NG Farrell Marketing

The 2011 Vancouver Riot was the final act of bad behaviour by a wide range of Metro Vancouver residents that escalated throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs. But the flames that burned the night of June 15th were fanned by municipal political leaders under the Vision Vancouver moniker who are trying too hard to have city residents embrace their political philosophy, and by a misguided (perhaps sometimes duped) city administration that cannot see that it is our culture as a city that already makes Vancouver truly "fun".

The events leading up to and including the riots of June 15^th  have been well documented, as have the tough questions now being asked. Questions including how could the City and specifically Mayor Gregor Robertson not have known that some kind of catastrophic event would happen by inviting too many people into a confined space, at the culmination of a major international sporting event, without proper levels of security and volunteer support, all within a known culture of over-consumption of alcohol?

Answers will soon be forthcoming from the official external and internal reviews taking place, but I would like to propose an alternative perspective.

The question I would like to ask is this: when else do riots and mob violence occur, other than during wars, political upheavals and….sporting events?

Rarely, if ever.

And at risk of sounding anti-sport or snobbish (I am neither), I would like to suggest that it is not large crowds per se that create riots and violence, it is crowds that have gathered in a spirit of hyper competitiveness that spark violence. Crowds that have assembled in the singular and sanctioned spirit of an “us versus them” mentality, crowds that have no alternative but to react with extreme emotion to a 50/50 chance of a big loss, crowds that have the fuel and the spark for a communicable, explosive reaction to stimuli, are what give us problems.

And not just the problems that we saw during the recent Stanley Cup playoffs, but problems that occur every Friday and Saturday night on Granville Street in the entertainment district. I challenge everyone who hasn’t done so in a few years to go for a stroll on Granville on a Saturday night at 2am, and you will be dismayed to see the exact same rowdy, drunken behaviour that occurred during the play offs - most likely by many of the same people who were out smashing store windows on June 15th!

Dear readers, we have near riots every weekend in downtown Vancouver. Check it out if you are brave. You will also see the same “meet and greet” tactic of the VPD with police personnel on orders to only intervene in extreme cases, but otherwise turning a blind eye to violent, crude behaviour that doesn't even meet minimum entry requirements for membership in a civilized society.

We’ve let the bar drop to a dangerously low level.  And when something like a Stanley Cup playoff comes to town, we don’t have far to fall before we lose complete control and start behaving like rabid animals.

Even the annual fireworks competition (emphasis mine) generally brings a certain unsavoury element to the crowds, including aggressive and violent behaviour, public drunkenness, property destruction, and extreme littering.

But, when was the last time you heard of a riot occurring at an outdoor cultural event? Does the City ever feel compelled to employ and pay for a vast amount of additional security for outdoor music or cultural festivals? During the major, annual, summer jazz festival that attracts thousands and thousands of people to outdoor venues, are riot police ever assembled nearby, waiting for orders to deploy tear gas?

Of course not. And here's why:

Culture and cultural events, by their very nature, are designed to bring people together in a way that makes them want to co-exist as one. There is no “do or die” mentality amongst audiences, people do not wail in the streets if a performer flubs a phrase,  nor do the fans of  bands or music ensembles representing different musical genres generally conspire to bash each other's heads in or trash their own downtown core.

Vancouverites enjoy literally hundreds of out door, cultural-based events every year. The list is impressive, and includes classical, popular and alternative music, dance and film festivals, an outdoor Shakespearean festival, ethnic cultural street festivals, Canada Day celebrations,  GLBT parades and parties, etc. etc.

These are the types of events that our political leaders should promote, nurture and support.

Cultural events appeal to people from all walks of life. They attract real tourism dollars from outside of our own vicinity, and have programs and offerings that nurture the mind and the soul, rather than overly catering to the base, tribal and uncouth that exists in all of us.

In fact, cultural events are...fun!

So let’s not stop at just pointing fingers over what went wrong during the Stanley Cup playoffs. Let's take what we learn from this even further. While putting up bigger fences and having the riot police ready earlier next time might reduce the risks of harm, they are not going to eliminate the problem.

