It is election time here in Richmond, and if you want the city to support the arts, you need to vote for candidates who do so! There are many opportunities in many locations to vote. This could be the most important activity you do for the arts in Richmond!

Candidate profiles can be found here: https://www.richmond.ca/electionservices/candidates.htm
Advance voting dates and locations vary; see this site for more details: https://www.richmond.ca/electionservices/general/importantdates.htm

Not only that, but now is the most crucial time in the election cycle to talk to those candidates who are running and let them know that you want the arts supported in Richmond.

A list of all-candidates meetings can be found here: https://www.richmond.ca/electionservices/candidates/allcandidatesmeetings.htm

Here are some sample questions you could ask a candidate, in person or at a meeting:

What do you see your role as City Councillor is to support the arts in Richmond?

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy and how or how not?

How would you ensure the Arts are imbedded in all city projects?

Richmond is seen as multicultural but many do not feel there is enough understanding and cross-cultural opportunities – what role do you think the arts can play in creating bridges between cultures?

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

Safety is a major concern for residents and although Richmond is one of the safest cities there is still a perception that some streets and areas are not safe. How can art make people feel safer?

Seniors are a growing segment of Richmond’s population and although we have the longest average lifespan in Canada we rate low in a sense of belonging within our community. How can the arts help address our wellness and sense of belonging?

Richmond is a relatively young city with well planned neighborhoods and infrastructure. Should the arts and artists be included in areas such as planning, transportation, sustainability and why or why not?

And then go vote!

Voting stations are open for advance voting from October 6th onwards. The official election day is on October 20th.

We have received some answers from candidates! They can be found below:

City Councillor Candidate Carol Day:

What do you see your role as City Councillor is to support the arts in Richmond?

Provide funding and space to support artists with specific emphasis on local artists. Invite community groups to present their needs to the Parks and recreation committee so we can be better aware of the areas

How would you ensure the Arts are imbedded in all city projects?

Money, money, money and we need a robust program to engage artists to get them involved l feel that many groups feel excluded and now is the time to create a inclusive program which should be welcoming so that the community can be more involved.

Seniors are a growing segment of Richmond’s population and although we have the longest average lifespan in Canada we rate low in a sense of belonging within our community. How can the arts help address our wellness and sense of belonging?

Expanding programs that encourage seniors to come on in and try something they have always wanted to try. The seniors centre is so welcoming that once that happens they will be hooked ! Years ago we had a group called the ” Welcome Wagon ” I would love to see that program revived to reach out to seniors who don’t currently come out. We need to welcome them to the seniors centre so they can see what fun it is to have active life style and a robust social life. People thrive in a supportive environment and the solution is already available so we just need to educate folks about all the exciting opportunities and convince them to step outside their comfort zone.

City Councillor Candidate John Roston:

As you know, Richmond provides a number of programs and financial support for artists and arts organizations both amateur and professional. I am a strong advocate of continuing and expanding those programs and support. However, my particular concern has been the ability of Richmond’s professional artists to make a decent living from the sale of their artistic works. I believe that Richmond City Council could be the catalyst in creating a vibrant professional artist district, tied to both tourist and resident traffic, that would grow the arts contribution to Richmond’s economy.

I made many presentations to City Council during the marathon hearings on rezoning the waterfront Onni Imperial Landing buildings in Steveston. My initial proposal was that as part of Onni’s amenity contribution to the City, the ground floor of Building 6 at the eastern end be given to the City at a nominal rent and allocated for professional artist studios. There is enough space for 10 – 15 studios plus a sales gallery. The large glass windows would enable the public to see artists at work and allow for possible interaction that would boost sales.

Unfortunately, City Council had no interest in such a proposal. Building 6 has now been rezoned for motel rooms and the development will have a wide number of commercial uses, none of which support the arts. Despite the missed opportunity, I remain optimistic that an equally attractive location can be found for an initial collection of artist studios that would enhance the commercial potential of the arts in Richmond.

City Councillor Candidate Andy Chiang

1) With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language, can the arts play a role in communications and understanding and how?

