Culture, including arts, sports, and community events, is what makes a city worth visiting and staying in. These are the things that provide so much value and vibrancy to our neighbourhoods. Whether it’s live music, recreational and professional sports, comedy, theatre, multicultural festivals, or public art, culture is what makes us unique, helps us understand ourselves, and gives us collective purpose.

There are many similarities between arts and sports communities, even though they may not work closely together. Both require support to offer recreational and after-school programming; both use neighbourhood recreation facilities, both create pathways for professional competition at the regional and national level, and both are key drivers of tourism in our region. When done right, municipalities can lift up arts and sports at the same time. It’s not a competition.

Labour force data tells us that professional artists are paid well below their peers in other sectors. Direct income support, affordable studio space, and opportunities for professional development within and beyond Waterloo Region are incredibly important to keeping this sector alive. Artists should be able to live affordably in their neighborhoods, and they are often the victims of displacement due to redevelopment and gentrification in our city.

Sam's priorities for culture

• Continue to invest in The Aud at its current location as a landmark venue in Kitchener for large sporting and entertainment events. We recently completed a $2 million upgrade to the facility, and there is lots of life left in this arena. Consider redeveloping the outdoor space to accommodate a regional-scale multi-sport outdoor stadium. Enhance transportation connections to The Aud from the city-wide trail network, Borden ION station, and Ottawa Street.

• Prioritize investments to develop Kitchener’s emerging artists and amateur athletes. From early-career support to accelerating export-ready talent, develop programs that will put Kitchener on the map and grow our creative and athletic industries. Create affordable studio spaces, rehearsal rooms, practice facilities, and a permanent home for an expanded 44 Gaukel Creative Workspace.

• Step back from in-house municipal programming of large festivals such as Endless Summer and Wayback Festival, creating more room for partnerships with independent arts organizations that can take responsibility for booking and programming, and authentically reach new audiences. This will allow Kitchener to support our creative industries without competing directly with arts organizations for Federal and Provincial grant funding, scheduling availability, and booking talent. Together with arts and entertainment partners, bring new high-calibre festivals to areas outside of downtown, such as Breithaupt Park, McLennan Park, and The Aud.

• Reintroduce a version of the Create + Connect grant program, and consider other new ways to help kickstart early-stage careers for musicians while developing a local fan base for artists.
  

• As part of the city’s Special Events Strategy, develop a mobile stage rental kit for small scale community events. This could include sound and lighting equipment, microphones, projector and screen, and a stage. This kit could be rented as a plug-and-play solution by community groups for celebrations, neighbourhood festivals, and cultural events anywhere in the city. This would reduce barriers for community groups and neighbourhood associations who are not experts in event management.