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Talking to the St. Thomas ON Candidates: Arts and culture

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Celeste Fiallos Castillo, a fine arts student and St. Thomas resident, organized an event, an Arts and Culture Primer, and invited municipal candidates, stakeholders in the arts, and the general public to allow discussion on the role, importance, and future of the arts and culture in the community.  Interested citizens filled Streamliners Espresso Bar on August 9, 2018.

Here are my personal notes on the event:

Mayoral Candidates

Heather Jackson – will continue to support arts and culture in our community. 

Malachi Male – absent

Joe Preston – is a strong supporter of arts and culture in our community – a participant and supporter of the Port Stanley Community Theatre

Steve Wookey – has great respect for arts and culture in our community

Council Candidates

Lori Baldwin-Sands – absent

Lesley Buchanan – agrees that funding for the St. Thomas Elgin Public Arts Centre (STEPAC) should be a line item in the city’s budget.

Gary Clarke – arts, culture, recreation and heritage are all important for a vibrant community – important for the city to partner with these groups and suggests that we need more conversations on this topic – would like to look at arts, etc. funding over multiple years rather than one year at a time.

Greg Graham – absent

Rose Gibson – arts and culture funding should be a line item in the city’s budget – would like to see funding made available to allow children from low-income families to participate in arts and culture events and classes

Timothy Hedden – stressed the importance of arts and culture to the community – STEPAC funding should be a line item in the city’s budget

Jim Herbert – absent

Petrusia Hontar – absent – sent regrets – see https://www.facebook.com/events/293034714766693/ for her comments.

Jeff Kohler – believes that arts and culture are important for local economic development – arts and culture are often one of the criteria new businesses are looking for before locating in a community

John Laverty – absent

Serge Lavoie – supports the concept of arts, culture and heritage in the community – a, c, and h drive economic development and tourism – encourage grass roots participation

Michael Manary – absent

David Mathers – absent

James Murray – absent

Steve Peters – absent – out of town sent his regrets - comments at https://www.facebook.com/events/293034714766693/

Joan Rymal – the STPL has an active partnership in the community

Kevin Smith – absent – sent his regrets

Linda Stevenson – commented on the number of new sculptures in various parts of our community

Mark Tinlin – a supporter of local theatre and railway themed heritage – funding should be a line item in the city’s budget or look further out for funding.

For more information on this topic, please check out Arts and culture focus of city council candidates meeting.

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