Background & History

Culture Days has been conceived and initiated in response to the growing recognition in Canada and around the world that a vibrant arts and cultural sector contributes directly to a healthy and stable society.

In 2006, inspired by the success and impact of Quebec’s 13-year old annual Journées de la culture event, leaders of Canada’s largest arts organizations (as members of The Canadian Arts Summit) commissioned a feasibility study. In assessing the viability and appropriateness of launching an annual cross-country celebration of arts and culture, the study examined the annual 3-day Journées de la culture event produced by Culture pour tous as an original, dynamic, internationally-recognized Canadian model for raising public participation and engagement.

The Journées de la culture model best responds to the objectives identified by arts and cultural leaders across Canada because it:

• Appeals for generosity, solidarity and collaboration;
• Equally values the cultural life of urban and rural communities alike;
• Encourages the use of collective resources;
• Is produced with a unifying spirit, bringing together the best energies in the country.

In April 2008, the Summit participants voted and agreed unanimously to initiate and support a strategic collaboration with Culture pour tous, producer of Journées de la culture to encourage and facilitate a similar Journées de la culture event across Canada. The Banff Centre is also involved in supporting this project, serving the role of national secretariat and assuming all relevant fiduciary responsibilities.

As a citizen-focused project, Culture Days is a timely Canadian initiative in the global context as it responds directly to issues addressed by the Coalition for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, of which Canada is a founding member. The Coalition points clearly to the importance of engaging citizens of the signatory countries of the associated UNESCO convention.

Initiated by The Canadian Arts Summit, Culture Days has been endorsed and supported from its early beginnings by the Canada Council for the Arts, Culture pour tous, and The Banff Centre, and continues to build on enthusiastic interest, commitment, and collaboration from a rapidly growing network of artists and private and public sector leaders across the country.