*Realizing the Collaborative City:
perspectives from arts, research, business, and policy*

November 30, 2009, 11:30 – 3:00pm, Shubox Theatre, Riddell Centre,
University of Regina, Canada
Light lunch to be served, RSVP to marniebadham@gmail.com before
November 25,
2009
Presented by Humanities Research Institute and Theatre Department,
University of Regina

*
Presenters:*

Dr. Catherine Murray (cultural policy, Simon Fraser University)
Glenn W. Gordon, (Arts, Culture and Film, City of Regina)
Hirsch Greenberg (Justice Studies, University of Regina)
Laura Pheifer (community activist)
James Youck) principal, architect, P3 Architecture)
Marian Donnelly (arts activist, entrepreneur)
Hosted by Marnie Badham (artist, researcher)

*Some Background Ideas for the Collaborative City*

Concepts like ‘Creative Cities’ and ‘The Collaborative City’
have been built
by urban thinkers such as Jane Jacobs, Richard Florida and Charles
Landry.
This approach of valuing local cultural identity and place making also
has
‘buy in’ from city planners in major Canadian urban centres of
Toronto and
Vancouver, and beyond, in American, Australian and European
destinations.
Here in Regina, we need to consider how these concepts can translate
into
local language and design.  City planning and community organizing
cannot be
a ‘one size fits all’ approach, because cities do not evolve in
identical
ways.  Each neighbourhood and community develops in response to a
variety of
elements, some planned and in response to a variety of social and
cultural
contexts.  The built environment, including open space and
infrastructure,
as well as government provision of services to its citizens, are
elements of
the city that we can influence and even dictate.  But how do we know
our
planning correlates to the needs of our Regina citizens?

A city is a complex and, by nature, a collaborative endeavour of space
sharing and place making.  Citizens, services and government reside in
close
and intimate spaces.  Each city is a unique, organic and democratic
entity
that must cultivate its own personality and landscape, grown out of
the
multi-layered realities of our local social fabric.  Local cultural
identity, amenities, and community pride can help inform a city’s
‘sense of
place’.  It is this ‘sense of place’ that can make a city
attractive for
newcomers and business development.  This is also the ‘sense of
pride’ that
can retain existing citizens.  How can we (government, university,
artists,
citizens and business) each contribute our different perspectives to
the
collective vision of our city?  How can we move beyond our own
self-interest
to a new way of collaborative thinking?  How do we leave our silos and
try
to think out of the box?  How can inter-sectoral partnership
approaches
answer this call for innovation?  How do we sit at this table together
to
address complex problems and an exciting future?
*
Dr. Catherine Murray*
Catherine is a professor in the School of Communication, Co- Director
of the
Centre for Policy Studies on Culture and Communities and an associate
of the
Masters’ of Public Policy Program at Simon Fraser University. Her
research
interests include cultural work and participation; cultural
infrastructure
and creative cities; cultural industries and especially broadcast
policy in
the creative economy; communication rights and global trade; and
research
design in audience and policy evaluation. She has recently taken up a
position as Chair of Women Studies until 2012.  Dr. Murray is a
co-author of
Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Media in BC (2007), Researching
Audiences
(2003) and “BC’s Place Based Approach: Policy Devolution and
Cultural
Self-Determination” forthcoming in Cultural Policy and Cultural
Public
Administration in Provincial and Territorial Governments in Canada
(2009)
and over 60 publications.

*Glenn W. Gordon*
Glenn has a history and political science degree from Trent
University.
Currently the Coordinator for Arts, Culture and Film for the City of
Regina,
Glenn has 25 years of cultural affairs management experience in
Saskatchewan. This experience was gained through cultural affairs
positions
in education, museums, provincial NGO management, municipal government
and
private consulting. His current position oversees a budget of
approximately
$2 million with broad responsibilities for: Community Investments,
Curator
of the City’s Public Art Program, The Neil Balkwill Civic Arts
Centre,
Community Arts Programming, Film Industry Liaison Cultural Tourism, and
Arts
Advisory Committee.  In 2003 Mr. Gordon developed the program plan and
authored the application to the Federal Government resulting in Regina
receiving designation as the 2004/05 Cultural Capital of Canada in the
“big
city” category.  This award resulted in more than $1 million worth
of
cultural programming in Regina with over 15 partner groups in areas
such as
artist residencies, public art, heritage publications and exhibitions. 
In
2004, Mr. Gordon was seconded to the provincial government Department
of
Culture, Youth, and Recreation in order to draft a cultural policy
plan. In
2005, he was a visiting fellow at the University of Regina, Humanities
Research Institute, with special emphasis on cultural policy planning
and
advisor to arts students on municipal affairs.

