Report 2010CMO009 Attachment 1 Office of the Provost and Office of the Vice-President Vice-President (Academic) (External Relations) 2-10 University Hall 3-5 University Hall Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J9 Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2J9 Ph 780-492-3920 Fax 780-492-1438 Ph 780-492-4419 Fax 780-492-9453 FESTIVAL OF IDEAS 2010 Background The Festival of Ideas The Festival of Ideas was a major highlight of the University of Alberta’s Centenary Celebration. Presented in November 2008 as a partnership with the City of Edmonton, the Festival of Ideas built on the city’s cultural tradition and the university’s intellectual and creative excellence to present an exciting convergence of artists, scientists, philosophers, politicians, activists, and social commentators downtown. The Festival was designed to foster dialogue at a local, provincial, national and international level under the theme Fear and Happiness in the Modern World. Highlights included opening night with award winning author Salman Rushdie, a conversation between Pulitzer Prize-winning environmentalist Edward O. Wilson and the U of A’s Killam Memorial Professor of Ecology David Schindler, Science Saturday for Kids, and a landmark staging of Monteverdi’s opera Orfeo performed with period instruments. Thanks to the partnership with the City of Edmonton, the inaugural Festival of Ideas brought thousands of people to downtown Edmonton to experience four days of sold-out readings, discussions, debates, films and performances. Media coverage across Canada allowed tens of thousands more to engage with the Festival’s participants. The appetite shared for intellectual discussion with the community far exceeded expectations. The Festival was such a success, and the community feedback was so positive, that the Festival will continue on a biennial basis with the next instalment scheduled to take place November 17-21, 2010. Festival of Ideas 2010 The second Festival will build on the success of the first by capitalizing on its strong identity and significant community support. It will continue as a multidisciplinary, interactive, engaging and inclusive forum to facilitate cutting-edge creative thinking about the challenges of our time. It will encourage the community to push boundaries, re-assess old habits, challenge taken-for- granted assumptions and engage in communal learning and discovery. The University of Alberta would like to continue its Festival of Ideas partnership with the City of Edmonton and will be promoting the city provincially, nationally and internationally as well as contributing to the vitality of the city, transforming concert halls, galleries, performing spaces and public buildings into Festival venues and places to meet and interact. The City of Edmonton and University of Alberta share the desire to be leaders in the world and the exchange of ideas is vital to the realization of this goal. Theme The theme of the 2010 Festival, Truth and Lies: Trust Me, is both broad and provocative. Under the leadership of Festival Executive Director Miki Andrejevic and an advisory board from the University of Alberta, the City of Edmonton and the community, the program will again include performers, writers, visual artists, scientists and public intellectuals who will engage with the public through artistic productions, panel discussions, forums, and family-friendly events. Downtown venues include the Winspear Centre, Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton Public Library, Citadel Theatre, City Hall and Art Gallery of Alberta. EXPO 2017 Due to its biennial timeline, the Festival of Ideas fits well with the City of Edmonton’s bid for EXPO 2017. With the primary legacy of the EXPO bid identified as a legacy of knowledge, the Report 2010CMO009 Attachment 1 Page 2 Festival of Ideas has a role to play in the bid process and in the build-up towards 2017. The world-class calibre of performers participating in the 2010 Festival will enhance the University’s ability to amplify Edmonton and Alberta’s promotion of the EXPO, while also contributing to the City of Edmonton’s reputation as a destination for knowledge creation and sharing. A Legacy of Knowledge The Festival of Ideas advances the U of A’s promise to contribute to “uplifting the whole people” by bringing together the University and the community to create a rich and meaningful experience of learning and discovery. This Festival is unique as it shares with the City of Edmonton and the general public, the U of A and an international contingent of performers, writers, visual artists, scientists, educators, students and intellectuals, bringing them together in the pursuit of knowledge, cultural advancement, learning and discovery. Audiences During the inaugural Festival, thousands of people – of all ages and walks of life – attended Festival of Ideas events. In addition, people throughout the nation engaged through media coverage of the topics and speakers. Clearly, there is an urgent desire within our community for this shared public sphere of learning, discussion and dialogue. The 2010 Festival goal is