In the spring of 2007, Artscape published Vision 2011: Thinking Big About Culture-Led Regeneration. The Vision 2011 document was the product of a 15 month long planning exercise that encompassed a broader strategic plan for Artscape. It re-defined Artscape’s activity into three areas: creative spacemaking, creative placemaking, and creative city leadership. It represented a watershed moment for the organization in its transition from solely a space provider to one that is focused on creative city-building through the arts.
Vision 2011 PDF
INTRODUCTION
Artscape is at the most important crossroads in its history. Like never before, it has opportunities to respond to the urgent needs of Toronto’s creative sector, become a major player in city-building and solidify its position as a global leader in culture-led regeneration.
The context for Artscape’s work has dramatically changed over the past few years. There is a new and growing understanding about the importance of creativity in building vibrant and resilient communities.
Creativity and innovation are recognized internationally as the keys to economic growth, community transformation and solving problems in every imaginable field. Leading thinkers are now heralding the arrival of the creative economy and age.
Artscape has not only become a player in this global dialogue, it is one of the only organizations that has figured out how to cut through the thick rhetoric surrounding the creative cities agenda and deliver sustainable creative communities on the ground.
Artscape is as always deeply rooted in the arts community but has also developed strong relationships and shared interests with planners, economic developers, environmentalists, city-builders and community activists.
Vision 2011: Thinking Big About Culture-led Regeneration is Artscape’s response to the opportunities and challenges ahead. It redefines Artscape’s core purpose as an organization engaged in ‘culture-led regeneration’. It spells out the vision and strategies that will guide our approach to leadership, spacemaking and placemaking over the next five years. It also provides a snapshot of current and future creative buildings, programs, services and initiatives.
After years of solid incremental growth, we are being encouraged to think bigger almost everywhere we turn. There has been an explosion of interest in Artscape’s work among creative people as well as communities looking to attract and retain them.
Opportunities to develop creative spaces and places abound. The City of Toronto has elevated its aspiration as a major centre for creativity and innovation and Mayor David Miller’s vision of a great city calls on Artscape to play an important role in realizing this goal.
We will use Vision 2011 as a framework to manage the demand for our work. It is grounded in a detailed analysis of how Artscape’s capacity can be scaled up to meet the opportunities before us.
It is important to note, however, that it is a picture of what is possible provided that the resources can be found to make it happen. Like all of Artscape’s past successes, translating our vision into reality will hinge on building a multitude of partnerships.
The process of developing Vision 2011 has been tremendously energizing for the board and staff of Artscape. It has provided us with new focus and clarity and boosted our confidence. We hope you will find Vision 2011 as exciting as we do and invite you to join us in helping to make it happen.
Tim Jones, President and CEO
