Blog post by former Director and CEO Simon Brault

New performances, books, concerts, festivals, and other artistic events usually mark the start of fall. This year, many uncertainties continue to cloud the launch of the cultural season. Our sector is still among those hardest hit by the pandemic. Every link in the chain—from research to creation to audience engagement—has been impacted and transformed. Things will not go back to the way they were before. We have no choice but to begin a transition to rebuild the arts. This will benefit those who make up the sector as well as broader society, which needs the arts and culture to emerge from the shakeup of the ongoing pandemic.

This is the ideal time for a frank and open conversation on the rebuild of the arts. And that’s what we’re proposing for our meetings on November 30 and December 1, 2021.  We want to share with you the first elements in the implementation of our strategic plan, Art, now more than ever. We also want to hear from you so that we can take quick and decisive action for an innovative, equitable, and sustainable recovery and rebuild of the arts.

A forum for your questions on our plans

We’ll share an overview of our planned actions related to equity and inclusion. We’ll also outline an innovation strategy designed to support the arts sector in its efforts to transform the challenges related to technology, sustainable development, decolonization, and social justice into opportunities for progress in terms of content, organizational models, and connections with other sectors. We’ll also host several question periods throughout the event to help us shape what we do next.

Neither the recovery nor the transition should return us to our pre-pandemic ways. We’ve all witnessed our systems’ flaws and inequities, the fragility of the arts sector, and the extreme financial, social, and psychological vulnerability of its workers. We also know that the broader public came to understand the essential nature of the arts in our lives during the pandemic, and we must build on this awareness before it wanes.

While we can’t be certain of anything quite yet, we’re certainly determined. Our determination is unwavering, and we hope it speaks to you. Together, we can and will increase the impacts and benefits of the arts across society.

And so, I invite you to take part in this conversation with us on either November 30 or December 1 and, of course, throughout the implementation of our strategic plan. We’re building the future with you.

Register now!