Spotlight on Year of the Arts & Business & Arts NL’s Five Dimensions of Impact Reporting in the Arts
Throughout 2024, we've had a unique opportunity to celebrate the rich, dynamic and vibrant arts and cultural sector of Newfoundland and Labrador, and all those who bring it to life, through the Year of the Arts.
The Provincial Government invested $16 million in Year of the Arts. The initiative helped enrich our communities through investments in infrastructure, the creation of new artistic works, and events, while strengthening the province's position as a creative and cultural hub and hotbed of artistic talent.
There are so many different ways to measure the value of the arts and cultural sector, be it through economic impact and activity, or through societal impact like engaging and connecting diverse communities, fostering empathy and understanding, challenging and changing perceptions, and inspiring innovation and new ideas. The arts contribute so much more to our lives and communities than entertainment.
As the funding environment evolves, it's more important than ever for arts organizations to have the tools they need to discuss all the different ways they're making a difference in their communities and in the province. The number of ticket sales doesn't cut it anymore. We need messaging that cuts through the noise and gets on the radar of funders and donors as we compete with other worthy sectors for support.
Business & Arts NL wants to help arts organizations across Newfoundland and Labrador recognize, measure, and talk proudly about the benefits they bring, and shine a light on how storytelling can share how they're helping build vibrant communities.
Dr. Gillian Morrissey
That's why we've partnered with Dr. Gillian Morrissey of Memorial University's Centre for Social Enterprise to create a new tool to help make impact reporting easy and flexible for organizations of all sizes, while being applicable to different projects throughout the course of their life cycle. The "Five Dimensions of Impact Reporting in the Arts" include:
The Artist and Culture:
This dimension reflects precisely on the impact of an organization on the artist it engages with, and the culture of the community(ies) in which it operates.The Experience:
This dimension reflects on the experience that is created for or perceived by any individual which comes into contact with the art, including but not limited to: audience members, participants in the art-making, subscribers, members and donors.The Organization:
This dimension reflects on the organization itself, including its operations and activities, and how it achieves its strategic priorities.The Community:
This dimension is directly linked to and includes ways in which the organization affects the broader society in which it operates, including its contributions to social cohesion/belonging, health and well-being, environmental conservation, education, EDI-AR, truth and reconciliation, and advocacy.The Economy:
This dimension is primarily quantitative in nature and relates to concepts most people are familiar with, such as revenue generation, employment and other economic indicators.
We believe this tool will help arts organizations better communicate and celebrate their societal and economic impacts, strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the sector. (Click here to learn more about the Five Dimensions of Impact Reporting in the Arts.)
We decided to use Year of the Arts as an example of something of which we could report the impacts and reached out to our membership to ask them about their YOTA projects and how they impacted their organizations and communities. Here's what they said.
Marlene Creates and a class from Beachy Cove Elementary drumming on the footbridge in relation to the sound of the Blast Hole Pond River, September 26, 2024. Photo: Sally LeDrew
For Year of the Arts, environmental artist Marlene Creates led a collaborative community project that saw nine local Grade 4 classes from Beachy Cove Elementary visit The Boreal Poetry Garden (established by Marlene in 2005) in Portugal Cove for guided nature walks, which included performances from nine local artists (who were paid national CARFAC fees). Each class experienced a different art form at each site, from music and dance to nature poetry, shadow puppetry and percussion.
At the end of each walk, the students were given paper and pencils to draw a memory map of their walk, resulting in 192 drawings that were featured during two exhibitions at The Grounds Café at Murray’s Garden Centre in Portugal Cove over the summer and fall. The exhibitions also included a slide show of the performances and activities that took place.
"These drawings are all maps of the same place and they are astoundingly different. They illustrate some of what registered in the children’s memories from the terrain, and what they saw and heard during their multi-sensorial experiences in the boreal forest and along the Blast Hole Pond River. I’m proud to report that the teachers said these were the best field trips they have ever been on," Creates shares.
"One of the students described the process of drawing her memory map perfectly. She said, 'My pencil is me. I’m walking the path. I hike my way through my imagination.'"
In terms of economic impact, in addition to hiring local artists, a local sign maker, a professional photographer, and school buses were also hired for the nine events that were held for Year of the Arts. The Grounds Café also saw increased business as a result of the many families and friends who came to see the exhibitions.
Some scenes from CB Nuit 2024.
CB Nuit is a magical and inspiring evening of art held in Corner Brook each year. As one of the west coast's premier arts events, CB Nuit consists of a range of multi-disciplinary artistic projects and events that help foster community while transforming West Street into a vibrant, inspiring space.
