Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

0:02and we'll make sure to include you in our discussion.

0:06I'll provide the Indigenous Territorial Acknowledgement.

0:11So as we gather, let us take time to reflect on our privilege

0:16to live and work in well,

0:17the city built over rich Indigenous histories.

0:20Your guests here, we should reflect on the responsibility

0:23to care for this land, the people who live here today

0:26and the generations to come.

0:29If our actions today to move us towards reconciliation,

0:32we should take pause and make those decisions

0:34with intention and gratitude.

0:37This place we call well has served as traditional lands

0:41and a place of refuge for many peoples over time,

0:44but more specifically, the Atta Wandurong

0:47and the Haudenosaunee.

0:49This land is held as a treating land in territory

0:52with the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.

0:54Well lies directly adjacent to the Hall of the Montrack

0:58and is part of a long established traditional hunting ground

1:01for the Six Nations of the Grand River.

1:03Many First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples

1:06have come across Turtle Island, Paul Gould, today.

1:12Okay, moving on to disclosure,

1:14pecuniary interests in general nature thereof.

1:16I don't believe we've received any,

1:18but anybody has something like to raise,

1:22not seeing any hands.

1:26We'll move on to the approval of minutes.

1:29So we have our minutes from our last meeting,

1:32which was 20, 25, November.

1:35So our condition is that minutes from the November 27,

1:3820, 25 meeting of the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

1:41be approved.

1:43Does anyone have any comments or concerns

1:45about the contents of the minutes?

1:49Nope.

1:51Would anyone like to move to approve the minutes?

1:54Sure.

1:55Any case, really?

1:57And do we have a seconder?

2:02I'm gonna assume all in favor.

2:05So anyone opposed?

2:07No, okay.

2:08Thank you.

2:09So then we'll move on to the items for discussion.

2:12So we just have one item to discuss today,

2:15and that is the Art in Real Life, or ARC-IRL proposal.

2:20And I believe Dawn will be speaking to this item.

2:23No, great.

2:24Thank you.

2:27Super thrilled to be here in this meeting,

2:29I guess our first meeting of 2026,

2:34as a committee, and to introduce to you

2:38the Art in Real Life program.

2:42First of its kind in our community.

2:46In the development of this program,

2:49we looked closely at sort of the recent history

2:54of creative professional opportunities

2:57that we've created for artists in wealth,

3:01taking into consideration both sort of legacy pieces,

3:05programs that have been really successful,

3:09and have sort of met the vision

3:11of bringing artists and community together

3:13in collaborative, co-creative, and dynamic ways.

3:17And then also recognizing that in every kind of instance

3:22of the work that we do, there are learnings,

3:24there are opportunities to shape opportunities differently,

3:29both for artists and for community members.

3:32And this year, we wanted to create something new,

3:36to present a program that again,

3:39would bring artists, their work,

3:43and community together in a really intentional way.

3:46So we have created this program called Art in Real Life.

3:51You could go to the next slide, that'd be great.

3:55You will all have seen the report,

3:59and also the call to artists.

4:01So you have a lot of the information,

4:03hopefully you've had time to review it

4:05before this conversation.

4:07But I wanted to share just the highlights

4:11from my view of the program itself.

4:14So it is designed to be an annual program.

4:17This would be the first year, the launch year for it,

4:19that supports artists in creating shared arts experiences

4:23with community in real time and space

4:26across a range of mediums and loads of expression.

4:30So next slide, please.

4:36We really wanted to create a program

4:41that was rich in possibility and potential,

4:44but that was communicated in really accessible ways

4:49and prioritized sort of try that, if you will,

4:54of space, time, and people coming together

4:59through art and art making and shared experience.

5:02And so part of the impetus for how we're describing

5:07this program and how we're making this,

5:09and intending to make the invitation both to artists

5:12and community is to really pivot understanding

5:16of what the experience will be through art

5:18in space, time, and with people.

5:21Next slide, please.

5:27We also were very intentional about connecting in both

5:33with our culture plan as well as the priorities

5:38within the museums and culture strategic plan.

5:42And so this program is designed to connect in really

5:48intentionally with these three priorities.

5:50I think there are others, but three main priorities.

5:54So to champion local creativity

5:56by supporting artist led experiences

5:58rooted in lived knowledge of place,

6:01to cultivate meaningful opportunities

6:03for artists and culture workers while strengthening

6:06the city's reputation as a leading cultural city,

6:09and to connect communities and artists

6:11by expanding opportunities for accessible

6:13and inclusive engagement with arts in public spaces.

6:18This program is designed to be a program

6:22that allows a little bit of incubation

6:26at the beginning of the program through which we would work

6:28with the awarded artist or artists on site specificity,

6:34on understanding and interpreting their project with them

6:38so that the invitation can be made very clearly

6:41through their work to community,

6:44but that the actual sort of live components of the work,

6:47the events themselves would be concentrated

6:50in and around the culture days,

6:55these if you will,

6:56and to do that in a way that really brought the visibility

7:00of the program and the art,

7:02the art through the artists and the art that they make,

7:06intersecting with community in a way

7:08that was really concentrated so that there was some,

7:11you know, that we could build excitement

7:13and drive response, community response

7:16through that invitation making.

7:18And we would do that in the context of culture days

7:20as a way to kind of like put a, you know,

7:23a pretty intentional spotlight

7:24and a lens on the project itself.

