Fort Erie

Having researched and written a couple of small grant proposals for the Fort Erie Arts Council, I was dismayed to discover that there is a threshold for access to continuing "core" funding for small nonprofit art organizations provincially. At the time, the Ontario Arts Council only considered core funding requests for organizations with existing funding of $75,000 annually. For a small community organization with a huge arts footprint, this is impossible. Why can't there be a core funding program that enables organizations like FEAC to employ a coordinator as support for their programs, operations and general artist support? One that doesn't start with an already strong budget line but that instead can be used to develop capacity?

Arts, culture and heritage are not extras in a community—they are part of what gives a community its identity, tells its story, attracts visitors and creates places where people want to live. My own experience has given me a strong appreciation for the role the creative sector plays in building community. I have worked in publishing and media as an editor and publisher, helping develop local stories, community features and publications that showcase people, businesses, attractions and events. That work has reinforced for me how important local journalism, storytelling, photography, design and the creative industries are to preserving and promoting the character of our communities. I have also been involved in music and live-event production through the Ottawa Pop Music Festival and Pomeroy Music Inc., helping organize concerts and community events involving musicians, performers, DJs and other creative professionals. Through MP Consolidated Inc., I have organized Live Chess community events in Ottawa and Niagara, bringing together performance, recreation, families and charitable causes in public spaces. My volunteer and community work has similarly focused on creating events that bring people together. Live Chess by the Falls in Niagara has supported local charitable initiatives, while other events I have helped organize have combined entertainment with fundraising and community awareness. As a Fort Erie councillor, I would support practical partnerships with local artists, musicians, cultural organizations, museums, heritage groups, BIAs, businesses and community organizations. Municipal government does not have to produce every cultural activity itself. It can help remove barriers, make municipal spaces more accessible for community events, promote local programming and help organizations connect with grants, sponsorships and other funding opportunities. I also believe heritage protection and responsible growth must work together. Niagara's own planning framework recognizes that cultural heritage contributes to community identity, tourism and long-term prosperity and that these resources need to be conserved as communities grow. Fort Erie, Ridgeway and Crystal Beach each have distinct histories and identities, and growth should respect the buildings, streetscapes, stories and community character that make these places unique. I would particularly like to see greater opportunities for local performances, public art, festivals, heritage interpretation and programming that gives emerging artists and young people places to develop and showcase their work. Niagara has previously identified support for creative people, cultural industries and public art as important components of cultural development. Arts and culture also have an economic role. Festivals, performances, heritage destinations, galleries, museums and creative businesses bring people into our downtowns and commercial districts and give visitors another reason to stay, shop and return. My approach would therefore be to protect what makes Fort Erie distinctive while helping local creators build what comes next. I want arts, culture and heritage organizations to have a meaningful voice at Town Hall and to be viewed as partners in community development, tourism, economic development and the quality of life we offer residents. — Matt Paul Candidate for Fort Erie Town Council, Ward 4