The Tri-Cities have a vibrant arts, cultural and heritage community a fact that is well known among local historians, artists, musicians and actors, and the moms, dads, patrons and groups that support them.
Each Wednesday in our Arts & Entertainment section, The Tri-City News highlights the accomplishments of the dreamers, the poets and the thespians among us, and those who are working hard to promote our cultural well-being. Without these efforts, our community would be a barren suburb indeed.
And now is the chance for the public to have a say in what our cultural life should look like.
In Coquitlam, the city is developing a new arts, culture and heritage strategic plan and is asking the public for comment on arts programs and services, as well as public art and events (for more information, go to coquitlam.ca and search "arts, culture and heritage strategic plan;" to offer feedback, email [email protected]).
Next door in Port Coquitlam, residents are being asked to shape the city's new cultural plan (weigh in at portcoquitlam.ca/culturalplan) while, in Port Moody, the latest city budget includes a $45,000 provision for a new 10-year arts and cultural plan.
This is all good news as support for the arts, culture and heritage creates positive spinoffs well beyond the small taxpayer subsidy that supports it. Not only are there economic spinoffs when people stay in their own community to experience arts and culture but there are social spinoffs as well.
When people work together on an art project, join in a festival, check out a historic display or watch a play or dance recital, they learn something about themselves and their neighbours. Their perceptions change and they feel like they are part of something bigger, something that transcends day-to-day life.
Is the internet making it difficult for people to connect? At times. Are we spending too much time on screens and smartphones? Certainly.
But in the public squares, fairs and festivals, and in local galleries and arts centres, we are still interacting and that's a goal worth supporting.
