We asked each candidate to answer at least five questions.
Responses are presented in the order they were received.
(We have received responses from: Dickens Cheung, Goldentiger King, Mei Kang, and Rob Howard)
(Still to reply: Alexa Loo, Kash Heed, Dennet “The Cat Guy” Lee)
1. How can you, in your role on the City Council, help support the arts in Richmond?
Mei Kang
I believe art is the soul of a city and an essential part of community life. Art reflects our creativity, imagination, vitality, and desire to explore and understand the world. As Mayor, I would support accessible arts programs, local artists and organizations, cultural events, and creative spaces. I also want to create more opportunities for children, youth, seniors, and families to experience and participate in the arts. A strong arts community makes Richmond more vibrant, connected, creative, and welcoming.
Goldentiger King
As a mayor,if elected, I will support Richmond’s artists and organizations by expanding access to arts funding,build more affordable spaces for artists to work ,and attract more concerts, festivals, and cultural events into our neighbourhoods.
Dickens Cheung
I am of the opinion that Arts are a core part of City infrastructure, not an afterthought nor a frill. I’ll champion affordable creative space, cut red tape for events and venues, open city-owned space to artists, and treat the arts as an economic and cultural driver.
Rob Howard
Arts and Cultural activities are a pillar of the Richmond Forward Platform. Its value to the Residents of Richmond, in terms of making the City livable and engaging is very important. A City that fully engages its residents is also a place where businesses want to locate. We will push, with urgency and determination, to develop an Arts and Culture on our City Centre Waterfront, further enhancing livability and creating space(s) for community gatherings and celebrations.
2. Richmond City Council recently endorsed the Richmond Arts Facility Needs Assessment outlining four priority areas: (1) Art Exhibition Spaces and Auditorium, (2) Music Performance and Rehearsal Spaces, (3) Theatre Performance and Rehearsal Spaces, and (4) Pottery Studio Spaces. How will you help move these four priority areas forward in a timely manner?
Mei Kang
The Arts Facilities Needs Assessment gives Richmond a valuable foundation for future planning. I would work with Council, City staff, artists, arts organizations, and residents to establish clear priorities, timelines, and realistic funding options for exhibition, music, theatre, and pottery spaces. We should also explore partnerships with other levels of government, community organizations, educational institutions, and the private sector. Good planning must lead to action. At the same time, investments should be responsible, transparent, and based on demonstrated community needs.
Goldentiger King
I will take the four priority areas into a clear action plan with timelines, budgets and measurable milestones. I will work with Council, cultural organizations and the community to identify suitable locations . accomplish your goal less than 2 year.
Dickens Cheung
The Arts Facilities Needs Assessment gives Richmond a valuable foundation for future planning. I would work with Council, City staff, artists, arts organizations, and residents to establish clear priorities, timelines, and realistic funding options for exhibition, music, theatre, and pottery spaces. We should also explore partnerships with other levels of government, community organizations, educational institutions, and the private sector. Good planning must lead to action. At the same time, investments should be responsible, transparent, and based on demonstrated community needs.
Rob Howard
As described above, Richmond Forward will pursue an Arts and Culture District on our City Centre waterfront. A place where families can gather, seniors can stroll and businesses can thrive… turning Richmond into a true waterfront City. With space for many community groups to have a permanent and reliable space to gather, to celebrate, to practice, teach and display their craft. To exercise and socialize, it will be a truly special place that will bring people of all ages and all cultures together, a place where diverse traditions can be shared and celebrated.
3. Richmond-based theatre, opera, choir, orchestra, and music non-profits often need to head into Vancouver or New Westminster to find purpose-built performance venues that are affordable and available. How will you address this concern before a new facility is built?
Mei Kang
We should not wait for a new building before helping our local arts organizations. I would encourage the City to identify existing public spaces that could be used more effectively for performances and rehearsals, including community facilities and other suitable venues. We should also explore partnerships and shared-use arrangements with schools, community organizations, and private venues. A centralized and easy-to-use system showing available spaces, costs, capacity, and equipment could also help organizations find appropriate venues. Our goal should be to keep Richmond artists performing in Richmond whenever possible.
Goldentiger King
government subsidy may apply .I will work with Richmond’s existing community centres, theatres, churches and other suitable facilities to create available performance spaces. I will negotiate a more affordable rental rates for Richmond-based theatre, opera, orchestra and music .