*Hirsch Greenberg*
Hirsch received his Master of Social Work degree in 1992.  His thesis,
on
difficult to manage clients looked at, in part, integrated human
service
responses.  He was granted “Expert Witness” status by the Court of
Queen’s
Bench related to his thesis work.   He also has certificates in
Reality
Therapy and Conflict Resolution.   Hirsch is currently the Practicum
Coordinator with the Department of Justice Studies at the University
of
Regina and has also taught courses on mental illness and crime, and,
most
recently, Inter-professional Collaborative Practices.  Hirsch has
extensive
experience in crisis intervention, child protective services and
alternative
education with community-based organizations.  Hirsch is a Board member
of
the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, the Regina Alternative
Measures
Program and the Circles of Support and Accountability, South
Saskatchewan.
Though a 24-month grant from the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, he
is the
principle investigator examining and researching homelessness, housing
and
collaborative efforts toward eliminating homelessness in Regina.
Another
area of involvement is with Albert Community School, an inner-city
Regina
elementary school where he supports students and staff regarding
violence
and bullying.

*Laura Pheifer*
Laura has an M.Sc from McGill University focusing on urban environments
and
has been active in Regina’s urban community regarding issues of
built
heritage.  In spring 2009, she also coordinated and organized the
first
Jane’s Walk event to be held in Regina – the free community walking
tours,
inspired by the work of Jane Jacobs, engage citizens to explore their
collective history, planning, architecture, and personalities.  Her
interests include urban social-ecological systems (the interactions
between
society and the environment), community driven planning and
development, and
the role that history and heritage can play in building a unique urban
experience.
*
**James Youck*, Principal, Architect, B.A., B.Arch., MSAA, MRAIC, AIA,
CEFPI, Mr. Youck graduated from the U of S in 1989 with Distinction
and
Carleton University in Ottawa in 1994 also with Distinction. He joined
P3A
in 1998 as a Partner having completed the Pasqua Hospital and Alan
Blair
Cancer Centre with MLEC Architects.  Mr. Youck brings two philosophies
to
every project; client focused service and the integration of holistic
building design including the thoughtful integration of the
engineering
systems and green design make him a valuable asset to any design team. 
Mr.
Youck has participated on design teams for some of the Province's most
remarkable buildings. These include the Terrace Building, the U of R
Laboratory Building Addition, and the RCMP Heritage Centre, which was
developed with Arthur Erickson and Nick Milkovich Architects Inc. of
Vancouver.
*
Marian Donnelly*
Her history includes 21 years in the music industry as an artist
manager and
event producer, followed by 6 years as Executive Director of SaskMusic
(1996-2002).  She was a Cultural Industries Consultant for the
Department of
Culture, Youth & Recreation (2002-2003); and General Manager of Globe
Theatre (2003-2005).  Since 2005, she has run Inner Circle Management,
providing consulting services to artists and arts organizations
including
FadaDance, Sâkêwêwak First Nations Artist Collective, Saskatchewan
Filmpool
Cooperative, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Arts Board, SaskMusic and the
Canadian Gospel Music Association. She was a co-author of the
Saskatchewan
Cultural Industries Development Strategy (1997) and author of the
Regina
ArtsAction Feasibility Study (2007). She recently authored a Municipal
Cultural Plan for the City of Yorkton (2009) and is currently part of
the
team developing a Cultural Plan for the City of Saskatoon.  Marian is
now
renovating a heritage building in downtown Regina that will house a
fashion
design collective and artist studios.  She teaches Arts Administration
as a
Sessional Lecturer at the University of Regina.
*
Marnie Badham*
Marnie is currently the Humanities Research Institute, Visiting
Research
Fellow at the University of Regina.  She is an artist, advocate, and
researcher of socially engaged arts practice.  Her creative projects
draw
attention to social justice issues and are committed to local capacity
development and the expression of cultural identity. Marnie has
co-authored
a book: “*Artist and Community Collaboration*” (2006) and consults
regularly
on cultural policy development and community development project
design.
She is the first PhD Candidate in Community Cultural Development at
the
University of Melbourne, investigating concepts of cultural pluralism,
cultural planning, and community engagement: *“Naming the World:
Self-determination as conceptual framework for the development of
local
cultural indicators.”*

*“Creative Conversations” *is a two part series round table
discussion
designed to bring together academics and students, policy makers,
community
based workers and creative practitioners to promote inter-sectoral and
collaborative dialogue.  These interdisciplinary forums have been
developed
on the premise that creativity and collaboration across sectors can
address
increasing complex problems in our local communities and respond to
new
challenges in community planning.  This series of creative
conversations
have been staged to promote collaboration between local thinkers from
across
a variety of sectors.

*“Adventures in Community Engaged Research: creative methodologies
and
intervention,” *January 11, 2010, is the second part of the series. 
These
forums have been designed to facilitate dialogue and new thinking about
our
local communities and realities.  STAY TUNED!

Marnie Badham

Artist, Researcher
Mobile 1-306-591-5456, Office 1-306-585-5519
Email: marniebadham@gmail.com 

Visiting Research Fellow, Humanities Research Institute,
Theatre Department, University of Regina, Canada
PhD Candidate, Centre for Cultural Partnerships,
Victorian College of the Arts and Music, University of Melbourne,
Australia

"There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." 
Leonard
Cohen