Cities and communities : Cultural indicators at the local level

The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Creative City Network of Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage, or Infrastructure Canada. [...] The workshop aimed to identify and share methodological frameworks and guidelines that would be useful to the process of developing cultural indicators; to better understand content and research issues; and to learn more about the practical uses of cultural indicators at the local level. [...] This trend is marked by a rising number of cultural plans and policies, civic committees, and greater consideration of culture among a “continuum of interests in the community.”1 At the same time, other levels of government have acknowledged the importance of local strengths, issues, and dynamics to understanding and addressing broader regional and national issues and goals. [...] The United Way of Canada (in partnership with the Tamarack and Caledon Institutes and the National Film Board of Canada) aims to develop neighbourhood-level indicators of vitality and change through its Action for Neighbourhood Change initiative, and include cultural dimensions. [...] The workshop brought together many of these individuals/organizations to discuss their experiences and plans, and to address shared challenges including: • The need to develop, at least, an “overlapping consensus” on the content of cultural indicators • The need to know more about the practical uses of cultural indicators by local government and others in communities • The need to assess the state