From Sparks to Flames

Fun fact about me: I'm not the person who enjoys going places where I will potentially know no one. I get awkward and shy, shuffling along the wall or huddling in the corner (not unlike Penelope Featherington of Bridgerton fame, but without the regency Gossip Girl persona). The funny thing about being the Incoming Artistic Director of Walterdale Theatre, however, is that I have to put myself in situations where I know no one, because I will soon represent (in fact, one could say I already represent) one of the oldest community theatres in Western Canada.

Eeeee.

Of course, this is part of the job, so the best thing I can do is pull up my big-girl panties and get out there. Which is what I did last week.

On May 5, the Edmonton Arts Council (EAC) hosted a panel discussion on why the arts matter. Gathering at the ArtsHub Ortona, several notable arts leaders (and yours truly) attended to listen to panelists Mayor Andrew Knack, EAC CEO Renée Williams, and Edmonton International Fringe Theatre Festival ED Megan Dart's conversation, as moderated by Mark Connelly. I'd first found out about the event from a Theatre Alberta Theatre Buzz newsletter, and the topic was intriguing. What is it about the arts that's so important, especially at this particular point in time? Why do I think the arts are important (as I must, if I continue to participate in creative spaces)? I decided I needed to find out. I signed up. I put the event in the calendar. Now I just had to wait for the day to arrive.

Finally, it did.

This is the part where, more than I'd like to admit, I might back out, the anticipated discomfort too much to handle. I'd throw a cozy blanket over myself, pick up my cross-stitching, and listen to whatever murder mystery is currently playing in my Libby app (right now I'm actually on Margaret Atwood's memoir, Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts, if you're interested).

This time, though, this time I was determined to go, and I did. High five to me! I managed to arrive about 15 minutes before the panel was scheduled to begin, and immediately busied myself with finding a seat and filling in the survey the EAC was conducting as part of this event. As soon as Mayor Knack hopped off his bike and entered the building, we were all set.

Mark Connelly's booming, recognizable Edmonton AM voice had the desired effect of silencing the audience, which had been abuzz with chatter. In addition to Connelly's welcome, Arsene Arcand, the EAC's 4th Indigenous Artist-in-Residence, opened the panel discussion with prayer and song, which was incredibly moving. Connelly introduced the three panelists and thus we were off to the races!

The panel lasted for about an hour. We traversed through topics such as why the arts matter, how the arts contribute to economic development, how they are the soul of a community, and examples of various initiatives that had me nodding my head enthusiastically and participating in the several explosions of applause that ensued.

Some of the notable things shared during the discussion:

1. Money Stuff: Edmonton City Council is currently working on the new 4-year budget for the city (2027-2030), part of which will include arts and culture funding. Public engagement closed as of May 1, 2026, but this doesn't mean we stop being vocal about why the arts matter to us and need to be invested in. In fact, Mayor Knack encouraged those in attendance to keep raising our voices and inviting friends and family members into the conversation.

2. "15 minute art cities": Because of the continued sprawl of the city of Edmonton, art access is more difficult the further one gets from the central arts hubs, such as Downtown, Whyte Ave, and 118 Ave. Instead, what would it look like for arts hubs to be based in the various communities we have in our city, especially around public transit/LRT hubs and beyond? As Mark Connelly stated, "15 minute arts cities." It's something I hadn't necessarily thought about before, that I could bring the arts right to where I reside. Silly to not have the thought, but maybe what that means is that I've gotten sucked in to believing that the way to "make it" in the arts world, whatever the medium, is to try to break into the structures that already exist. Food for thought, indeed.

3. Using Existing Infrastructure for Art: Let's be honest... life is expensive, especially with the cost of living having skyrocketed. Making art can also be expensive, especially when it comes to the spaces needed, such as studios or rehearsal halls. But what if we already have the infrastructure artists need? According to Mayor Knack, the city owns a number of existing buildings that are currently sitting there, unused and empty. What if the city could lease these buildings to artists for $1.00, so they could actually be used? I tell you, the applause was raucous at this suggestion! It begs the question, what else can be possible if we start looking at what's right in front of us?

It was all so hopeful. I could feel a buzzing energy vibrating through me, firing me up to get out, make art, and make my voice heard. Hence this blog post.

(Sidebar: though it took me longer to put together than I wanted and my inner gremlins were telling me that too much time had passed so I should just forget about it... but I decided not to listen to them, to be brave and put my thoughts out there. Take that, evil gremlins! End sidebar)

And how was it to be in that room of strangers in the end? I survived! I even went up and introduced myself to the Fringe's Megan Dart, who was so lovely and kind (incidentally, she has also written a reflection on this event. Go check her out; I was seriously hanging onto her every word!). Maybe next time I'll have the courage to approach the mayor!

For now, I'm just glad I got out and engaged in a topic that has been near and dear to my heart for as long as I can remember. And perhaps the little spark I felt during this panel will continue to burn and grow into a blazing glow.