I believe art is one of the few universal languages in the world where the melodies of music, the serenity of scenery, and the vividness of colours are enough to convey emotion and message. I believe in bridging communities and uniting people – art is the way to do so. Imagine having a public forum to display local art, or have local artists perform, combined with some of the community’s best local businesses – and now, we have an event that will garner attention and bring people from all cultures and backgrounds into the area, bringing awareness and ultimately, popularity to our local best. My belief is that art will play a crucial role in bringing people together without having a language barrier.

2) What do you see your role as City Councillor is to support the arts in Richmond?

I would like to support larger scale events to draw awareness to the local art community. I realize that Richmond currently houses over 200 pieces of local art, but being wide spread and sometimes difficult to access could be an issue. I believe bringing people together through events (such as Nuit Blanche in Toronto), will create a stronger sense of community, knowing that there are family friendly events available for everyone to access. As well, I believe that bringing awareness to our local artists will only prove to be beneficial as it enriches culture and brings a unique identity to Richmond. The pride and joy from celebrating our artists and showcasing our artists can inspire our next generation, which again, will only help strengthen Richmond’s identity. Think about how proud you were when you were young and bringing home your first finger paint artwork from school, then having your parents proudly displaying the work on a refrigerator or at work. That’s the pride we should have in Richmond.

3) Safety is a major concern for residents and although Richmond is one of the safest cities there is still a perception that some streets and areas are not safe. How can art make people feel safer?

Art, if properly displayed, in the right context, and properly marketed, can draw attention. With more attention in potential trouble areas, or unsafe areas, we are able to draw attention of the general public to see where we all need to work together. Even combining art with traffic safety messages can prove to be more intriguing and engaging (again, in the proper context), can open eyes and convey messages (similar to the first question), without words. Art can also help “clean” areas of the city, such as beautifying walls. Art brings excitement to the status quo, and with the support of the art community, Richmond can also break from the status quo and improve as a city.

City Councillor Candidate Bill McNulty

Do you feel that the arts support Richmond’s economy?

I am proud to be a strong supporter of the arts and am a life member of the Richmond Arts Coalition and the Richmond Arts Connection.
The arts are a considerable economic generator for the region and province. As well as providing jobs, the arts produce millions of dollars in wages, economic output and GDP in the province and leave a positive economic impact in Richmond, both directly and indirectly. The arts sector is a strong generator of tax revenues at all levels.
Businesses or organizations that support arts and related services quantify the economic impact of the art sector. Arts related activities encompass a broad range of services. The organizations that support the art sector fall into one of the following categories: art galleries and dealers, arts instruction and education, commercial arts, performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, events and festivals, cultural facilities, service and material providers, societies and organizations, and lastly, the artists themselves.

Safety is a major concern for residents and although Richmond is one of the safest cities, there is still a perception that some streets and areas are not safe. How can art make people feel safer?

By incorporating color and art forms in the landscape, people become more alert and aware of their surroundings. Art in the form of murals or painted curbs and crosswalks brighten the dreary streets making a safer environment for the public, including pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The myriad of beautiful street banners and boulevard gardens in Richmond encourage everyone to be more welcoming and friendly, easing the tensions of city life. City beautification from art will hopefully instill a sense of pride and deter crime.

Participation in the arts helps foster a greater sense of community and belonging, providing the opportunity for social interaction and emotional connections which is crucial in the senior population. In turn, by being involved in an art program, positive feelings about our community are formed, increasing our sense of wellbeing. New friendships are created which often become long-term relationships. Companionship and mental stimulation lead to more satisfying and healthy lives.
Not only seniors, but people of all ages develop a sense of pride and belonging in our community when they are participating in an arts program, whether it is dancing, painting, singing, or gardening. As well as providing exercise, the real benefits of participating in the arts are social engagement and a sense of accomplishment. The arts are the heart and soul of a healthy community!

City Councillor Candidate Andy Hobbs

Safety is a major concern for residents and although Richmond is one of the safest cities there is still a perception that some streets and areas are not safe. How can art make people feel safer?

Safety is a combination of reality and perception, that’s true. It’s also true that Richmond is statistically a safe city within Metro Vancouver. Art plays a role in making cities liveable and contribute to the overall feeling of peace, tranquility and security. Think of great cities past and present. Art exists in the architecture, galleries, the physical plan of the City itself (e.g., Paris) and in every great society, art is a measure of the society’s success and advancement. Think of Rome, Mayan temples, Syria, Moscow, the Forbidden City and virtually every country on earth. Museums and galleries are often at the centre of a world class City’s attractions. So yes, art does make people feel safer because it makes people feel happy and good about their surroundings. That’s a very short answer to a very complex topic.

