B.C. is a leading province in arts and culture, and on Wednesday, the Creative City Network of Canada announced that Victoria had won the Cultural Planning Award for its efforts in cultural support and engagement.
The national award focuses on Canadian municipalities that have implemented strong cultural programs in the past 36 months.
Victoria was recognized for its “Create Victoria” campaign, which started in December 2017 and supports artists, creative entrepreneurs, and culture organizations throughout the city.
The project compiled the input of 2000 diverse Victorians to create an aesthetical, artistic plan for the city over the next five years. The information gathered in the campaign is used to direct strategies, actions, and resources to help guide public and private investment into the city’s cultural identity.
“The Create Victoria Cultural Policy and the Arts and Culture Master Plan demonstrate the values and principles the City of Victoria places on arts and culture for both social and economic benefit,“ reads the city’s culture master plan.
Last week, the B.C. government also announced that it would be investing $4 million in grants to support arts and culture in the province – almost $1 million more than last year.
The Creative City Network of Canada is a nationwide non-profit organization that works to improve the operating climate and conditions of artists, heritage, and artistic organizations across the country.
