Development Program helps bridge the gap for emerging and early career arts practitioners by providing support to build portfolio, professional exposure and/or career experience through co-op placement, internship, residency, and mentorship opportunities.
- The After School Sport and Arts Initiative – $1 million (MCSCD)
- Artists in Education Program – $1 million (BCAC)
- Co-op Placement Program – $1 million (BCAC)
- Scholarship Program – $750,000 (BCAC)
- Artists in the Classroom Program – $500,000 (BCAC)
2. Strategic Vision – Creative BC (April 2013)
The establishment of Creative BC: an independent, non-profit society to engage government and the creative industries in a fresh partnership, and to provide a single point of access for industry professionals. Creative BC builds on existing government and industry partnerships in the creative sector.
For more information, please see: http://www.creativebc.com/
3. Support for Expansion at Emily Carr University of Art + Design
A total of $113 million was announced to help build a new visual, media and design facility at Emily Carr University of Art + Design's Great Northern Way Campus to ensure that future generations have a place to hone their creative talents.
For more information, please see: http://www.ecuad.ca/
The BC Creative Futures Strategy is expected to spur further growth in British Columbia’s creative economy by supporting artists from a young age and enabling them to pursue a career in the arts. The long-term outcome of the strategy is expected to create a strong knowledge-based industry that values creativity and innovation, and that will support the success of the BC Jobs Plan. The strategy will lead to sustainable, long-term success for British Columbia’s creative sector. For example, since the introduction of Creative Futures:
- The number of students exposed to the arts through Artists in the Classroom has increased from 3,000 to over 15,000.
- According to the 2015 annual report by the Directorate of Agencies for School Health BC, the After School Sport and Arts Initiative has expanded to 181 schools with 6,715 unique participants.
- Since 2013-14, a total of 206 Early Career Development awards have been distributed.
- The British Columbia Arts Council has supported a series of youth engagement projects through unique relationships with arts and cultural organizations.
A total of $119.25 million CAD has been allocated to the implementation of this measure. $6.25 million has been assigned to Part One on an annual basis; of this total amount, $5.25 million will be contributed by the British Columbia Arts Council, and $1 million will be contributed by the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. Emily Carr University was assigned a total of $113 million, provided by the Government of British Columbia.