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy?

The Arts do support the local economy. However, the advancement of the arts reflects a vibrant economy and a successful society. It forms part of the fabric of culture and is something that binds a society, community, nation and the world together. Many international tours are tremendously successful. Dance, historical collections and orchestras are just some examples that all contribute on a significant level. Locally, art shows, theatre and other forms of the arts help to animate our festivals and local events.

How would you ensure the Arts are embedded in all city projects?

Embedding the Arts into all City projects is a high bar. The word “all” is absolute and I never promise what I can’t deliver. So, I can promise that I believe in the value of public art and I would support it. “All” is just too broad to guarantee but the City can encourage art in its project through budget allocations, policy, amenity contributions and through partnerships with stakeholders in the Arts community. The ongoing relationship becomes part of the planning and development process and you can then leverage what I’ve already mentioned. For example, the new development at the very south end of #2 Rd on Dyke Road. Sometimes, very practical features such as walls & bike racks can incorporated into art as well as feature pieces.

City Councillor Candidate Derek Dang

I do believe the arts can support the City’s economy. By creating art that is attractive and appealing in Public places we can leverage these as places of interest for visitors. Tourism can benefit and the resulting spin off economy: Hotel reservations, shop purchases can be a benefit locally.

Additionally, a benefit would be local civic pride and a sense of belonging for our own Richmond residents. However, an iconic arts community will help us in the long run. To that end, we’ve recognized the need to have an arts hub and one of the developments that we passed has an artist studio component to it.

The pressure to keep taxes at a reasonable level has financial implications. Unfortunately, when we look at the expense of Arts vs social services, the cost of social services gains more support. However, the impact of the Arts economically, culturally and socially important.

City Councillor Candidate Jonathan Ho

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

Art is an important element of culture. Different ethnic groups – despite their different cultures – have a common pursuit: that is, the pursuit of beauty. Beauty exists in everything in the universe. As long as we can carefully observe and appreciate it, it is easy to find the beauty that exists around us. Whether it is a flower or a tree, or even something as big as the universe, or as small as a drop of water, we can all easily discover the beauty inside. When people discover beauty, no matter what ethnic group they are, they will express it in different ways or different forms, such as music, sculpture, architecture, dance, literature, painting, drama, film, and more. Different ethnic groups can feel to a certain extent what the author would like to express from these works of art.

Even though different ethnic groups have different cultures and different languages, anyone can appreciate different works of art and feel the expression in the art. Through different artistic activities we can gradually learn more about different ethnic groups, their culture, history, values, and more. One of the most prominent examples in Vancouver is the work of local Indigenous art. Through their works of art, we can gradually understand more about the stories, legends, history, and culture of the Aboriginal peoples, even though we cannot understand their language.

City Councillor Candidate Ken Johnston

I see the role of a City Councillor to be an advocate for a vibrant arts community. We have a very special City and an important part of Richmond’s livability is our arts, culture and heritage services. Implementation of the City’s Arts Strategy which includes increasing the number of art spaces is critical as our population grows.

The arts can be a strong bridge to helping different cultures better understand each other. Through theater, art and museum exhibitions and heritage sites we can all appreciate our diversity. As an example, my wife takes tap dancing at the Minoru Seniors Centre and many of the participants have English as a second language but the class in united in their love of dancing.

The arts are a huge economic driver for Richmond. Investment in the arts brings investment to Richmond. By the arts contributing to our livability business and employees are attracted to our City increasing our economic base. Also, our museum, art gallery, theater, heritage sites, public art spaces and festivals draw tourists.

City Councillor Candidate Kelly Greene

Richmond is a relatively young city with well-planned neighborhoods and infrastructure. Should the arts and artists be included in areas such as planning, transportation, sustainability and why or why not?

I would like to see local artists be included in all public tenders for art in city and private developments. Art is an excellent way to communicate and bridge between communities, and the people who best understand Richmond needs live in the Richmond community. With outreach efforts where community participation is needed, for example sustainability initiatives, we can reach more people by partnering with local artists. Regardless of the size and type of art needed for any given project, I would like Richmond artists to be engaged first, supplemented with artists from Greater Vancouver as needed.

