Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy

COMPLETED July 2020

The Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy (ACHS) was endorsed by Council on July 21, 2020. The ACHS recognizes the need for comprehensive approaches to planning and programming in order to maximize the cultural life of the community. Squamish recognizes that arts, culture and heritage programs, services and resources play increasingly important roles in enhancing civic pride, defining a distinct community identity, and attracting the talent and investment needed for cities to grow and prosper in a creative and knowledge-based economy.

The ACHS process to date includes the below phases: 

Phase 1: Research and Development

• Stakeholder identification and demographic analysis
• Review interdependencies with the Arts, Culture and Heritage Portfolio
• Review comparable community Arts, Culture and Heritage Plans.

Phase 2: Broad Community Engagement

• Community Survey launched - 889 respondents
• Intercept teams reached public events
• Stakeholders empowered to rally the community to participate.

Phase 3: Stakeholder Engagement

• Over 40 hours conducting 21 interviews with Stakeholders of the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector
• 2-part workshop series with stakeholders providing direction for strategic actions and outcomes
• 120 hours of stakeholder feedback received

Phase 4: Initial Draft for Council Feedback

• Analysis of information
• The draft strategy was created and presented for initial Council review
• Feedback was received by Council and staff began work on suggested amendments 

Phase 5: Amended Draft for Council Feedback

• Review of Council feedback
• The amended draft was presented for Council feedback
• Council endorsed the draft being presented for the final phase of community engagement.

Phase 6: Community Feedback on Draft 

• Community survey launch
• Stakeholder online presentation and feedback session
• Staff review of the Strategy and implementation of applicable feedback.

Phase 7: Endorsement

• The strategy was presented for Council endorsement.
• Staff and the community are beginning to work on implementing Strategic Actions and Tactics.

Useful links:

Report to Council - Strategy Endorsement - July 21, 2020

Report to Council and Draft Strategy - May 26, 2020 

Council Slides - May 26, 2020

Report to Committee of the Whole Initial  Draft Strategy - January 28, 2020

Community Engagement Survey Results Slides - November 28, 2019

Report to Committee of the Whole Strategy Process -  April 2, 2019