7:28Jeanette, did you want to jump in with any?

7:31I think we've already much covered it.

7:33Yeah.

7:34As we developed it collaboratively.

7:35Yes, yeah, as we do.

7:38Yeah.

7:38Yeah, I'll jump in maybe during the discussion

7:42if there's anything to add.

7:43Yeah, absolutely.

7:45And so the next slide is just the one that invites

7:49a kind of ponder in response to the proposal of this program.

7:56And we're, I'll get some help from Liz

7:59just in terms of the invitation to committee at this point.

8:03Like we're inviting feedback inquiry.

8:07Yeah.

8:10Yeah.

8:11This is,

8:12we want to get the discussion growing,

8:14but so that we can capture anything in a motion to

8:18providing comments or if you just want to ask staff

8:21questions related to the presentation,

8:24we can do that too.

8:25What is it?

8:26Jess, maybe you just do a review of the draft call as well.

8:31Oh, you have to pull it up from my screen.

8:34Yeah, I can do that.

8:38Yeah.

8:39Jeanette, can you point me to that very,

8:41you were, yeah, to the drive?

8:44And the drive, it should be,

8:45or you've had, yeah.

8:47Sorry, I don't have it.

8:48Forgive me, friends, I was in installation all day

8:51on the next event.

8:51I'm sorry, thank you, Tammy.

8:56Yeah, I could walk through the call.

9:00Okay, so I don't have slides of this to share with you

9:04on screen, but everybody would have received a copy

9:07of the call ahead of this meeting.

9:09So we can just walk through it.

9:11So as I've described, the Art and Real Life program

9:17is intended to be an annual program

9:18that launches this year.

9:21The selected artists or our collective

9:23would be awarded a total three month duration project

9:28valued at $10,000.

9:32But the public engagement for the project

9:33would take place between September 18th

9:36and October 4th, 2026,

9:38which is the cultural days festival, if you will,

9:42or program itself.

9:45It is for professional artists and arts collectives

9:50who are, excuse me, must be at least 18 years of age

9:55and eligible to work as independent contractors in Canada.

10:01The artists are encouraged to share

10:03how their lived connection to place

10:05shapes their artistic practice

10:07and informs their project proposal.

10:12We are interested in a range of media and disciplines

10:17and also in interdisciplinary practice

10:19if that is the mode of work for the artists

10:22who are making an application.

10:24In particular, we are sort of framing media and practice

10:30in the context of community-engaged art,

10:33site-specific art, studio-based practices,

10:37media arts, and or performance.

10:40So there's a range of materiality and also discipline

10:46in terms of who the artists are

10:49who might be interested in this program.

10:52And really intentionally we are inviting artists

10:54to consider and to speak about

10:56and to kind of organize their project

10:58around how community members will witness,

11:01contribute to, engage with, and or participate in their art.

11:05We are, for the first iteration of the program,

11:10we are going to focus the activity of it in downtown wealth.

11:15As we say in the call here,

11:18a place shaped by the rhythms of everyday life

11:20where chance encounters, gatherings,

11:22and shared experiences unfold in real-time and space.

11:27The artists will have some choice, obviously,

11:29in terms of like exactly where their work is situated,

11:33the kind of work they make,

11:35the invitation to community to engage with them and their art.

11:40But we wanted to focus the kind of like intensity

11:43of the experiences in the downtown area.

11:48And we are really interested in inviting the artists

11:51to respond to physical, social,

11:54and or historical conditions of their chosen site.

11:58So we're hoping that the artists will be inspired by place

12:03and in particular the sort of the unique dynamic

12:06of how specific spaces in wealth might be shaped

12:15or informed by the art that is made in those spaces

12:19or experienced in those spaces.

12:23We're scoping the program to launch April 7th of this year.

12:28There is a two-phase submission process.

12:31So phase one is calls for an expression of interest.

12:37There will be an assessment of those applications.

12:41A short list of artists will be determined.

12:44And then in phase two for the short-listed artists,

12:47we'll invite their project proposals.

12:51And then from the short-listed artists through an assessment

12:54process, the winning artist or artist collective will be awarded.

13:03Again, there is a development period through which we would

13:05work with the artists, but then the actual public-facing

13:08component of their work would happen really

13:11within culture days itself.

13:16So a little bit more about the why.

13:19So art in real life aims to connect really intentionally

13:23with the Cultivate Connect and Champion pillars

13:26of the work that we do.

13:29And we did in the call link, the call to work

13:33link, the call itself links to the cultural plan.

13:35So there's sort of connective language between the call

13:39itself and the plan.

13:43And we really see this in terms of the how.

13:51We really see this program as an opportunity both for artists

13:57to have a significant professional opportunity that is

14:03commissioned by the city and an invitation to community

14:08to meaningfully engage with the artists and their work.

14:15And we call the program art in real life as a way to kind of

14:19use really accessible language to connect people who may not

14:24spend every moment of their lives closely connected to art

14:29or even identify themselves as art lovers or people who center

14:32art as a main priority in their worlds.

14:35But to say that this is a program and a project that they may

14:39be curious about because they can hopefully immediately or

14:42with little barrier kind of wrap their minds around what this

14:46program is.

14:48And we also wanted to signify to the artists really

14:51intentionally that this opportunity situates their work within

14:58real space in real time and with real people.

15:03So it's really sort of a front facing forward facing in

15:07community program.