City Councillor Candidate Linda McPhail

Yes, absolutely. I think there is an increasing awareness of the importance of arts and culture within cities and I believe that the City’s Public Art program is the perfect vehicle to deliver this. Public art can encourage interaction and conversations, pride in our community, and positively transform the places we live, work and play.

The City of Richmond has a dynamic Public Art Program which was first endorsed by Council in 1997 and consists of 3 distinct initiatives – civic, private sector and community. Over the years we have seen public art projects that reflect and pay homage to our fishing and agricultural history, highlight biodiversity, preservation of our ecological systems and sustainability, provide wayfinding, explore cultural harmony, enhance ridership experiences on the Canada Line, add shelter space that will provide opportunities for recreational programing, and so much.

How would you ensure the Arts are imbedded in all city projects?

Build on the objectives and polices identified in the 2041 Official Community Plan – identifies the arts, culture and heritage in section 4.0 “Vibrant Cities”.

Continue to have a focus with priorities on the Arts in the next Council Term Goals – example the 2014-2018 Council Term Goals – 2.4 Vibrant arts, culture and heritage.

Support the development of the new Arts Strategy – the City aims to improve Richmond’s quality of life through broad accessibility and involvement with the arts. The Strategy will serve as a five-year guide for decision-making to empower ideas, people and resources around a shared vision and set of goals, strategies and tactics *(from http://www.howartworks.ca./richmond-arts-strategy)

Vote for the continued investment in the Public Art Program through the annual Capital Budgets. The program covers a wide variety of initiatives like community public art projects, community education and promotion of the public art program, collaboration on educational opportunities with other City cultural facilities and programs and pursuing community public art partnerships.

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

I believe that the arts can have a huge role in bridging communication and promoting understanding. As a “visual learner” myself, I have seen how ideas and feelings can be understood when they are presented in a visual or dramatic form, before we are able to understand the same ideas presented verbally. Through the arts we can share our cultural history, identity and experiences and while they may be different, there will also be things we see in common about ourselves and our own culture. The arts can be an alternate means of communication.

By nurturing our young artists, promoting local artists and inviting artists from around the globe we have the opportunity to mentor, grow and share our artist community.

City Councillor Candidate Jack Trovato

When people talk about “the arts”, they mostly mean the visual arts such as painting and drawing. I think the arts encompass so much more than that. When I talk about the arts, I am including all human endeavour to bring a little beauty into our lives; to add some aesthetic grace to our everyday experiences. That includes but is not limited to dance, music, literature and theatre, as well as drawing and painting.

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy?

I feel that it would be hard to overestimate the importance of the arts to our community and its economic development. Any location’s art offerings impact tourism and add to the entire vibe of the locale. When people think about moving somewhere or visiting a place, they often check out the art-scene. The more quality and diversity offered, the more likely people will want to visit and even relocate to Richmond. Of course, these decisions have profound impacts on our economy on so many levels. Even just the arts, in and of themselves, without the long-term fringe-economic benefits they bring, are significant contributors to our economy. For example, when the Gateway Theatre runs their play season, they are employing a number of people. Their patrons are spending money, not only in the theatre, but at other businesses in Richmond on their way to and from the event.

Another example is when the Gulf of Georgia Cannery runs their folk music nights in the
summer, these nights bring people in from all over the lower mainland and they are spending their money in Steveston for dinner beforehand and dessert and drinks afterwards. The Odeon Cineplex at Riverport plays their part in our economy, too, employing many people and drawing customers not just from Richmond but Ladner, Delta and Vancouver. These examples highlight the trickle-down effects businesses in Richmond receive from a robust art scene.

How would you ensure the arts are embedded in all city projects?

As I noted above, “the arts” is a blanket term which encompass many different expressions and movements. The new council would need to make the inclusion of art, in its myriad of manifestations, an intricate part of all city projects. There needs to be an entire change of focus towards making the arts a priority and not an after-thought. I think it would add to the culture of our city if more local art was made accessible to the public through city projects. With this in mind, I think we could continue to solicit contributions from the public and local artists, just like the city does with the street banners. We could also hold city contests for young people to come up with ideas on how to beautify a part of our city, like the Canada Line support columns.