Dickens Cheung
Before a new facility is built, we need to make better use of what we have now in our City, such as school facilities, community centers, and civic spaces for evening and weekend rehearsals and performances at affordable rates, through a simple central booking system and partnerships.
Rob Howard
Richmond is blessed with performing arts talent like few other communities. Finding a suitable location will be a priority.
4. Do you feel that the arts contribute to our local economy? How or how not? How could this contribution be increased?
Mei Kang
Absolutely. Arts and culture contribute to both our quality of life and our economy. Performances, exhibitions, festivals, and cultural events attract visitors who also support local restaurants, hotels, shops, and other businesses. Richmond has unique advantages through YVR, our multicultural population, and our location in Metro Vancouver. We can better connect arts and culture with tourism, hospitality, festivals, and local businesses. By promoting Richmond as a cultural destination as well as an economic centre, we can create opportunities for artists while strengthening our local economy.
Goldentiger King
Yes. for sure,arts are an important part of Richmond’s local economy. festivals, theatre, exhibitions and cultural events bring visitors to Richmond, support local businesses, and create more job opportunities for artists and creative workers. I would increase this contribution by attracting more international music, film, food and cultural festivals, promoting Richmond as a cultural destination
Dickens Cheung
The Arts absolutely contribute to our local economy, because the Arts will drive tourism, help fill restaurants, liven up districts, and create jobs. I’d increase this contribution by creating a dedicated arts and cultural district, offering affordable studio space, and tangibly supporting events that draw visitors year-round.
Rob Howard
The economic impact of arts, culture and recreation is now widely accepted as significant. By having a Richmond Forward Council that is dedicated to taking full advantage of this important economic sector, it will pay dividends for decades to come, as skilled workers and businesses choose to locate in Richmond for all it has to offer.
5. Richmond is a multicultural city, but many feel there are not enough cross-cultural opportunities to build understanding between communities. What role do you think the arts can play in creating bridges between cultures and language barriers?
Mei Kang
Richmond’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, but living together does not automatically mean understanding one another. Art can create that connection. Music, dance, theatre, visual arts, food, festivals, and storytelling can communicate across language barriers and help people understand each other’s histories and traditions. I would support more cross-cultural and intergenerational arts opportunities where communities create and participate together. Art allows us to celebrate our differences while discovering what we share. It can help turn a multicultural city into a truly connected community.
Goldentiger King
Yes.100%, I believe the arts can help break down language and cultural barriers because people can connect through music, dance, food and visual arts even when they speak different languages. I will support multicultural festivals, cross-cultural performances I will encourage local artists and cultural organizations to create more opportunities for people of different backgrounds to share their stories and traditions. My goal is to use the arts to build a mutual understanding, make Richmond a more inclusive city.
Dickens Cheung
The arts can play a huge part in creating bridges between cultures and language barriers because art speaks to us all irrespective of what language we speak. In a city as diverse as Richmond, festivals, public art, and shared cultural events build the understanding that words often can’t. Bridging communities and promoting understanding is central to my platform.
Rob Howard
This is a critical point. Bridge building and harmony are significant concerns for the intercultural and multicultural City, that Richmond has become. The ability of the community to gather and celebrate in reliable, year round, facilities becomes a critical need… we need the opportunity to meet, greet, mingle and learn of each others cultures to celebrate our diversity… which is one of our strengths.
6. Richmond is a relatively young city, with well-planned neighbourhoods and infrastructure. Do you feel the arts and artists should be included in City projects in areas such as planning, transportation, and sustainability? Why or why not?
Mei Kang
Yes. A city should be functional, but it should also have character, beauty, and a sense of belonging. Artists can bring creativity and human experience into planning, transportation, public spaces, and sustainability projects. Their involvement can help transform ordinary infrastructure into places that tell Richmond’s stories and strengthen our identity. I support bringing artists into appropriate City projects early enough for their ideas to contribute meaningfully, rather than treating art simply as decoration added at the end. Technology builds efficiency; art and culture give a city humanity.
Goldentiger King
Yes, 100%. I believe artists should be included in City projects from the very beginning, Artists bring creativity can make public spaces more attractive, Public art, creative streetscapes can strengthen neighbourhood identity while making transportation areas and public spaces more enjoyable. I will encourage collaboration between artists, businesses and residents.