15:11And it's really as always whenever we call to artists and the

15:15invitation to the artists themselves to really advise what

15:18that looks like what that experience the terms of that

15:21experience may be.

15:24And it could you know those engagement moments could look

15:29like a lot of different things but we've listed some possibilities

15:33could be gatherings workshops, guide and logs conversations

15:37performances exhibitions temper installations or other site

15:40responsive activities.

15:42And really what we've seen over the years just as we've learned

15:45our creative community that the artists themselves come up with

15:48the best ideas for how to kind of invite community into their

15:52work.

15:54So as I mentioned earlier the award is a $10,000 award.

15:58That's the budget for the program.

16:01And the call itself goes into some detail about what that award

16:06covers.

16:08I think you can see that more easily probably in the call

16:11itself than me.

16:13Rescinding it to you here.

16:15And in terms of the selection process itself.

16:19We have over many years developed a process a two phase process

16:23as I mentioned that you know works really well.

16:26And it gives us an opportunity to have a broad invitation to as

16:30many artists who feel like they the program is a good

16:34opportunity for them.

16:36And then we have a lot of other opportunities that we have

16:39with the project.

16:41The program is a good opportunity for them.

16:44And then a select smaller number of artists who have an

16:47opportunity to really fully develop out the project proposals.

16:50And then we have a selection of the winning proposal.

16:55And then the culture team gets the opportunity of working

16:59directly with the artists who are contracted into the project.

17:02To further support them in shaping the experience and the

17:05vision for their project.

17:08The call itself does go into quite a lot of detail about the

17:11two phase process.

17:13And I'm happy to of course answer any questions that our

17:16committee may have around the nuances of the process itself.

17:20And I think that problem was she did that.

17:26You want me to talk about that now.

17:29Okay, so in terms of who is the selection committee.

17:34Really, so historically the for programs like this,

17:41the art and culture.

17:44Sorry, excuse me, the public art advisory committee pack.

17:48Historically was involved in assessment processes for

17:52programs like this in the new terms of the ACAC.

17:57There is a unique process for the program.

18:01And for the ACAC, there is a unique set of terms that ACAC is

18:06following with which is distinct from the terms that pack was

18:11organized around.

18:13And for this project and future forward, we will invite a

18:19committee rather than using members of ACAC directly as a

18:25committee in the assessment process.

18:29And one of the benefits of this also is to really invite people

18:37who have a intentionally who would be specifically interested in

18:44the program itself.

18:47Again, we have a long relationship with many folks in the city

18:50who are, we think likely to be interested in participating on a

18:57selection group or in a selection group for this project.

19:00It doesn't preclude members of ACAC from being involved.

19:05But you would, if you were interested in playing a role in the

19:09selection committee, we would, you would understand that you are

19:15not there representing ACAC.

19:19That any members from ACAC who are, excuse me, let me rephrase,

19:23who are also ACAC, any members of the selection group who are also

19:28ACAC members would be operating independently of the committee

19:33itself.

19:34So they wouldn't be seen to be speaking on behalf of the committee.

19:38And we would ensure, of course, that we are not forming forum

19:44with the representation of members of ACAC who might sit on the

19:47selection group themselves.

19:49I'm sorry if that was a little bit convoluted.

19:51My brain was turning as I was speaking.

19:54So I don't know, Tanny, if you can offer a spot.

19:57If you could offer a train of clarity, Tanny, I would appreciate it.

20:00Just in discussion about setting up the selection committee in ACAC

20:04with the advisory committees to counsel now.

20:08The work of this committee is very much high-level policy related.

20:12So the job of this committee is to review this program and ask us

20:16and ask us questions and make suggestions so that we have the best program possible to offer.

20:23And then the implementation of that program becomes operational work. And so that's distinct from the

20:29policy high-level policy work that ACAC is responsible for. And so then, as John said,

20:37there may be participation from folks around this table, but it wouldn't be as ACC members.

20:44And we would have to be careful not to monkey up the waters by government or break rules by

20:52by pulling together a quorum of ACAC. So I don't know if that helps to provide any more clarity,

20:58but if it doesn't, you can ask us questions about it.

21:10That's all I have. Now we're just discussing, like, if anybody has questions or thoughts?

21:20Yeah, go ahead, Stephen.

21:28Hi everyone. I really appreciate this sort of renewed focus on community experience

21:39and how the art will generate an experience and a relationship with time, space and real life.

21:47And just going through the selection criteria, when it gets to the quality of expression of interest,

21:56it feels like it's the same as the last, the AIR. I wonder if we can have language in the quality

22:08of expression of interest, which reflects this new focus. I know the phrasing, a vision for inclusive

22:15community involvement is in there, which is really important. And we're creatively animating

22:19public spaces. And I, part of me understands why the phrase public space is in there.

22:28Another part of me says that all my real life takes part in public places and limiting it

22:37maybe to public place leaves out sort of areas where the arts used to have a, like, an important

22:47sort of interventional role. Like, Ontario used to have a work arts arts and workplaces

22:54program, which seems like absolutely crazy now that the, that the provincial government would

23:00pay artists to go to workplaces to like create educational propaganda, but they did. So I won,

23:06I wonder how broadening, broadening those criteria to match the new focus could

23:15sort of generate some really interesting expressions of interest and, and, and sort of

23:22broaden sort of the, yeah, I don't say experimentalism, but like the, you know, really burrowing down

23:30into what it means to work with time, place and people away. Yeah. That's all I had there,

23:37just in terms of the phrasing of the expression of the, the thing. Yeah. Thanks, Steve. I really

23:48appreciate your, the points you've made there and then like an opportunity for us to also, I think,

23:54map that language right through the, the like, all phases of the, of the call itself. Yeah.

