Welcome

[damian lopes]

Hello Everyone

Thank you for joining this discussion group, Culture Matters. 

The aim of this group is to discuss, plan, enact and support a broad grassroots campaign to support culture in our city. The ultimate goal is to create a groundswell of support for culture so that we need not continually justify investment in culture.

Joe Anderson proposed this campaign, and is offering space in the Advance. But it can easily be adapted to other media, including radio, tv, and social media. Not to mention more low/no-cost guerilla marketing.

The original proposal is to get quotes from prominent people (politician, community leaders, celebrities etc) about why culture matters to them. Short, first person and personal anecdotes about cultural impacts or experiences. The people, local or not, need to be prominent enough to be recognizable to most residents.

The goal, six months through the campaign, would be to have amassed a set of positive cultural stories that provide overwhelming arguments for cultural support and investment. It's advocacy through education to combat the naysayers, to shape political opinion, and to help us reach the tipping point so we need not constantly defend cultural investment.

In addition to the prominent people, it would be fantastic to have this go viral, with people posting to youtube or wherever.

Another proposal is a button campaign. I'd like to see artists and designers create limited edition buttons emblazoned with Culture Matters that could be sold (pwyc donation?) with proceeds going to the theatre fundraising campaign. Not only would it be a great way to have people wear their support for culture, but it would be a step to silencing those who are complaining that no fundraising has been done. It need not be restricted to buttons of course.

Indeed, I'd like you and those you know to run with the idea - do what you do best: be creative!

The Barrie Arts and Culture Council will provide web and social media support for the campaign, but the BACC isn't looking to "run" this. To start, there is a short blurb on our site at http://barriearts.ca/blog/culture-matters/ This group is open to anyone who wants to join, so feel free to spread the word and invite interested people and organizations.

To post a message to this group, email culture-mat...@googlegroups.com. Your subject line will become the topic.

If you're on this list but don't want to be and need assistance leaving, please let me know at dam...@barriearts.ca. 

Many thanks for your support!

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 damian lopes <dam...@barriearts.ca>

 Barrie Arts & Culture Council