In short,  let's stop beating ourselves up over hockey.

Instead, let’s make sure our political leaders stop trying to score political points by irrationally latching onto commercial sporting events at the risk of the lives and property of citizens and business owners. Let’s insist that they develop and adhere to new “fun city” strategies, by creating and investing in culture  and cultural events - events big and small, high brow and low brow alike -  that serve one purpose: creating and nurturing peace, beauty, civilization, and the advancement of human kind.

Now in its 11th year, BC Arts and Culture Week, April 18-24, shines a spotlight on the vital impact that arts and culture make on our society, our communities and our individual lives.  Arts and culture in all forms - music, film, dance, publishing, theatre and visual arts  - are part of daily life, and have a lasting influence.

Arts and culture also fuel our economies and bring positive attention to our province. This in turn helps attract tourists, educated and skilled new residents, investment and trade.

Paying attention to the work of our artists and performers makes sense. For all the right reasons.

That’s why NG Farrell is keen to help promote BC Arts and Culture Week and the awesome array of events that are occurring throughout the province next week. We encourage readers to visit the event website to see what is happening in your local community.

And showing your support does not necessarily mean that you have to buy tickets to an expensive show or concert. We understand that for some, the price of those types of events can at times be prohibitive. But it doesn’t cost much to do things such as buy BC-published magazines in your local convenience store, or visit a local art gallery on your lunch break to become acquainted with emerging new artists. Vancouver has some great and innovative film festivals that present internationally-acclaimed films, for really reasonable admission fees. And it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of your life to volunteer on the board of an arts organization or even just help out at performances of your local theatre or symphony orchestra. And for those who like to dine, dance and mingle, there are themed-fundraising events that provide both entertainment and the satisfaction of giving.

Of course, what would make BC Arts and Culture Week 2010 all the more special would be some good news regarding funding. We have heard from a reliable source that information regarding the new 2010 Legacies Fund will be released next week. We’ll keep our eyes and ears open, and invite you to give us a call or send us an email, so we can then help disseminate information on the fund as soon as it becomes available.

In the meanwhile – enjoy BC’s fabulous arts and culture scene. It’s vibrant, it’s exciting and it needs you!

I read with interest an article in the Georgia Straight last week, referencing BC's Culture and Arts Minister Kevin Krueger's recent statements alluding to "faith" in the context of funding for the arts. Notwithstanding that the statements were made in response to the misguided tactics of my friend and neighbour, BC's Opposition Culture Critic, I did find the notion of "faith" an interesting and indeed an encouraging one. I interpreted the comments to suggest the following:

That which is built on a solid foundation, created with passion and faith, will last for years and years, whereas that which is built solely on government handouts probably will not, cannot, endure.

I think it is totally reasonable to suggest that an organization built without a solid, independent foundation - developed through craft, a solid community following, care and committment - probably cannot survive on its own merits. And I think it is crucial to ask whether organizations with such limitations should be subsidized during times of deficit financing. At who's expense? Should the money be borrowed from future generations? Do we have the moral and legal right to borrow from our children? When the Opposition Critic for culture and arts says, "You can try (to eat faith), but it leaves you a little bit hungry", is he not insinuating that government support for the arts is support for artists?

What's next? Welfare for the arts? Let's not go there. Our artists, performers and arts organizations deserve stronger, more meaningful and sustainable funding models. And I think everyone knows that now. But sadly it has taken a deep recession to make us realize it.

My thought here is simple and completely non-partisan:

Let's look at the current situation for what it is. Times are indeed changing, and for a number of reasons, publicly funded support for the arts is dwindling. But it is quite unreasonable to suggest that funding cuts are an attack on the arts. However, the situation is going to force arts organizations to shake up the tree, and to shift perspectives. To think differently about their positioning, their value, and quite bluntly, how and where the money is going to come from.

For some, it may mean some re-positioning, and efforts at a re-invention. But from an artistic perspective, is this necessarily a bad thing?

Maybe not. And for those organizations with strong foundations, faith and confidence? Probably not.