24:15I might add that. Well, I think that it sounds like a great proposal. I like that it's

24:21been more shorter and kind of intentional. And I think in the past, it's been the entire year,

24:26it's, people could think, I'm not sure advice, but I think being a bit more intentional and

24:32cornering it around the culture days, I think is a great way to kind of bring it more into the spotlight.

24:39So I really like that. Something that I've heard about other cities doing that I maybe just wanted

24:48to add, because I thought it was interesting, and maybe kind of goes into like, are different spaces,

24:53but where they embed the areas into like city processes where people might not be thinking

24:59about art. And I just thought that was kind of cool. And I just wanted to raise it for, I don't

25:04know, consideration or just like thoughts as you're working on this. But I think it sounds

25:11really interesting. And I'm excited to see how it changes them. I think one of the points of

25:21emphasis around the real space, real time, real people is to assert that art lives in front of us

25:33in that very immediate way. And that we recognize, of course, that artists have

25:42a process that they follow that isn't necessarily always public facing, but that this program

25:49is really designed to invite any artist who sees their work fitting within the framework of the program

25:56to come into intentional time and space and with people in dialogue, right? So, and we did,

26:06we were very thoughtful about sort of recognizing that some of our past programs, I think the

26:15invitation or the call was very lengthy. We tried to be really intentional about the language we

26:20were using without diluting the importance of the project or the viability of it as a professional

26:29opportunity for artists in the community. So, and I think that sort of like efficiency in

26:36language and description, but then also in the actual project itself will hopefully also reach

26:43to that place and be differently and more accessible to community than maybe some of our

26:50past projects have been. I asked a couple of probing questions of the committee. There's two

27:05things. First of all, the title of the program and the use of an acronym in the title. I'm just

27:11interested in hearing the committee's advice on that. Is it too trendy? Is it cool? Is it okay

27:21to use acronyms in this case? I think it pops out. Like the other one was AIR, which doesn't really

27:30make you think that much about art or like a small line. Like, and so I think, I don't know,

27:37art IRL just, I don't know, it does, it really does pop and like, yeah, it could fade over time,

27:42like, you know, language changes, but I think it could always be updated in the future, but I really

27:49liked it. And he did, like, of all the acronyms, like, commonly used one that gets said out loud,

27:59also, not just, I mean, I didn't mind for friends, anyways, I think it's something that's in the

28:04lexicon now. I don't know, like, you said in Fiddlesticks last forever, but it's like one that's

28:10at least recognizable when you speak it versus just reading it. Yeah, and pretty calm.

28:18So like, maybe it will.

28:30Hearing, hearing thumbs up on that. And so the other thing that is new and unique in this program is

28:38that in 2026, staff have identified downtown as the location for the initiative activation. And I

28:48believe it's our intent to staff with this program as it's written out to identify locations around

28:54the city each year so that it would move around. And so wanting to do a check with committee on

29:02whether that's the right approach, should we be identifying spaces or should we be leaving it open?

29:08I think there's benefit in that. I was thinking about this last night, I feel like we talked a lot

29:18about downtown. I think that sometimes we focus a lot on downtown. I love downtown, I'll always be a

29:24big supporter of it, but remembering that there are other parts of Guelph that and bringing

29:29attention and bringing art to those spaces. And I'm sure there is already art, but bringing more

29:34opportunity to half art spaces that are not just the downtown. I think that there's merits in that

29:40approach. But I can recognize two people might feel like it's a bit like I think you can work within

29:45that. I'm fine, but yes. If it's okay. I feel that, I mean, it's a good idea to move things

29:53around the city. I actually agree with you. I feel like some people do complain that they feel left

29:59out because they're not close downtown. But I mean, I think it's also still strategic to

30:06work towards bringing things downtown because there is a way that we can position culture to

30:12also support economy, which is very needed downtown. So I feel like the more able to bring

30:18people downtown is a good idea. So that's why I prefer the idea of how people come downtown to do

30:24stuff, to support the businesses, to encourage community and just organic growth. So that's

30:30why I would support downtown. Yeah, I was going to say, I think it's especially during the construction

30:39era of downtown Guelph. I feel like it's already really impacting a lot of businesses, as we

30:46maybe all know, probably all know. And like, having conversations about that with people who

30:53like recently signed business leases downtown who are now like the value of my lease has just

31:01completely diminished because there's no foot traffic or whatever. And so like, I think for

31:06that reason, at first I was kind of like, is it smart to make it go downtown? It's what it is,

31:12what it's going to be like this like transient era. But then it's also like, well, then too,

31:20it's similar to what Benji said, like to encourage people to actually continue accessing that space,

31:27even when it doesn't necessarily feel, and I'm sure there's so many other conversations about

31:32how the city is navigating that little revitalization project. But yeah, I don't know. So that's

31:40my, I'm like, I was at first, I was like, maybe not. But now I'm like, no, maybe it makes it to do that.