Featuring the theme "SPIRAL," this year's event welcomed approximately 10,000 guests (a significant number for a city with a population of around 20,000). Year of the Arts helped fund a number of new projects and initiatives, including those with a focus on youth and divergency in artist representation, such as two mentorship projects (a first for CB Nuit) whereby high school art students were mentored by practicing and professional artists. With the support of YOTA funding, CB Nuit was also able to increase the number of curated projects presented this year to 24, and welcomed back their Annual Community Project (which was cancelled in 2023 due to low funding), where local elementary school students and the community collaborated on a unique project with a focus on environmental and community health.
In addition to creating work for local artists and engaging them in creative production, CB Nuit (which is free to attend) engages citizens in their community, creates access to local arts and heritage, engages youth with volunteer opportunities, encourages and promotes the diversity of the community, engages local partners and businesses, and encourages community collaboration.
"CB Nuit was able to rise to the occasion for the Year of the Arts with nearly 40 art presentations up and down the street, bringing together professional and practicing artists from Western Newfoundland, as well as five presentations from artists from away," says Louise Gauthier, Executive Director of CB Nuit.
"Both our part-time staff members and our full-time staff member worked throughout the year to help make it all possible with the support of municipal, provincial and federal funding, and local corporate and in-kind support. It will be challenging to maintain this standard of excellence without the Year of the Arts funding programs."
NDW, Atlantic Dance Gathering. Photo: Rodrigo Iñiguez
Since its establishment in 1982, Neighbourhood Dance Works has become the province's primary source of dance, dedicated to creating inclusive and welcoming spaces that gather together dance practitioners, audiences and supporters. Through initiatives and events like the annual Festival of New Dance, NDW is showcasing the diversity of our dance community and helping put the province on the national stage.
For NDW, Year of the Arts funding has been instrumental in expanding their programming, fostering artistic collaboration, and supporting the local economy.
"With YOTA support, NDW hosted the inaugural Atlantic Dance Gathering from April 29 to May 1, 2024, bringing together 80 dancers from across Atlantic Canada. This gathering created a collaborative and inspiring environment for artists at various career stages with diverse dance disciplines representing strengthening regional networks and advancing the local dance community," notes Julia Carr, Artistic Director of NDW.
YOTA funding, Carr adds, has also enabled NDW to continue investing directly in the local community, "hiring and showcasing local dance talent in a digital storytelling social media campaign, renting local venues and short-term accommodations and providing per diems for visiting artists to enjoy local restaurants. This has not only supported local businesses but also fostered a sense of connection and support and increased visibility within our community," she says.
"Additionally, a one-time YOTA Arts Infrastructure grant enabled NDW to invest in vertical dance equipment, laying the groundwork for innovative dance experiences and positioning Newfoundland and Labrador as an international hub for vertical dance."
YOTA funding also enhanced this year's Festival of New Dance by enabling NDW to offer pay-what-you-can Main Stage tickets and free/by donation workshops and off-site performances, attracting diverse audiences and making dance more accessible by reducing financial barriers.
Also, Carr notes, "For the first time ever, NDW was able to produce a satellite Festival of New Dance for audiences and artists in Corner Brook."
A rock painting workshop hosted at Union House Arts. Image courtesy of Bonavista Biennale.
The Bonavista Biennale is a rural-based art initiative with a unique approach and growing presence in the Canadian cultural landscape. The organization presents a bi-annual month-long contemporary event throughout the Bonavista Peninsula, and is working to amplify their programming and activities each year to deliver their mission of making a positive cultural, economic and social impact on the Bonavista Peninsula.
YOTA funding allowed Bonavista Biennale to pilot a new land-based residency on the Bonavista Peninsula for two artists – Melissa Tremblett (Sheshatshiu, Labrador/Elmastukwek, Western Newfoundland) and Haruna Sagisaki (Japan) – during the fall of 2024. Through this project, the Biennale was also able to grow its relationship with Union House Arts and the Discovery UNESCO Global Geopark as co-hosts of both residency artists during their explorations on the Bonavista Peninsula.
In partnership with the Geopark, the Biennale facilitated on-site experiences and knowledge sharing activities for the artists (including access to geological experts, personalized site visits, and meetings/presentations between local residents and artists). These visits deepened the artists’ understanding of, and connection to, the region, informing the development of their 2025 Biennale projects. Developing longer-term connections between visiting artists and local
communities was a beautiful outcome of YOTA funding.
“The Bonavista Biennale residency allowed me the unique opportunity to explore a geological gem located in my own province. (Artistic Director) Rose Bouthillier curated a personalized tour, which evolved as my concepts and ideas did. I was able to explore the peninsula with an intimacy I would never get without this experience," Tremblett says.
"I have been creatively altered by the places on the Bonavista Peninsula and the experiences have inspired me to explore a new method and medium in my practice."
The experience was also an enriching one for Sagisaki, who says “We learned about the vegetation and other aspects of Bonavista, and were able to make 16 different types of paints. We also had a chance to interact with local residents and spend meaningful time in preparation for next year's exhibition.”
Click here to learn more about the Five Dimensions of Impact Reporting in the Arts.
