Le Continental XL, choreography by Sylvain Émard, a Sylvain Émard Danse and Festival TransAmériques co-production, co-presented by Quartier des spectacles. 200 amateur dancers took part in this line dancing extravaganza. Photo: Robert Etcheverry 2011.

Got this from the Canada Council today:

“The Canada Council is launching a dialogue about how the arts bring value to the lives of Canadians and we invite you to join the conversation.

Read the discussion paper, Public Engagement in the Arts, on current thinking and practices in public engagement or check out Simon Brault’s blog post on ways Canadians can have rich artistic experiences. Then share your thoughts on how to become actively engaged in the arts. Tell us what public engagement in the arts means to you by posting comments on the blog, on our Facebook page or on Twitter at hashtag #artsandpublic.

In its 2011-16 Strategic Plan, the Council identified public engagement in the arts as a strategic theme that infuses all of its work. We hope to broaden and enhance the public conversation about this topic and use this discussion to inform the development of future Council activities.”

AND here’s a snippet of the BLOG POST they linked in that email.

Arts for all! 

by Simon Brault

Art has entered our homes and taken to the streets – no longer is it confined to places specifically designed for its expression or exhibition. It no longer stands on ceremony – it pops up in our computers, we carry it around on our smart phones. Slam poetry in my headphones on my way to the ballet? A new art installation in a storefront window that I can snap a photo of and share with friends? No sooner seen than done! In the digital age, cultural citizenship means instant access, diversity and mobility. It also means a quest for meaning and the desire to participate, to be truly included. Art continues to hold sway, but it’s no longer enough to offer more and more possibilities: we now have to help people discover, appreciate and assimilate its amazing powers. The Canada Council for the Arts wants to do more and better on this front, knowing all the while that there is no one-size-fits-all formula for doing so.