31:45Yeah, so just to be clear, 2026 isn't intended to be downtown, but the way this is set up is staff

31:52would then prescribe a location every year. So 2027 might be South Guelph, right? So I guess,

32:01you know, looking for advice on if prescribing different locations every year is the way to go.

32:11I wonder if there's been thought given to the idea of like, if we're going to do that, also being

32:18very careful to create ways to move people to those places that are really accessible and tied

32:26specifically to the project. So that we're not just benefiting the people within that also gets

32:32more like, further downtown here gets more people to go downtown and experience downtown

32:36for the South Guelph year, you know, against downtown people to go to something.

32:40Because I do feel like that's just, this is like my student union brain when I was local

32:47various commissioner, like the, the like, separation of the neighborhoods can be really like alienating.

32:55I remember speaking with all things that were anonymous, but someone who grew up in Guelph their

33:00whole life who lived in the South End who said that they never went downtown until they went to

33:05university. And they just thought it wasn't like that. Like their their downtown Guelph was like,

33:11she was Joe's. Which is sure that makes sense. But it's interesting to me. It's like nice to be able

33:18to remind people that we're in multi spaces. So that was my suggestion.

33:27I think one of the pieces that we were considering and shaping that intention was around site

33:33specificities. And what that means for artists when they're invited into a particular space and

33:41moment in time and with the community who gather there. It's a kind of,

33:49it shapes the opportunity in a really intentional way. And I think for the artists developing

33:54their proposals, they can look really acutely at those locations and respond to them as opposed to

34:04sort of the the full breadth of the city where I think there's lots of corners of the city where

34:13art, public art should be. But it's a big enough city that it's hard to kind of locate that intention

34:21unless you know the city very, very well. Right. In launching this particular program and thinking,

34:28I think, adjacently to what community has expressed around the kind of this moment in the

34:33downtown with all of its tensions and complexities feels like that it's important to focus this

34:41program in that space. But then also because it's a new program and launching it in the downtown,

34:49which is sort of, I think, in the fabric of the community understood to be a site of culture,

34:54of capital city culture. Right. So it, you know, it will, I think, help the program and the artist

35:01and the community to really embrace that side of it. You know, when it's a success and I'll be bold

35:08and say that. Right. I've got to walk into it with that expectation. You know, then we have an

35:15opportunity to think again about what does site specificity mean in the 2027 version of this

35:22program? Where is there a kind of vibrant, maybe urgent opportunity for citing public art experiences

35:33in other places in Guelph? And then we can, right from the launch of the program, be really

35:39driving the attention and focus to the, to that location. And I think it's actually kind of like

35:44from an artist's lens, really exciting to think about site specificity as a way to kind of like

35:50shape the work, as opposed to having like the broad expanse of the city, sort of at your disposal.

35:56And to be honest, if an artist is like, ooh, I'm on the cusp of downtown, I think we want to

36:04understand how they interpret downtown. We're not interested in, in drawing a barrier around it.

36:09We're just like, the adjacency is also interesting. Right. Like maybe that's a very vibrant and dynamic

36:17place for the artist to kind of position their work, to test that threshold, right?

36:21Because I know that there are organizations and individuals in this community who are like,

36:26I identify as a downtown business person, right? But, but the actual like lying on the map maybe

36:34doesn't embrace. Yeah, silence, right? Like, doesn't embrace them.

36:39No, downtown, that's our board, but nobody thinks we're downtown, right? So like maybe those kind

36:44of thresholds are interesting to artists and community together. And that's where the art

36:49should live. But of course, it's the artists who are making the proposals and really like shaping

36:55the vision for their work. So I do think site specificity is a really like enticing and energizing

37:01and kind of as a focal point, an opportunity within this program. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, Stephen,

37:14do you want to go? Sure. Thank you. So I guess coming off the back of the idea of

37:23how intentional the placing of the art is and what site specificity can mean. And

37:34I guess the question is in the Venn diagram of people time and place. I mean, you know,

37:42the flexibility there is for, you know, places to be transient. When we're talking about,

37:51and people are talking about, someone mentioned like, you know, it was, you know,

37:56if an artist wanted to intervene in like some of the city's infrastructure, like the idea of

38:01maintenance art is really sort of connected to that, the idea that like sanitation,

38:06the system of sanitation, everyone sort of is engaged with it. But the people who are doing

38:11that work may be, you know, they are, that is their everyday life, that they're a community that could

38:17be, you know, engaged with to create art. And I guess the question, I guess it's a question about

38:25like, yeah, what we're talking about when we say place, because there's a fixed thing,

38:30it's a feeling, it's a set of experiences, it has physical elements to it, but

38:39there's a big difference between space and place. And yeah, place where stories happen and experiences

38:44happen and, you know, around a dustbin can be as enriching as a giant heart that's been sort of

38:56wheeled into, you know, the doorway of a mall.

39:05For sure. And I guess the priority within, or a priority in this program is, is that,

39:11that public space piece. I think it's really, well, it is intentional in this program. And

39:18hopefully that translates to the artists who will be interpreting their work through the lens of

39:23this project to think about place really specifically and to think about how, like, what is public

39:35space, right, or place rather, public space and then place, the specificity of place,

39:41and how their art can ignite story or, and or experience, depending on the artist, the nature

39:52of their work. They're going to see that quite differently, I'm sure, and test the boundaries

39:58literally and figuratively of what the program is designed to do, which is actually frankly what

40:04we what we hope artists will do is sort of test the threshold of that. Yeah, I mean, they typically do.