Collaborating with the public is very important and embraces the true essence of what it means to live out the arts in every aspect of life. For instance, if you look at the front door of the West Richmond Community Centre, you will see some very fine tile work around the door. What many people do not realize is that those tiles were painted by some of the students at a neighbouring school. They were supervised by a local artist, and many of the participants were also involved in the installation of the tiles. I believe we need to continue doing projects such as this example because it serves two noteworthy objectives. First, it enriches our city and makes it more aesthetically pleasing and, second, it builds community.

Moreover, I would like to see a substantial increase in the number of First Nations art
installations throughout our city – in public offices, schools, community centres, and outdoor public spaces. The voices, art, traditions, and culture of our aboriginal peoples have been ignored in Richmond for way too long and we are in a unique position to change that. In this way, art could serve as a healing act and a recognition of past wrongs and future relationships. It is a step towards recognizing the ills of the past and creating a more promising future for our children.

That is an excellent question because it addresses the real-life needs and concerns of our
much-respected elderly community and helps to bridge the gap between young, budding artists and seniors. I an utterly convinced that the arts can enrich the quality of life of countless seniors in Richmond. We will be opening our new seniors’ centre shortly, and the enlarged space can be used in a myriad of ways to promote wellness and a sense of belonging in our senior community. Local artists might be willing to come into the center and breath life into it through their art. They can decorate the rooms, provide live music throughout the week, have poetry slams, and so on.

The city and the seniors’ center must be proactive and work together to maximize the results. Ensuring seniors’ accessibility to arts programs is vital, so we need to look at how we can offer more programs which are free of charge or very low cost. I just saw a news item from England where one community instituted a “night club” evening once a month at their seniors’ centre. The organizers created an enjoyable evening with cocktails, music, and dancing. It was a huge success and drew people out who ordinarily wouldn’t join in on “seniors” programs. The participants made new friends and had more opportunities for being social. I think we should look into something like this and use our local artists as the musicians. We have so much talent here and, I am certain, with some coordination, we could offer many wonderful choices to our senior residents. The end result will be more community building and a stronger sense of what it means to live in Richmond.

City Councillor Candidate Michael Wolfe

Richmond is a relatively young city with well-planned neighbourhoods and infrastructure. Should the arts and artists be included in areas such as planning, transportation, sustainability and why or why not?

Yes. Artwork can inform the observer and can allow interpretation across common language barriers. Education is key in communicating to citizens about changes to city services, and the arts are essential for effective branding and beautification.

Richmond is seen as multicultural but many do not feel there is enough understanding and cross-cultural opportunities – what role do you think the arts can play in creating bridges between cultures?

Art is a form of communication that offers us the opportunity to create something with others, no matter their culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, or age. The diversity of our stories in Richmond, produces a beautiful mosaic, and my classroom is an example of that.

What do you see your role as City Councillor is to support the arts in Richmond?

Enable the utilization of more local talent in public art projects, provide direct representation with a youth commission at city hall, and promote art education for our salmon culture ><(((°>

City Councillor Candidate Judie Schneider

1. How would you ensure the Arts are embedded in all city projects?

The Arts can be embedded in all city projects more easily if there is a strong liaison between the Arts community and the City of Richmond. The City of Richmond already has a policy in place to encourage the inclusion of planned art in the building planning and construction phases, but we need to go a step further and promote local artists over those who live outside Richmond, and we need to make sure that when creating new community spaces that we are leaving space for future art — this could be spaces available for smaller interactive theatre, pop-up art shows, puppet shows, small music events, etc.

2. What role do you think the arts can play in creating bridges between cultures?

We have much to learn from other cultures and one of the easiest mediums to do so is through art because whether it is music, visual arts, fibre arts, architecture or ceramics, the language is the same. Even theatre and film in a foreign language is capable of transferring emotion and narrative to its viewers. Art has the ability to transcend differences and bring understanding where language alone often fails us.

3. How can art make people feel safer?

Art can make people feel safer in a variety of ways:

– Structural art can include lighting to bring security to an area

– An art hub in a strategically placed neighbourhood can revitalize the neighbourhood and bring more foot and bicycle traffic to an area, taking away the feeling of isolation

– Community/neighbourhood art events can bring neighbours together to build relationships which will work to protect the neighbourhood through deeper caring for each other and increased vigilance

City Councillor Candidate Harold Steves

What do you see your role as City Councillor is to support the arts in Richmond?

