The Town has completed its first Culture Plan – “Culture Connects Whitby” to provide strategic direction and actions for the provision of arts and culture programs, services and facilities in the Municipality.
Project Background
The Culture Plan was developed in three (3) phases including Background Report; Vision and Guiding Principles; and development of the Culture Plan.
The Culture Plan is rooted in a collaborative, community-based and creative process that is implementable yet flexible to allow room for growth as new ideas emerge. The Culture Plan will be implemented over a 10-year period between 2021 and 2031.
Vision
“Culture Connects Whitby’s diverse people, creative communities, cultural places and distinct stories.”
The Culture Plan is focused on creating cultural connections in the community through five key areas of focus:
Connecting creativity: strengthening and diversifying Whitby’s local arts, culture, heritage and creative sector through investments in people and programs.
Connecting communities: supporting and building community and partner support for arts and culture in the town.
Connecting places: preserving and enhancing Whitby’s cultural spaces and places.
Connecting stories: celebrating and engaging with culture in Whitby so that all residents see themselves reflected in the cultural landscape, narratives and daily life.
Connecting the process: elevating and integrating culture’s role within internal processes at the Town.
The plan also identifies 75 action items to support culture in Whitby, including:
Partnering with both private and public partners to attract cultural investment
Preserving and promoting local heritage
Supporting and strengthening neighbourhood identity through localized community neighbourhood associations
Recognizing, collaborating with and enhancing Whitby’s culinary and live music sectors
Developing a community-driven Whitby Tourism Strategy
Engagement
The engagement was a vital component to the development and completion of the Culture Plan. Thank you to the more than 1,000 people who provided feedback throughout the process to ensure that Whitby’s Culture is reflective of the community’s vision for how Culture Connects Whitby.
Moving the Culture Plan Forward
As the plan is used to build Whitby’s culture over the next decade, it is essential that it remains responsive to the real-time evolution of the Town and adapt to the changing arts, culture and heritage landscape, as well as other current trends happening with the municipality.
For the plan to succeed, the Town and key partners will need to continue to engage in conversations and consult with the broader community to ensure the plan remains relevant over the next ten years.
Stay tuned for upcoming initiatives that will be launched from the Culture Plan including StoryWalk, placemaking spaces, new busker entertainment opportunities, public art and more!
Get Involved
For additional information or if you would like to get involved in future Culture Plan projects, please contact culture@whitby.ca.
The Town has completed its first Culture Plan – “Culture Connects Whitby” to provide strategic direction and actions for the provision of arts and culture programs, services and facilities in the Municipality.
Project Background
The Culture Plan was developed in three (3) phases including Background Report; Vision and Guiding Principles; and development of the Culture Plan.
The Culture Plan is rooted in a collaborative, community-based and creative process that is implementable yet flexible to allow room for growth as new ideas emerge. The Culture Plan will be implemented over a 10-year period between 2021 and 2031.
Vision
“Culture Connects Whitby’s diverse people, creative communities, cultural places and distinct stories.”
The Culture Plan is focused on creating cultural connections in the community through five key areas of focus:
Connecting creativity: strengthening and diversifying Whitby’s local arts, culture, heritage and creative sector through investments in people and programs.
Connecting communities: supporting and building community and partner support for arts and culture in the town.
Connecting places: preserving and enhancing Whitby’s cultural spaces and places.
Connecting stories: celebrating and engaging with culture in Whitby so that all residents see themselves reflected in the cultural landscape, narratives and daily life.
Connecting the process: elevating and integrating culture’s role within internal processes at the Town.
The plan also identifies 75 action items to support culture in Whitby, including:
Partnering with both private and public partners to attract cultural investment
Preserving and promoting local heritage
Supporting and strengthening neighbourhood identity through localized community neighbourhood associations
Recognizing, collaborating with and enhancing Whitby’s culinary and live music sectors
Developing a community-driven Whitby Tourism Strategy
Engagement
The engagement was a vital component to the development and completion of the Culture Plan. Thank you to the more than 1,000 people who provided feedback throughout the process to ensure that Whitby’s Culture is reflective of the community’s vision for how Culture Connects Whitby.
Moving the Culture Plan Forward
As the plan is used to build Whitby’s culture over the next decade, it is essential that it remains responsive to the real-time evolution of the Town and adapt to the changing arts, culture and heritage landscape, as well as other current trends happening with the municipality.
For the plan to succeed, the Town and key partners will need to continue to engage in conversations and consult with the broader community to ensure the plan remains relevant over the next ten years.
Stay tuned for upcoming initiatives that will be launched from the Culture Plan including StoryWalk, placemaking spaces, new busker entertainment opportunities, public art and more!
Get Involved
For additional information or if you would like to get involved in future Culture Plan projects, please contact culture@whitby.ca.