40:11Yeah. I think this is a really interesting point too, in terms of spaces and places.

40:18Part of the reason we're putting them together is also recognizing that people make places,

40:22places. And so, you know, there might be artists who want to work with a specific site,

40:28a specific building, with its history, but then also if they're wanting to work with a community,

40:35and that could be, you know, thinking about this, as I thought about embedding artists or

40:42having, you know, if they were wanting to work with the community of sanitation workers and how

40:46places show up within that break spaces, work spaces, you know, you know, that's that's also

40:53a possibility. And just realizing that depending on how an artist works, these different components

40:58could come in at different stages of the process. So we want the events as community members come

41:05into them to be free and open and accessible. And so this is one reason we were talking about

41:11public spaces, but there could be parts of the work in process where if they're working, you know,

41:18in a space that isn't a publicly accessible space, but it's part of their process, like if they

41:22wanted to work with a certain community, and that's, you know, part of the visioning of the work or

41:28part of the making of the work. And then the presentation is public. You know, if this is

41:34where we kind of we're separating process that's community engaged process where where, you know,

41:41all parts of it could be part of the process, the co visioning, co creation, co presenting,

41:47but then other artists will have a studio based process and community members might come into

41:52it later. So, and they might be sites with this specific in its inspiration. And then, you know,

41:59in other works will be more spite site specific in terms of the presentation, you know, there are

42:05many different ways artists will take this up. And we want to be open about that. But yeah,

42:11not all artists will be not all parts of the process will be accessible to the public if that's

42:17not what the artists how they work, you know, recognizing that there are many ways of working.

42:22But I think there are opportunities for things like that, betting artists or working with

42:27sanitation workers or, you know, the community, the identify is kind of part of the proposal as well.

42:33I'll say that the reference I had it's Toronto and I didn't know one that they had this year.

42:38The artist, it was a bridge in Don Valley and it's like, well, if you think about places like

42:45yeah, we know downtown, but like, is there some place where something like we need to build a

42:49little tiny footbridge and they painted it by hand and made a design and there was a whole thing

42:55about the people who crossed that bridge. So it's like being like, there might be ways where you

43:00don't think that city and the artists can come together to create something that we need it for

43:05a specific purpose, but then it's also bringing art into that space as well.

43:10Yeah, very interesting. Yeah, I thought I was talking about this.

43:14Yeah, for sure.

43:17Bond.

43:18Okay, yeah, it's me. Yeah, it's not Jane. It's me. Sorry.

43:22Yeah, still thinking along the lines of place, and I'm just also trying to project to see

43:29like the future. I'm thinking that also because like when I saw the minutes,

43:34I also just thought to see that like the objectives of the program revisited and seeing how these can

43:44be tied to economy. And I'm saying this going off the last meeting we had where we had Stephen and

43:53Scarlett go speak to the mayor and the council. I'm thinking that as much as possible, we should

44:00try reposition this in a way that it's no longer just arts and culture as something we do,

44:09but position in a way that it impacts on like things like economy and business

44:15so that beyond the work that is presented, even like the businesses like we spoke about

44:22will be able to speak for it in future when this returns from what is done. So even if we get to

44:28move it elsewhere at some point, it's important also to consider how the project will impact on

44:35maybe the economy in ways we can quantify. That way, I feel like it gives it a level of

44:42longevity such that we don't have to do so much all the time to speak for why this should stay.

44:50So it's just some perspective that I thought we should visit that just helps to build a future

44:57for the project. Yeah, that's a really excellent point. Thanks, Bantie. Certainly, I think that

45:20the strength and viability and sustainability of a program like this

45:24does depend on its relationship in part to the economy, to the sort of, if I can say,

45:36like, desiloing of culture from how we live our lives and all the ways we live our lives,

45:42and including its professionalism and how it intersects and brings people into kind of adjacent

45:52opportunities. So if they're going to an event that's in a particular location,

45:58and you've raised a really important question that I does deserve a thoughtful reflection,

46:04so I'm going to say, share some things now, but I will take this to heart and I think we'll work

46:09on it collaboratively as museums and culture. But thinking about, you know, through this program

46:19and other programs like it, you know, where that animation activation is touches on the sort of

46:27intersection of both opportunity and need, right? So if it's downtown and the events are driving

46:35community and frankly traffic into certain areas of the city, there is a kind of like adjacent

46:43opportunity for that locality to have a little economic boost, right? That there's people there

46:50who are noticing what's going on around them and they're sort of like in different spaces at

46:56different times. And those intersections, I think we can really like be thoughtful about sort of

47:00where those intersections live. And I think I'm hearing what you're saying also, Banji, in terms of

47:06like that informing the robustness and sustainability of the program itself. Yeah?

47:14Sure. Sure. I want to make sure I understand. Yeah.

47:25Do you have another comment or is your hand just up for it?

47:32Just on Banji's point for the minutes, maybe it could be noted that

47:39committee suggests that staff look at economic impact models for culture activations.

47:53And there is one, a Canadian one. So if that would be helpful to activate what Banji has

48:01to suggest. Like over and above this specific program, but. Well, I think what Banji is saying

48:07is we should be measuring the success and impact of this program. And so we can look at

48:14models of how to apply them to this program. So then when we report back on the success,

48:19because it will be, that this is one of the indicators.

