The pandemic dealt a terrible blow to a business model predicated on people coming together in shared spaces in real time for a collective experience. Staying at home with our screens deepened into an instinct for many of us, and it’s hard to say whether that will change. So while performing arts organizations have experienced both successes and challenges early into the recovery process, considerable evidence points to concerns of long-term viability for a variety of companies in our pandemic-altered world.
Our Performing Arts program has long focused on supporting individual leadership and organizational innovation. And while we remain committed to those efforts, we’re exploring how we can respond to broader sector challenges by fueling the work needed to reconceptualize the role of the arts and culture sector in these disruptive times.
Some of this is already underway — through David Maggs’s work as our Fellow on Arts and Society and our support of the newly established Public Imagination Network (PIN), a group of eight Ontario artists/advocates investigating how artistic practices can contribute to public policy. Over the next few months, we’ll be finalizing additional plans and look forward to sharing more with you later in the year.
As a foundation that believes deeply in the value of our arts and culture sector, we’re intent on ensuring it can continue to enrich our rapidly changing world.
As always, I welcome your thoughts.
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President and CEO |