I am a former teacher with a BSc in Agro-ecology and postgraduate certificate in Secondary Science and Art Education. One of my mentors was Sir Herbert Read who saw “Art as Education”. I applied that to science education with music, as my former students will recall. Initially I taught 50% Art and 50% Science and later I became a music teacher. Before becoming a teacher I worked for a year at the Vancouver Art Gallery. I have performed on the stage of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and played guitar and sang at restaurants in Vancouver. We open up our farm every summer to a day of painting by Richmond’s “Plein Air Painters” group and their work was recently displayed at the Gateway Theatre.

I see my role in support of the arts in the city similar to my former role in education. I believe that art should be an integral part of the community. Art should have meaning, whether it is telling a story, presenting an idea or preserving the past. Art should bring out the best from our local artists, and be of interest to visiting tourists. Art should be part of everything we do.

Years ago I helped put together the compromise that saved Garry Point for park while establishing the Gateway Theatre. I have long supported the need for an Art Gallery and Museum. I have been involved in promoting the development of major art facilities in the City Centre, and developing an open air museum at the Britannia Shipyard. When we restore the First Nations Longhouse at Britannia, we will have a tremendous opportunity for First Nations Art. We also have $4.5 million set aside from the sale of Steveston waterfront land for an artists’ activity centre in the Gillnet Loft at Britannia.

I fully support the refurbishment of the present Richmond Seniors Centre for arts programmes. We need more active arts activities for seniors at our community centres like music and dancing. At one time we had a seniors’ band that played at community functions.

Richmond Council has considered establishing rotating museum displays in our community centres. We need to consider that idea again, and include the arts to make them more accessible to more people. Richmond has always been a multi-cultural community. When Richmond was young we had equal numbers of First Nations, Asian and Caucasian residents. We need to tell their story with arts and artifacts, both new and old.

City Councillor Candidate Jiun-Hsien Henry Yao

That is a great question. As an individual who grew up and witnessed the fracturing and alienation of our community, I am convicted to address the special interests and barriers that interferes with cross-culture/faith communication, understanding, appreciation, connectiveness and collaboration. Arts and music are two of the best means available to human civilization to forge cross-culture/faith communication, understanding, appreciation, connectiveness and collaboration. Like language, Arts is a form of cultural manifestation. From working on similar arts projects to sharing the final result, arts can and will help us form bridges between cultures.

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

This is an interesting question and I believe the answer comes in two folds. 1st, Arts, like music, is a form of human expression. However, unlike language, which requires sufficient acquisition for fluency, Arts, music and dance have an instinctual connection with human emotion. Where even with no training or exposure, an individual can express themselves through arts, music and dance. Of course great training will result in great proficiency in expression, but no matter how one attempts to master Arts, he or she can not produce true art without their instinctual inner connection. Arts is a fabulous channel for expression and forging understanding. 2nd aspect on how art can forge communication is exposure to one another. While the lack of language skills often create fear and anxiety for people, anyone with a pencil and paper can doodle and draw. Anyone with a chunk of clay can play. From art production to art sharing, every stage of the process can be shared and help individuals build connections and bridge with one another. That’s why, in my opinion, access to art classes is vital to help our community to remain healthy.

How would you ensure the Arts are embedded in all city projects.

Art need to be accessible. Art need to be interactive. Art need to be shared. Art need to experienced. If I am privileged enough to be one of the eight City Councillor, I would advocate for the accessibility of art classes to general public. The opportunity to share art work. However, I would emphasize local artists’ work over international arts. I would much rather see how Richmond can foster local artists and use our resources to encourage the nurturing of young and local talents. Of course I would do my best to consult with RAC as I am not an expert in arts and I look forward to learn and grow with the Art community.

Mayoral Candidate Lawrence Chen:

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy?

Yes, it is support local economy.

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

Yes, I like art and it is no language barrier.

Yes.

Mayoral Candidate Don Flintoff

What do you see your role as Mayor is to support the arts in Richmond?

