सं 啃 ति Kultura �رھ�گ 문화 šxʷtəhim̓ Culture Shift Blanketing the City in Arts & Culture Wa lhtim̓ á Vancouver Culture Plan 2020 - 2029 文化 حضارهCultura art & culture awaken provoke inspire inquire connect catalyze unsettle open clarify heal disrupt realize animate attune nourish dissolve reckon crystallize celebrate lead the way CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER 2 CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER Public Art Partnerships- Uninterrupted 20173 Unceded Lands of Musqueam, Squamish, & Tsleil-Waututh Culture|Shift is built upon the understanding and recognition that what is now known as Vancouver is located on the traditional, unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ilwətaɁɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations, who have lived throughout this region for thousands of years. Their ancient continuity on these lands is reflected in their oral histories, arts and culture practices, and deep relationships with the lands and waters—and in the archaeological record. In this section, excerpts from the websites of each Nation are shared to affirm the importance of Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh visibility and voice in the work of building better relationships and futures on their lands. Musqueam Indian Band We are traditional hən̓ q̓ əmin̓ əm̓ speaking people… We have always moved throughout our territory using the resources it provides for fishing, hunting, trapping and gathering. We remain distinct and our cultural practices are strong, despite the devastating impacts of residential schools, colonial laws banning our ceremonies, and other attempts to assimilate our people. Our lands and waters continue to support our cultural and economic practices while serving as a source of knowledge and memory, encoded with our teachings and laws. To this day, we continue to practice our traditions and culture on a daily basis… xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm people continue to honour our collective responsibilities to keep our culture vital and strong, share our teachings and laws, and work collaboratively to protect our environment while building a vibrant community for all. (www.musqueam.bc.ca) Squamish First Nation The Squamish Nation has existed and prospered within our Traditional Territory since time immemorial. We are Coast Salish people. Our language is the Squamish language. Our society is, and always has been, organized and sophisticated, with complex laws and rules governing all forms of social relations, economic rights and relations with other First Nations. We have never ceded or surrendered title to our lands, rights to our resources or the power to make decisions within our territory. The Squamish culture is rich and resilient. We continue to practice our customs and traditions, which are strongly interconnected with our Traditional Territory. Together with our lands, our customs and traditions are the foundation of who we are as Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh. (www.squamish.net) Tsleil-Waututh First Nation We are the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, “People of the Inlet.” According to archaeological evidence and our oral history, Tsleil-Waututh people have lived in this Traditional Territory for thousands of years. Our ancestors travelled throughout the territory, keeping villages in different locations to live wherever seasonal resources were plentiful. Our lands and waters have shaped our culture and will be central to our way of life for generations to come. We will continue to put the face of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation back on our Traditional Territory, build capacity within our community, and participate on all levels—social, ecological, cultural, economic—in decision making within our lands. It is our obligation and birthright to be the caretakers and protectors of our Traditional Territory. (www.twnation.ca) CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER 4 CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER Susan Point- People Amongst the People 20145 Wade Baker- Salish North Star 2010 Letter from the Mayor Art and culture generations despite the significant significant cultural, economic, and animate impacts of colonization. Their social contributions to Vancouver. Vancouver, languages, arts, and cultures Culture|Shift’s policy directions expressing, and sustained their peoples through will be incorporated into the shaping who we generations of colonial efforts development of the Vancouver are as a diverse to erase their living cultures Plan, now in development, communities from these lands that they have to ensure that we create the living and stewarded for millennia. infrastructure necessary to place creating on the traditional arts and culture at the centre and unceded territory of the Generations of newcomers have of city-building and cultivate xʷməθkʷəy̓ əm (Musqueam), brought their artistic and cultural Vancouver’s unique cultural Sḵwx̱ wú7mesh (Squamish), forms, which carry their cultural vitality. and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) heritage and stories of coming to Nations. Art and culture pose these lands. Not all stories have Thank you, to every community critical questions and inspire us been equally championed by the member, artist, and cultural during uncertain times. More City and other arts funders across worker who helped to shape this than decoration, art and culture Canada: historically, dominant vision. I am honoured to launch are the very bedrock of our City. cultural narratives and heritage Culture|Shift: Blanketing the City Worldwide, cities are increasing have been celebrated while non- in Arts & Culture and to be your investment in local culture to dominant narratives and heritage co-creator and collaborator in counter the negative effects have been systemically excluded. advancing this critical work. of globalization, nurturing the Governments at all levels are now cultural vitality and distinctive working with intention to address With gratitude, sense of place that is necessary these persistent inequities within for cities to flourish. arts, culture, and heritage. In Musqueam, Squamish, and Today, rising costs and the rapid Tsleil-Waututh communities, pace of development threaten culture is connected to every to displace arts and culture from Kennedy Stewart facet of life and has played a cities, threatening the cultural Mayor of Vancouver central role in life and governance spaces that give cities life. This on these lands since time challenge requires a clear and immemorial. Their storied and consistent focus to grow the sophisticated artistic and cultural cultural sector and to stem the practices have flourished through loss of cultural spaces and their CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER 6 Alex Jones- Pottery and Craft 2015 Letter from the General Manager & Managing Director In Arts, Culture, people to turn to explore and plan’s directions and actions to and Community express their experiences and address our most pressing issues Services, it is our imagine more just, humane, and and prepare us for the possibilities great privilege to affordable cities. Diversity is an before us. The vision for arts and serve artists and exciting fact of contemporary culture you have created in the cultural workers urban life; as a result, the work of pages that follow will amplify and who awaken us equity is an imperative. Through connect shifts across the city, to the challenges this process, communities asked and beyond. We look forward to of our time and us to more equitably support undertaking these actions with sustain us as we cultural work that better reflects you, as partners in the shifts to meet those very the Indigenous, Black, racialized, come. challenges. We disabled, Deaf, and marginalized are grateful to communities in Vancouver. With thanks, the thousands of people who Culture|Shift’s subtitle, Blanketing shaped this the City in Art & Culture, was Sandra Singh monumental and momentous generously offered by Musqueam General Manager- Arts, Culture collective effort to create weaver, Debra Sparrow, who and Community Services Culture|Shift. We heard you loud has been re-establishing Salish and clear: more robust action is culture in Vancouver’s public Branislav Henselmann required to support the sector realm, countering colonial erasure Managing Director of Cultural as you face the intensification and weaving a sense of shared Services of already pressing forces of belonging for all people in ways the affordability crisis, social that honour these beautiful inequities, and climate change. unceded Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh territories. It Your capacity to inspire and is in this spirit that communities provoke, to express our shared have come to the table and co- experiences, is more than created a plan that simultaneously entertainment: it is both the heart holds the complexities of our and conscience of Vancouver. histories and traditions and the This role and contribution is possibilities of promise in our even more critical during a time shared futures. when art and culture are sites of reckoning and healing, places You envisioned and prioritized the CULTURE|SHIFT CITY OF VANCOUVER 777 Contents Unceded Lands of Musqueam, Squamish, & Tsleil-Waututh 4 Executive Summary 9 Strategic Directions & Goals 10 Introduction 13 Supporting Arts & Culture: The City of Vancouver 17 Aligning Culture|Shift, Making Space for Arts & Culture, & the Vancouver Music Strategy 21 Process 31 Values & Guiding Principles 35 Directions Summary 39 D1: Arts & Culture at the Centre of City Building 40 D2: Reconciliation & Decolonization 48 D3: Cultural Equity & Accessibility 56 D4: Making Space for Arts & Culture 64 D5: Collaboration & Capacity 72 Appendices