The Mayor’s Arts and Business Awards (MABA) event was established in 2007 to build relationships between the arts and business sectors in Regina, and to showcase the talent and increase the profile of the local arts community. After a hiatus, engagement with the arts sector on options to renew the event was initiated. This report outlines the results of consultation and next steps for the 2020 event.
Accessibility:
Consultation results included emphasis on ensuring the event is financially accessible to members of the arts community. Reduced rates and complimentary ticket options will be included in the 2020 event.
Financial:
An annual budget of $10,000 is allocated to MABA within the Executive Committee line of the Community Investment Grants Program. To offset the costs of the event, sponsorship opportunities will be available.
Policy/Strategic:
Goal 2 of Regina’s Cultural Plan, Strengthen the Artistic and Cultural Community prioritizes opportunities to build community and increase awareness and support of the arts and artists. A renewed MABA event will provide promotion and recognition for artists and will create opportunities to build new partnerships with local businesses that strengthen the sector and enhance the vibrancy of the community.
Additional impacts include:
· Opportunity to celebrate local artistic talent and the role the business community can play in support of the arts.
· Recognition of local achievement in the arts.
· Strengthens the City’s reputation as a sustainable community that takes pride in the culture and creativity that contributes to building a lively city, attracting new residents and visitors.
· Upholds the community’s viability and quality of life that is closely related to the vitality and quality of its cultural engagement, expression, dialogue and celebration.
Through consultation, consensus emerged that emphasized the value in a renewed annual MABA with an increased focus on promotion and profile for the event, and for the nominees and award winners.
The development of a marketing and communications strategy is underway which includes recommendations from the Advisory Circle.
A consultation and stakeholder engagement plan, focused on the performing arts (music, dance, theatre), visual arts, film and literary arts, was created to collect meaningful input from the local arts sector in consideration of reviving and reinventing the MABA. It was important to ensure the stakeholders involved felt respected and that the process included stakeholder perspectives and creative ideas.
Between the fall of 2018 and the spring of 2019, interviews were conducted, followed by an online survey. Interviewees expressed the importance of reviving the MABA annually, the fact that businesses should continue to be involved and suggested the need for better marketing. In addition, the importance of linking the awards to advancing truth and reconciliation was expressed.
As a next step, an Advisory Circle, comprised of representatives of the local arts sector, was created to guide and advise on the following aspects:
· business involvement
· award categories
· nomination and adjudication process
· event format entertainment
· accessibility
· coordination and/or collaboration with other local arts awards or events
· advancing reconciliation.
Based on advice from the Advisory Circle, the following award categories have been proposed:
· Emerging Artist (two awards) – recognizes an artist in the early phase of their career (under five years). Cash award of $2,500.
· Artistic Achievement – recognizes an artist who has achieved renown for their caliber and contribution to the arts. Cash award of $2,500.
· Reconciliation through the Arts – recognizes an artist or arts initiative that advances truth and reconciliation. Cash award of $2,500.
· Arts Leadership – recognizes a person or organization that has shown exceptional support of artists and/or art projects, organizations, and festivals.
· Business Champion of the Arts – recognizes a local business that has demonstrated sustained or exceptional commitment to and support for the arts. Award is a piece of art.
· Installation, Exhibit or Residency – artists with the interest and capacity can be nominated for the opportunity to display or perform their work for an extended duration in a municipal or business venue sometime in 2020.
Eligibility criteria: nominees must be based on Treaty 4 territory for at least one year prior to nomination. Both individuals and groups may be nominated.
Overall the consultation showed strong support for a renewed event that promotes the arts sector and recognizes excellence and innovative partnerships. Planning for an event in spring of 2020 has begun. Administration is providing in-kind support from staff as this initiative is strongly aligned with the Cultural Plan and cultural development priorities. A call for nominations and additional event information will be released in the coming weeks.
There have been no previous decisions related to this recommendation.
The recommendation in this report is within the delegated authority of the Committee.
Respectfully submitted, Respectfully submitted,
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