Culture Plan

Culture Plan Update

The City is in the process of developing an updated Culture Plan. The Culture Plan will focus on achieving the City's vision for a Cultural Renaissance, a pillar of the City's Strategic Plan. The Culture Services division is working with consulting firm Nordicity to develop a strategic roadmap to guide this vision over the next five years.

The Plan is informed by inputs from secondary research, document and policy review, and engagement with local artists, culture participants, residents, and tourists.

The Plan is designed to leverage the city’s cultural assets, recommend specific ways arts and culture can be deployed to improve livability and prosperity in St Catharines, and outline tangible steps to maintain and open up new cultural spaces and places. The draft Plan is organized around three strategic goals, 10 objectives, and 34 actions designed to help the City achieve this vision for the future:

St. Catharines is recognized as a cultural hotspot within the region and beyond, known for its rich cultural history and community creativity. Culture animates the downtown and neighbourhoods city-wide, enriching residents’ lives and fostering local pride. The local arts and culture sector is vibrant, visible, inclusive, and sustainable.

Goal 1: Recognize and Revitalize

This goal is all about celebrating the history and longevity of arts and culture in the City of St. Catharines. It emphasizes that arts and culture are integral to life in the city and identifies opportunities to harness their benefits to revitalize, reposition, and uplift St. Catharines communities.

Goal 2: Connect and Cultivate

This goal is all about strengthening St. Catharines’ arts and culture sector. It reflects the need to expand support for professional development and encourage collaborative sector networks and governance models to improve capacity.

Goal 3: Make Space

This goal is all about creating space for arts and culture in St. Catharines in multi-faceted ways. It reflects the need to bring arts and culture into the public realm, find creative space solutions, create safe and welcoming spaces for arts participation, and increase venues for live performances and exhibition.

Next steps

The draft Plan will be presented to the Council in early 2024. Once the Culture Plan is approved, Cultural Services staff will collaborate with both internal and external stakeholders to initiate its implementation

Past engagement opportunities

10-minute Survey

Thank you to all the residents, artists, arts workers, and arts supporters in St. Catharines who participated in our 10-minute survey. We greatly appreciate your time and insights. The survey is now closed, and are moving forward with the next steps of analysis and planning.

Your responses will remain confidential, and the survey data will only be presented in aggregate, never on an individual basis. Nordicity has been engaged to gather and analyze the results of this survey as a neutral, independent third party.

Culture Sector Roundtables

Culture Sector Roundtables were held as part of the cultural planning process. The roundtables provided a platform for arts organizations, artists, festivals, culture groups, institutions, and heritage organizations to discuss the strengths, challenges, and opportunities in the city’s arts and culture sector, as well as the City’s role in supporting and advancing these areas in the future. Zoom sessions were held on June 14, June 15, and June 20, with an in-person roundtable at Market Square on June 22. Local businesses and economic development professionals also had the opportunity to participate and share their insights on June 19 via Zoom.

Artist-led Workshop: Movements of Culture

On June 24, local artists Skye Rogers and Vik Mudge facilitated an in-person workshop focused on envisioning the future of arts and culture in the city. The workshop offered opportunities to learn generative creative practices, such as poetry writing and collaborative movement making. Participants worked together to create a collective piece that reflected their shared aspirations. We look forward to sharing the outcomes of this workshop through the Culture Plan.

Artist facilitators

Skye Rogers (she/her) is a multi-disciplinary performing artist, based in Hamilton and the Niagara Region. With roots in dance, theatre, and music, her creative practice is dearly devoted to cultivating connections in both personal and communal spheres. She is a graduate of the Randolph College for the Performing Arts (Triple Threat Diploma, 2019) and Brock University (Studies in Arts and Culture Certificate, 2022).

Last year, Skye was a NEST Artist in Residence with Suitcase In Point, where she first created a community 'joy-centred happening' for In the Soil Festival. Presently, Skye is focused on collecting new techniques and practices abroad, most recently visiting New York City for a 'Creative Process Workshop' with immersive theatre company, Third Rail Projects.

Vik Mudge (he/they) is a trans non-binary dance artist, choreographer, and dance instructor from Niagara. Vik works at several studios across Southern Ontario on top of pursuing his own creative endeavors such as a residency with Aeris Körper in 2022 and a co-mentorship with dance artist Sid Ryan Eilers in 2023. Vik is also currently working on a dance film for the St Catharines Cultural Innovation Project that they are hoping to premiere later in 2023 as well as an anthology show for the upcoming In the Soil festival alongside dance artist Skye Rogers.

Community Pop-ups

The City hosted community pop-ups at four separate locations and times across St. Catharines to engage with community members and gather their thoughts about arts and culture in the city. These pop-ups were co-facilitated by local artist Jenn Judson, also known as Paper Bananas. The events took place as follows:

Thursday, June 22, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Pen Centre, 221 Glendale Ave.
Friday, June 23, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Happy Rolph's Animal Farm, 650 Read Rd.
Saturday, June 24, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Farmer's Market, Market Square, 91 King St.
Saturday, June 24, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Lakeside Park Carousel, 1 Lakeport Rd.

These pop-ups aimed to meet people where they were and provide an opportunity for the community to share their thoughts and ideas regarding arts and culture in St. Catharines. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Artist co-facilitator

Jenn Judson is a community-oriented artist based in St Catharines. Her art practice is dynamic and includes a range of media such as textile, installation and painting, while focusing primarily on collage. Her approach to art is typically with humour and often underlines it with a touch of the subversive. She sits on multiple boards and committees and jumps at any opportunity to collaborate! Under the name Paper Bananas, Jenn is a facilitator of all things collage within the arts community here in Niagara. She hosts regular workshops, exhibitions and drop-in style Collage Nights.