COMMUNITY MATTERS: Nova Scotia's Creative Economy: A Priceless Commodity

In Annapolis Royal and area, we already know that the arts are essential to our quality of life. Most visitors are surprised to discover that such a small town has an active theatre, a public gallery for contemporary art, numerous private galleries and art shops, a public gardens, many museums, a good chunk of the population engaged in making their living in the cultural sector, and a year-round roster of cultural events. What people find here is a kind of worldliness rooted in small town values of caring for your neighbours.

This mix is reflected in the programming at Kings Theatre, with equal parts community-generated performances and performers from away. The same is true for the Annapolis Region Community Arts Council (ARCAC), which shows the work of artists that have achieved international acclaim alongside the work of anyone in the community who wants the opportunity to show their art. The annual International Feast and Art Auction, which chooses a different country theme for food, decorations, music and costumes, as well as a different non-profit group each year to be the beneficiaries of the funds raised, is another example.

How did we get here? In part, it has to do with the community’s philosophy that the starting point for all good decisions must be based on what is good for the community. If programming and infrastructure decisions are based on what the community needs and wants, they will be used. From there, perhaps tourism will follow - but not the other way around. This notion has influenced major decisions, including the decision in the 1980s to build a public gardens rather than a shopping mall. It was key in building a farmers market in the heart of town. And it will be essential in ensuring that good decisions are made when the arts council builds a new sculpture garden and expands ARTsPLACE, and when the skate-park committee designs and builds a new park for youth.

We are blessed with municipal councils, both town and county, that appreciate the value of the arts and do their best to invest in supporting the sector. The province also offers support to most arts and culture organizations in town, and some even receive funds from federal sources. But because of our small population, cultural groups don’t have the same access to funding as larger centres do, so they rely heavily on volunteers, community support, and creative ingenuity to accomplish what most larger communities would consider a very ambitious arts and culture agenda. People moving into the area don’t usually last a month before being invited to serve on at least one organization (there are some 22 registered not-for profit groups in town). Active participation builds a sense of community belonging, which in turn gets people out to events. Thus, the volunteerism factor has a multiplier effect that increases the viability of the sector.

The NSCAN report is an important document in focusing policy-makers on the key role the arts can play in growing the economy, and that significant investments should be made in facilitating the growth of the sector. We agree. But people here also know that the arts enrich our lives in profound ways that go beyond economics. Indeed, in these troubled economic times, we need the arts more than ever to remind us of what we value most. *****

Janet Larkman is the out-going Chair of ARCAC, vice-president of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, and a director of the Nova Scotia Talent Trust. She makes her living as an artist and consultant.

COMMUNITY MATTERS is a weekly column that invites residents intimately connected with issues of local import to share their insights and ideas.