The Community Charter states ” the mayor has the following responsibilities: (a) to provide leadership to the council, including by recommending bylaws, resolutions and other measures that, in the mayor’s opinion, may assist the peace, order and good government of the municipality; (b) to communicate information to the council; (c) to preside at council meetings when in attendance; (d) to provide, on behalf of the council, general direction to municipal officers respecting implementation of municipal policies, programs and other directions of the council; (e) to establish standing committees in accordance with section 141; (f) to suspend municipal officers and employees in accordance with section 151; (g) to reflect the will of council and to carry out other duties on behalf of the council; (h) to carry out other duties assigned under this or any other Act.
So, I must rely on an advisory committee’s recommendation and the will of Council.

As I’m a senior I would expect the arts to be innovative in this area and offer their services to the Senors/Community centres and assisted living centres in Richmond.

Should the arts and artists be included in areas such as planning, transportation, sustainability and why or why not?

Again, I must rely on an advisory committee’s recommendation and the will of Council.

Mayoral Candidate Malcolm Brodie

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy?

There is no doubt that the arts supports Richmond’s economy in many ways. For instance, people will visit Richmond to experience our active arts programs and initiatives. This leads to hotel stays, successful restaurants as well as shopping areas. If we offer cultural and arts opportunities, people will want to live in Richmond – and that leads to employers wanting to locate businesses near their employees. If Richmond is to remain an active, engaged, healthy and economically-successful community, it is important that we support the arts as an important component.

With our rapidly-aging population, it is important that much attention be given to fully involving our seniors – involve them in developing, managing, delivering and experiencing the programs. This is why City Council has adopted the Seniors Services Plan, why we are providing an updated and expanded replacement for the Minoru Seniors Center and why the City invested heavily in the Kiwanis Towers project to provide 295 units of affordable housing for seniors. An ideal way to connect with seniors is through the arts. From programs with crafts to musical instruction and performance, it is important to encourage our seniors to be fully engaged in the arts. This is one reason why I have supported using the soon-vacant Seniors Centre building for arts programs. To avoid isolation of our seniors and to encourage healthy, active, engaged lifestyles, the arts provides an ideal opportunity.

Mayoral Candidate Hong Guo

Do you feel that the arts supports Richmond’s economy?

I personally believe that the arts community play a key role in supporting and developing the Richmond economy, and in many respects I also feel that the recent strong economic development of Richmond has failed the arts community of Richmond. Considering the recent economic progress, and rate of development of Richmond, and the ever changing cultural aspect of Richmond, why haven’t the City fostered a policy in line with the regeneration of Richmond, that also puts Richmond at the forefront of arts and cultural events in British Columbia? Not many communities have a cultural diversity comparable to Richmond, we have a key advantage over many communities, in that no matter what community or ethnicity that you are from, we can welcome you and support your community. We should support and celebrate the work of the arts community in Richmond and City Hall needs to be at the forefront of initiating a wide range of policies to support all of the various arts communities in Richmond to include increased access to funding, and fostering a strategy that sees new and improved arts and cultural facilities being developed in Richmond.

With a large section of Richmond having English as a second language can the arts play a role in communication and understanding and how?

Through my personal life and professional work, I continuously interact with people who do not have a strong command of the English language. However when it comes to arts and cultural event, such events have a language of their own, no matter your dialect, the music and performances that are often displayed transcend any language barriers. Arts and cultural events, have the ability to connect citizens, bring communities even closer together. Many citizens of Richmond have a cultural heritage connected to a land far from Richmond. By increasing the community’s awareness of our cultural differences, this also helps to better educate the community as to people’s stories, their challenge’s, their strengths and weaknesses. While we may appear quite different, and while we, or our ancestors, may have travelled from far reaching parts of the worlds, there is no better community than the arts community to remind us that we are more closely connected than what one may initially think.

It is true that social isolation for our senior citizens is a problem, not only for Richmond, but for every community in the lower mainland. Through City Hall initiatives, we need to connect with the seniors of Richmond, we need to work with them and embrace their knowledge and experience, and we need to provide facilities, events and access to opportunities that can help our seniors to feel part of a real community. Senior citizens have played a significant part in the development of Richmond, they should not be forgotten, they have so much to offer to all of us, and we have so much we can learn from them. Current senior facilities are very limited and out-dated. We need to take immediately action on the improvement.

Richmond Election – What to do

And then go vote!