Summary of Notes: English-Language and Live Performance Sector Roundtable

The purpose of the summary of notes is to document key takeaways from the English-language and live performance sector roundtable held on September 2, 2020. The sector-specific roundtable comprised approximately 15 representatives of major associations and groups with representation from across different disciplines, regions and intersectional identity communities. The goals of the roundtable are to:

• Ensure various stakeholders representing different sectors and industries are heard, having an opportunity to express their thoughts/ideas.
• Understand on-the-ground impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for sectors and organizations.
• Have constructive discussions to help identify potential avenues that could help accelerate recovery.
• Build a common understanding of the kinds of support needed, and the role of government(s) therein.

At the start of the roundtable, the representatives shared their general experience on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted their sectors and organizations. The introduction was then followed by three segments around the recovery framework:

1. Resilience and Sustainability;
2. Diversity and Inclusion; and
3. Environmental Sustainability.

Resilience and Sustainability

To stimulate the discussion in the first segment, the following question was asked: What would organizations need to move towards a more sustainable/adaptable business model to prevail through similar situations in the future? Some of the key ideas and takeaways included:

• Income support (e.g. universal basic income).
• Programs and policies that address the arts community more broadly, across sectors and jurisdictions, including the live music and comedy sectors that are often ineligible for federal funding programs.
• Re-evaluation of the assumptions that underpin arts support to ensure they are still valid as we go forward into a changed future; for example, the distinction between non-profit and for-profit, or employees and contractors.
• Labour tax credit or the equivalent applicable to not-for-profit organizations (currently, labour tax credit is only applicable to for-profit organizations).
• Support in establishing digital presence.
• Improving access to the Internet where access is limited.
• Creation of infrastructure where there is a gap, for example, performance spaces in northern and remote areas.
• Addressing economic inequities in the sector and in the funding system including low wages for artists and cultural workers, and the underfunding of some activities and organizations in comparison to others.

Diversity and Inclusion

To stimulate the discussion in the second segment, the following question was asked: What diversity and inclusion opportunities can be leveraged from the present circumstances for positive change? Some of the key ideas and takeaways included:

• Support for organizations to develop their capacities for anti-racism and anti-oppression work.
• Need to collect demographic data to get an accurate picture of how the sector is doing in terms of diversity, inclusion and systemic racism.
• Opportunities for representatives from across different equity-seeking groups to be part of the Boards of Directors of industry associations and organizations; for example, through a mechanism that incentivizes diversification of Boards.
• Improve diverse talent retention and create work environments that are welcoming to racialized artists and cultural workers in legacy organizations.
• Initiatives to address oppression and racism that assist both individuals and organizations in the sector to achieve just and equitable change, for example, anti-racism and anti-oppression training for organizations.
• Redistribute existing funding more equitably, so that smaller/newer organizations are not perpetually given the least amount of support compared to legacy clients.

Environmental Sustainability

To stimulate the discussion in the third segment, the following question was asked: What environmental sustainability opportunities can be leveraged from the present circumstances for positive change? Some of the key ideas and takeaways included:

• Financial incentives for environmental initiatives; for example, programs that reward an organization’s transition to greener practices
• The arts have the ability to bring increased awareness and understanding to environmental issues among audiences.
• Recognizing that this is a new area for many arts organizations, the provision of resources and tools for planning, measuring, and benchmarking would help to support organizations in their environmental endeavours.