to achieve sold-out events again and to engage an even wider audience. Total attendance of Festival 2008 events was 4,878. Please note that events were sold out and these numbers were essentially capped at this level due to the capacities of specific venues used. Festival 2010 is designed to reach a larger and broader audience than the inaugural Festival. In addition to increasing the use of downtown venues, the Festival is planning to expand its reach by extending the Festival to Camrose and Calgary as well as through video conferencing select performances to remote locations which will be hosted, moderated and branded as Festival of Ideas venues. Festival of Ideas Website The website is an important component of the Festival of Ideas and is a tool which can also benefit the City of Edmonton as a partner. For the inaugural Festival, the website received 15,209 visitors from more than 70 countries and/or territories (during the period between July 1, 2008 and November 27, 2008). It is expected that the website for Festival of Ideas 2010 will generate significantly more hits and will serve as the main point of contact for queries, information requests, and ticket sales. Media and Publicity The Festival will be actively promoted in local, regional, national and international media relations activities. Festival of Ideas 2008 generated positive media interest and coverage. Highlights include: Newspaper Title Date Description Edmonton Journal U of A will turn 100 in September 4, 2008 Article grand style Edmonton Journal Rushdie candid after October 3, 2008 Article threats against publisher Edmonton Journal Like books? Make a October 31, 2008 Article date with an author… CBC Centre Stage November 6, 2008 Interview with Ellen Hargis, Richard Sparks, Ray Nurse and Miki Andrejevic Report 2010CMO009 Attachment 1 Page 3 Edmonton Journal Salman Rushdie – November 7, 2008 Announcement When Worlds Collide Edmonton Journal Salman Rushdie’s November 9, 2008 Interview with Salman double life… Rushdie Edmonton Journal Obama election good November 9, 2008 Interview with Salman for the world, Rushdie Rushdie says… St. Alberta Gazette University promotes November 12, 2008 Interview with Miki Festival of Ideas Andrejevic Edmonton Examiner New Festival to November 12, 2008 Interview with Miki inspire critical thinking Andrejevic Omni News TV Culture Report November 12, 2008 Interview with Miki Andrejevic Vue Weekly Engaging Minds November 13, 2008 Interview with Miki Andrejevic Edmonton Journal U of A festival all November 13, 2008 Interview with Miki about exploring ideas Andrejevic and Ros Sydie CBC Radio Active Program November 13, 2008 Interview with Barbara Coloroso Edmonton Journal Baroque opera a vivid November 14, 2008 Ellen Hargis art form Edmonton Scientists talk November 16, 2008 Review Journal.com environment to capacity crowd Canwest News Scientists fearful November 16, 2008 Review Services politicians don’t get green transformation The Province Prof: people must November 17, 2008 Review green politicians The Daily News Scientists fearful November 17, 2008 Review (Nanaimo) leaders won’t go green Edmonton Journal Mankind expands at November 17, 2008 Review own peril: prof; Eco scientists warn of human-focused planet Edmonton Journal A festival worth November 18, 2008 Editorial repeating Edmonton Journal 400-year-old opera a November 18, 2008 Letters thrill to watch The Gateway Festival of Ideas November 18, 2008 Review celebrates thought in arts and science Edmonton Journal Urban Acupuncturist November 18, 2008 Editorial Board gets right to the point meeting with Jaime Lerner Edmonton Journal Festival of Ideas a November 19, 2008 Letter triumph for U of A Metro Toronto Former child soldiers November 20, 2008 Article reach out to victims CBC Radio Writers and Company December 15, 2008 National broadcast Report 2010CMO009 Attachment 1 Page 4 The Opportunity for Partnership The University of Alberta is thrilled to be planning the launch of Festival of Ideas 2010. Thanks to the partnership with the City of Edmonton throughout the University of Alberta Centenary and, in particular, the contribution that the City made to the inaugural Festival of Ideas in November 2008, an event was created that Edmontonians welcomed with enthusiasm. Working together afforded the U of A and the City the opportunity to advance the reputation and profile of the City and the University, and to further position the City of Edmonton as the Cultural Capital of Canada. The Investment At this time, we would like to ask that the City of Edmonton consider partnering again in relation to the Festival of Ideas 2010. To this end, we would like to request that the City provide a one- time financial contribution of $125,000. A contribution of this size would position the City to be the University’s partner throughout the Festival and guarantee the City exposure locally, nationally and internationally in the planned marketing and media relations activities. This investment would also support the continued advancement of the story of the City of Edmonton and the University and how each’s assets complement the other.