The vibrancy of Vancouver's arts and culture scene is a priceless benefit to its citizens and visitors. In 2008, City Council affirmed its commitment to a diverse and healthy creative sector through the adoption of the Cultural Plan for Vancouver 2008 – 2018. Created through an inclusive community process, it is our guide for the City's ongoing and future role in arts and culture. Vancouver's Culture Plan vision is to develop, enliven, enhance, and promote arts, culture, and cultural diversity in our city in ways that benefit our citizens, creative community, businesses, and visitors.
Strategic themes
1. Innovation
Goal
Recognize Vancouver – locally, nationally and internationally – as a city of creative ideas and innovation, with unique, diverse and authentic voices, and a young and growing cultural community on the leading edge.
Strategy
Collaborate with community partners to realize our full creative potential by fostering innovation in our cultural policies, programs and services to support cultural ideas and expression
2. Learning
Goal
Build on Vancouver's reputation as a city of learning that embeds cultural exchange, curiosity and development as part of lifelong learning. Ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to engage with and participate in cultural education throughout their lives and to develop his or her expressive capacities.
Strategy
Support lifelong learning for all Vancouver citizens by collaborating with community partners to embed cultural awareness, instruction and programming within all our institutions and systems.
3. Connecting People, Ideas and Communities
Goal
Take advantage of Vancouver's position as a creative city where connectivity is a hallmark of our cultural system – artists, creative industries, institutions, communities, and neighbourhoods. It is a city engaged in a dynamic ongoing dialogue and exploration that connects people, communities, innovative ideas and programs.
Strategy
Play a leadership role. With our partners, find practical ways to support a collaborative environment and opportunities for dialogue. Invite citizens to engage and participate in cultural activities.
4. Neighbourhoods
Goal
Highlight Vancouver as a city of vibrant creative neighbourhoods by showcasing the talent, enterprise and diversity of our artists, communities and neighbourhoods. Build on the unique identity of our neighbourhoods – engaging local residents, artists and businesses – to ensure that the rich culture, creativity, diversity and innovation of Vancouver lives on and is accessible to all.
Strategy
Support neighbourhoods to develop cultural plans and seek new partnerships and collaborations. Encourage new initiatives and activities that support neighbourhood cultures as a central facet of Vancouver's cultural life.
5. Valued and Valuable
Goal
Ensure that citizens and taxpayers of Vancouver experience in real and concrete ways the value that arts and culture bring to the city and their lives, families and businesses. Promote Vancouver's growing reputation as an international cultural tourism and entertainment destination where culture is vibrant and happening and where we value and celebrate the rich multicultural and intercultural expression that is unique to Vancouver.
Strategy
Increased public participation means increased financial viability for quality cultural experiences. Work with the non-profit arts and cultural sector, cultural industries, business and public sectors to develop new and innovative ways to highlight and profile the creative sector to the citizens of Vancouver and promote Vancouver's reputation as a Creative City.