Dickens Cheung
Yes, definitely, because artists make public spaces more human, more memorable, and more often used. Embedding the arts and artists in areas such as planning, transportation, and infrastructure adds lasting value at modest cost. The difference between a world-class City and an average City is how the arts are integrated into City design and functionality.
Rob Howard
Yes of course. for all the reasons mentioned in previous answers. The Richmond Forward team views the Arts and culture sector, broadly, as an economic driver, as well as building bridges within the community and creating harmony and understanding in our neighborhoods.
7. How would you like to see the City of Richmond’s Public Art Program evolve over the next ten years?
Mei Kang
Over the next ten years, I would like Richmond’s public art to become more accessible, interactive, diverse, and connected to our neighbourhoods. Public art should tell Richmond’s stories—our Indigenous history, immigration, agriculture, fishing, aviation, multicultural communities, and future aspirations. I would also like to see more opportunities for local and emerging artists, youth, and community participation. Public art should not simply occupy public space; it should invite people to stop, think, interact, take pride in their neighbourhoods, and feel that Richmond belongs to all of us.
Goldentiger King
Over the next ten years, I would like to see Richmond’s Public Art become more visible, diverse . I will support more opportunities for local artists and encourage public art in parks, streets, transportation areas, community spaces and new developments. I would also promote artworks that reflect Richmond’s multicultural communities and local history, creating opportunities for different cultures to share their stories. I will encourage partnerships with businesses and developers to expand public art while keeping costs responsible. My goal is for public art to become part of Richmond’s identity, attract visitors, support local artists and make our neighbourhoods more vibrant.
Dickens Cheung
I would like to see the City of Richmond’s Public Art Program evolve towards more neighbourhood-level and multicultural public art beyond the city centre, involving more local and emerging artists, and works that reflect Richmond’s diverse communities.
Rob Howard
The Public Art Program needs to be carefully managed, which is admittedly counterintuitive. In the public realm Art can be very subjective. I don’t wish to oversimplify but I’ve always thought good Public Art is something with which I would like to have my picture taken.
8. What, if any, capital contributions should the City make to the arts sector over the next four years?
Mei Kang
I support continued investment in arts and cultural infrastructure, but major capital decisions must be responsible, transparent, and based on demonstrated community needs and long-term financial planning. Over the next four years, I would prioritize the needs identified through Richmond’s Arts Facilities Needs Assessment while exploring provincial, federal, community, philanthropic, and private-sector partnerships to leverage City investment. Beyond capital projects, the City can support artists through grants, affordable spaces, community partnerships, public-art opportunities, and reduced barriers to organizing cultural activities. Investment in the arts is an investment in people, community, and Richmond’s future.
Goldentiger King
Over the next four years, I would support responsible City investment in the arts, with priority given to affordable performance, rehearsal, exhibition and studio spaces. I will work with Council to identify funding for arts facilities and pursue provincial, federal and private-sector partnerships to reduce the burden on taxpayers. The City can also strengthen the sector through grants, affordable venue rentals, public-art opportunities, festival support and simplified application processes for arts organizations. I will encourage businesses and developers to participate in arts funding and sponsorship. My goal is to create more opportunities for local artists while ensuring every public dollar delivers meaningful value to Richmond residents.
Dickens Cheung
The City should continue on with sustained, predictable arts funding instead of one-off grants. I’d protect operating support, phase in the facilities plan, offer affordable space in city facilities, and leverage senior-government and partner funding. The City should continue with sustained, predictable arts funding instead of one-off grants. I’d protect operating support, phase in the facilities plan, offer affordable space in city facilities, and leverage senior-government and partner funding. Promising a specific amount would be hollow without first doing a thorough review of the City’s financial position and the various needs. To be clear, I treat the arts as an investment in our city’s economy and future, and that’s a high priority.
Rob Howard
Budget considerations are always important, the City’s ability to pay is paramount. City residents expect and deserve careful management of Tax dollars. Like the City funds sport fields and facilities it can carefully consider Arts and Culture facilities as an investment in the community.
Thank you to the candidates for their responses.
For more info on how to vote this year, please go to http://richmond.ca/elections .