48:24All right. All right. Sorry, you said culture activations. Is that what it's?

48:31I'm looking at the culture, arts, heritage and sport economic impact. And so asking staff to

48:46consider applying this model in measuring the success impact of archivial.

48:54Do you have any other comments, concerns or direct questions, direct conversation?

49:10Should we bring up the recommendation? Yes.

49:21So for the committee, we have Jordan from the clerk's office here with us today.

49:30Another board committee coordinator. So Jordan's coming to a few of these meetings just to get the

49:35feel of how things are done. And he so kindly captured your comments, which are now up on the

49:42screen. But we're here to workshop the language with you all to ensure that we've captured your

49:49comments accurately. Because there's lots of good discussion. So we just want to make sure that

49:57that we've got those right. So yeah. So then the arts and culture advisory committee recommend that

50:04the language and the quality of expression of interest highlight the new focus on what it

50:09means to work with time, please. And people. So Steven, I think that was your first comment there.

50:16Let us know if you want us to modify the language or you go. Okay. And then the language

50:27that the language embeds art and city process. I'm sure I'm not sure if you meant artist in the

50:32city product process or art when you were referring to that city of Toronto, for example.

50:40Just like kind of both. Yeah. Art and artist processes. We can specify too. We can add more.

50:57That staff consider ways to bring art to spaces outside of the downtown region.

51:03Staff rotate art around the city while retaining a focus on the downtown region.

51:08And stash examine the quantitative economic benefits of this project on the downtown area

51:14as to support its future one. Jimmy of the arts and real life project. So

51:20Benji, that's what we're trying to capture your comment there. And then the last one.

51:28Staff examine the culture, arts, heritage and sport economic impact model and apply to the

51:32success and impact of art and real life. Sorry, we're just going to form check here.

51:51Eight four, five, six, and nine. Oh, they're no longer online. Sorry,

52:02folks. Thanks. We're good. Sorry. So, yeah, if you want us to modify or add, can we just add the

52:21point about like moving the people to the project as well? So that's probably that's a rounder

52:31discussion here. Yeah, some work in that way to bring our two spaces outside of the downtown region.

52:37Do we want to keep that and then add a separate bullet or do we want to modify that one to

52:41consider ways to bring art to the spaces outside of the downtown region? Yeah, I guess.

52:46To this space. Yeah, and to bring people to the art, I guess. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can be added.

52:56Right at the downtown region. And just want to add more. Do we, it's your motion as a committee.

53:28We're just here to help draft it and ensure that we've captured your comments.

53:47The staff rotating art around the city. Are you guys going to carry stuff around? Or

53:58I mean, I did guess what that was that sentence getting at.

54:03I captured that one. I believe the language specifically was rotate. And my understanding

54:10of the intention was that if there are any displays that they'd be moved to different

54:15locations, how could there's better wording? Please let me know. Thanks for your patience

54:19with working me with this. No, that's not good. I think the intent is to address

54:26the prescription of different sites in different places of the city, right, rather than moving.

54:32I wonder if the two bullet points, like the one above it, it's kind of captures that

54:41already. We don't need the rotate bullet point unless the intent is to rotate the art.

54:52I think it's to rotate the spaces. So I just think we'll want to look at the language

54:58to make it like downtown is what staff have determined the program should be in 2026.

55:05In 2027, there will be a prescription of a different type, a different place, right? And so,

55:11and what we've heard is it's important to have downtown. It's also important to have our,

55:16in other places and well, so rotate art spaces and places around the city while retaining a focus

55:25on the downtown region. Does that add in spaces, work with the intent? Is there something about

55:44like taking into consideration that it's talking about like considering whether art is accessible,

55:51like making it more accessible than just it being downtown. So I don't know whether it's about, you

55:57know, reviewing, consciously reviewing the, I don't know what the language is. I just,

56:12yeah, that'll make sense.

56:22Thanks, Pee-ee. I'm sorry.

56:24Right.

56:26Consider the accessibility to the art spaces around the city.

56:45Sorry, Stephen. We didn't quite.

56:50Just trying to think. I guess like if we should be considering

56:55well, retaining the focus on the downtown region, the city will endeavor to

57:09make, I don't know what the sentence is. I'm sorry, it's been a long day.

57:13Okay, for all of us.

57:20I think those two points could actually be collapsed. I think they're saying,

57:24trying to save us.

57:27Bringing people to the art.

57:28Yeah.

57:30Because one says, bring in people to the art and the other one's saying,

57:33bring in art to the people, right?

57:37By the sounds of it. My right is that, is that correct? To bring art to public places outside

57:47the region and bring, but yeah, I think that the bullet point about says it.

57:52Okay. Yeah.

57:53This one covers the, yeah, okay, so remove this one.

57:57I think so.

57:58But if that gets a just and friendly amendment.

58:02Recognizing that last point did stress the importance of downtown as a culture center,

58:07as Don had said. So maybe it starts with recognizing the importance of setting our

58:13downtown through this object. Staff consider ways to bring art to spaces outside of the

58:18downtown.

58:20And to bring people to the art.

58:23And consider ways to bring art to spaces outside of the downtown region and to bring

58:33people to the art. And that setting should be fast setting.

58:36Oh, again.

58:46So the second bullet point that we could amend it, say, I just wrote it in my head,

58:54that staff consider ways to, of embedding art and or the artists within city processes.

59:20It's annoying by that.

