 | Culture Is The Heart And Soul Of Canada's Most Livable Community. |
About ACCSCArts & Culture is a living breathing everyday, everywhere, everyman (every person?) thing. And that’s why we're here. We’re the Arts & Culture Council of Strathcona County (ACCSC). ACCSC is a not-for-profit organization made up of volunteers from our community. We create and foster an environment in which all of us can explore, discover and connect with the vast and vibrant variety of arts and culture in our community. We do this through many channels, programs and learning and awareness initiatives, including workshops, speakers, publications, meetings and many diverse events. There’s a tendency to stereotype this stuff called Arts and Culture - isn’t there? You know what we mean. Like sitting through a symphony; meandering through a museum; nodding knowingly at pieces hanging on a gallery wall, taking in a show at the theatre or, dutifully Sophisticated stuff that’s for “sophisticated folks.” Right? Sure. But not really! There’s more - a lot more - to Arts and Culture than those stereotypes?
The aroma of 100 different spices that creates the foods of our many homelands. The dramatic or subtle colours of national costumes. The promotion of gender and racial equality.
The salute to the statues and buildings that celebrate our heritage.
The art of the weaving and bobbing of nature's bounty. The kids chalk art on the sidewalk that makes us smile. The loving rekindling of a forgotten artisan skill. The busker at the local farmers market (and the market). The carving or sculpting of statements of beauty with chainsaws or chisels. The street art that transforms old and dull into new and vibrant. The embracing of our cultural diversity. The taking or painting of pictures that are worth a thousand words. ….and yes, even the slap on the ice of a hockey stick - and so much more. You get the idea!
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Guiding Statement This is our Guiding Statement. It sums up why we’re here, what we’re about and all that we do. ACCSC Guiding Statement “Culture Is The Heart And Soul Of Canada's Most Livable Community.” We define culture as: Creative artistic activity and the goods and services produced by it, and the preservation of heritage. We are the leaders and collaborative flag bearers of the message that “Culture is the heart and soul of Canada's most livable community.” We move forward with conviction, with passion and in a carefully considered manner to turn our vision into a reality. We are driven by the belief that without culture we are not a livable community, but merely a place to live. We are motivators, advocates, teachers, guides, collaborators, a catalyst and hub for all things cultural in our community and we engage with like-minded individuals and organizations to enable us to better achieve our vision. We promote, influence and inform our community to change the way they think, act and feel about all aspects of arts, culture and heritage thereby enriching the quality of life for our community. We research, identify and engage with all individuals and groups in the cultural community to form aligned relationships and to inform and inspire them so they in turn, may inform and inspire others. We see and embrace a future propelled and defined by a new energy and of shifting mindsets. We use our collaborative energy and resources to fuel that change. We are relevant in all we do - and importantly, we are perceived or seen to be relevant by stakeholders and our communities. We promote and foster the understanding of culture as being an influential economic driver. We advocate for, and strive to achieve, the presence of a Community Campus. An inclusive and accessible Campus, one in which cultural disciplines of all natures can be learned, skills honed, practiced, displayed, and heritage celebrated. A Cultural Campus that becomes the physical heart of Culture in the County. Board MembersOur Board of Directors hail from many walks of life and professional careers here in the County. Each has a passion for arts & culture, each has their own cultural discipline(s), and each has stepped up and volunteered to make the many elements of our Guiding Statement a reality.
Ken Duncan - President Maryam Amussah - Vice President Adrian Singh - Secretary-Treasurer Shefali Khoja - Director at Large Jenny Willson - Non-Voting Member (County Liaison) |
discussing the characters in Tolstoy’s War and Peace!