59:22I was wondering if something was driven on you.

59:27No idea what that is.

59:30I think the third point, recognizing the importance of setting our downtown.

59:35Okay. Yeah. Staff also consider ways to bring art.

59:46Which is the importance of setting.

59:55Where the setting is setting.

59:56Okay.

59:57Setting the setting.

59:57Yeah.

59:58Setting the setting.

59:58Setting the setting.

59:59So I had a lot of inclusion plans.

1:00:01Getting low key.

1:00:02Getting low key.

1:00:03Yeah.

1:00:03Yeah.

1:00:04Yeah.

1:00:05Signing.

1:00:05Signing.

1:00:06Signing.

1:00:06The exercises of this program was just really simple work.

1:00:11Signing.

1:00:11Signing.

1:00:11Signing.

1:00:12Signing.

1:00:12Signing.

1:00:12Signing.

1:00:13Looks good.

1:00:23Unless anybody else has other comments.

1:00:30Okay.

1:00:31So do I say the next thing?

1:00:34They just, yeah.

1:00:35There was a previous, we could just move it all in one.

1:00:38You can move it in one.

1:00:39You can move it in two.

1:00:40And it's just to put it all together just for the use of.

1:00:56Do we share that?

1:01:17So I've just added the recommended motion that staff provided that

1:01:23the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee received the staff report title.

1:01:26Art and Real Life Program Proposal.

1:01:30And then the second one is that the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee

1:01:33recommend that the language and the quality of expression of interest

1:01:36highlight new focus on what it needs to work with time, place in people.

1:01:40Staff consider ways of embedding art and or the artists within city processes.

1:01:46Recognizing the importance of locating art downtown.

1:01:49Staff also consider ways to bring art spaces outside of the downtown region

1:01:53and to bring people to the art.

1:01:55Staff should examine the quantitative economic benefit of the project

1:01:58on the downtown area as to support the future.

1:02:01Also take me though the Art and Real Life Project and staff examine the culture,

1:02:06arts, heritage and sports economic impact model

1:02:10and apply it to the success and impact of art and real life.

1:02:15So if there's any additional evidence that we know

1:02:19we'd want to go back to you, to hear.

1:02:22Sorry.

1:02:23Would somebody like to move the presentations?

1:02:32Maybe we can start.

1:02:33See we have a seconder.

1:02:38I can second.

1:02:41Okay. I'm going to assume all in favor.

1:02:44So anyone opposed?

1:02:47No?

1:02:47Okay.

1:02:48That's great.

1:02:51Thank you everyone.

1:02:53That was a great discussion.

1:02:55Yeah.

1:02:55Yeah.

1:02:56I'm going to say,

1:02:56Up we go.

1:02:56I'm going to say,

1:02:57I'm going to say,

1:02:58Up we go.

1:02:58Up we go.

1:02:59Up we go.

1:02:59Up we go.

1:02:59Up we go.

1:02:59Up we go.

1:03:00Up we go.

1:03:00Up we go.

1:03:01Up we go.

1:03:02It worked on internet.

1:03:03Oh, thank you.

1:03:08Thank you.

1:03:13So I'll move on to the third item,

1:03:16which is chair and staff announcements.

1:03:18So I don't have any announcements,

1:03:20but I do know that staff has an announcement for the

1:03:25update on the police headquarter public art project.

1:03:29And I just wanted to refine committee members that

1:03:34point of announcements compared to items

1:03:37for discussion is more just to provide an update

1:03:40or some additional information.

1:03:43And that we're welcome to ask questions and get clarity,

1:03:46but it isn't meant to be an item for discussion.

1:03:49And if that was the case,

1:03:51I would have had to have been in an item for discussion.

1:03:55So with that, I'll turn it over to Dawn.

1:04:01It's just a brief update.

1:04:03So you'll recall that our last meeting,

1:04:07we did anticipate to launch the public art project

1:04:12at a wealth police headquarters.

1:04:16We were going to launch that early in the new year.

1:04:19And the project was delayed so that there was time

1:04:25and opportunity for police services for it

1:04:26to reflect on the project.

1:04:29And they are still in reflection of the project.

1:04:32So we don't have a launch date as yet.

1:04:35We're just waiting for her feedback from police services.

1:04:50Yeah, does anyone have any questions?

1:05:01I guess I do have a question.

1:05:02Is there any indication how much reflection there will be?

1:05:09No.

1:05:13We are in dialogue with the folks who have always been

1:05:17in the conversation with us who have met with the committee

1:05:23that existed before this one in the shaping of that program.

1:05:27And so we're just patiently waiting for a process to unfold

1:05:33within the dialogue at police services.

1:05:39And we remain committed and excited about the program.

1:05:44So, yes.

1:05:47Still to the launch.

1:05:49Yeah.

1:06:05I think that's it then.

1:06:06So I'll move on to adjournment.

1:06:10So I'll recommend that the arts and culture advisory

1:06:13committee meeting feature.

1:06:14Would anyone like to move?

1:06:23I'm sorry, I would like to second it.

1:06:28I'm going to see in favor, so I want to pose.

1:06:33Okay.

1:06:36Thank you everyone for a great discussion.

1:06:38And the next meeting will be in March on 26th at 5 p.m. here.

1:06:45See you one more time.

1:06:48Thanks.

1:06:49Thanks everyone.

1:06:53Thank you.

1:06:55Bye.