There's no mention of us, but we were originally hired by Economic Indicators Committee of IRAFF (see below, a committee formed of regional arts funding bodies) and proposed and designed this system after performing audits of their data, as per the original contract. It has taken about 5 years for this to become a reality and we did three phases of it-- beginning with the recommendation that they create this system. Yeah, Netgain! We'll pat ourselves on the back anyway. As GM for Kaha:wi, I also suspect this will make my life a little easier, while at the same time complicating it as one requirements is the submission of independent financial statements for our last season, which we currently do not have.
This is the official press release:
CADAC goes live
Ottawa, December 4, 2008 — After a very successful pilot and some fine tuning, CADAC (Canadian Arts Data/ Données sur les arts au Canada) the integrated financial and statistical online database for arts organizations is now ready to accept data for operating program deadlines beginning in 2009.
CADAC uses a web-based application that will lighten the administration burden on arts organizations applying for operating funding to one or multiple public funders by enabling them to submit one set of financial and statistical information.
Thirty-three arts organizations from all disciplines participated in the pilot testing of the application which took place between October 4 and November 16. The feedback received from those organizations noted that the registration process and the instructions were simple to follow.
Twenty-eight of the organizations indicated the test was a positive or very positive experience. Their input resulted in six enhancements to the application and adjustments to the financial form. It also helped to identify and solve seven problem areas.
To facilitate the process, each funder will be contacting organizations to let them know the first deadline for which they should submit their financial and statistical data into CADAC. This process will be phased in over the next two years as operating deadlines occur throughout the year.
Organizations applying for operating funding are encouraged to register with CADAC as soon as possible.
The CADAC team would like to thank all of those who participated and enabled us to finalize the application in time for the 2009 deadlines.
The following are member partners: the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, the City of Vancouver, the Manitoba Arts Council, the New Brunswick Department of Wellness, Culture and Sport, the Ontario Arts Council, the Saskatchewan Arts Board and Toronto Arts Council. Discussions are ongoing with other provincial, territorial and municipal arts funders to encourage them to join the partnership.
In addition, the CADAC initiative has supporting partners: the Department of Canadian Heritage, the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, the Ontario Trillium Foundation and the City of Toronto.
CADAC was originally conceived by the Intergovernmental Roundtable of Arts Funders and Foundations (IRAFF) in Ontario and shepherded through the development phase by the Ontario Arts Council.
The Canada Council for the Arts is the secretariat and host for CADAC.
For more information: CADACInfo@thecadac.ca
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Friday, December 5, 2008
Sudbury Performing Arts Centre on hold due to nickel prices
We don't like to say we told you so, but...
This year NetGain completed a review of another consultant's feasibility study for a new performing arts centre in the city of Sudbury. We saw many similarities between the anticipated problems and success of this PAC and the North York Performing Arts Centre, for which we have completed a series of studies over the past 7 years or so.
At the time, the Greater Sudbury city committee leading the process wanted to build a centre of about 1800 seats, which we felt was far too large for the city, its current arts/culture market and its stated goals of revitalizing business downtown and serving the local arts community. This size was already being debated within the arts community itself. In fact, one of the things we mentioned in our final report to the client was to be very cautious, because a downturn in nickel prices could severely affect the city's fortunes and their ability and desire to subsidize a new PAC in perpetuity. Lo and behold, the following article came out this week.
Report on Business:
Closed mines, broken dreams in the town that nickel built
ANDY HOFFMAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail
December 5, 2008 at 12:56 AM EST
SUDBURY, ONT. — When John Rodriguez became Mayor of Sudbury in November, 2006, things had never looked better for the city whose economic fortunes have always been inextricably linked to the price of nickel.
The price of the metal was rocketing to record levels and Mr. Rodriguez saw opportunity for Sudbury to spiff up its image and shed its reputation as a hardscrabble mining town beholden to the vagaries of the boom and bust commodity cycle.
He unveiled plans for a massive recreation complex and a $167-million performing arts centre. Mr. Rodriguez planned to tap the new foreign owners of the region's major nickel operations for cash. Brazil's Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and Swiss-based Xstrata PLC had just shelled out nearly $40-billion combined to buy in to the Sudbury Basin. “I was going to ask for big bucks,” Mr. Rodriguez said in an interview.
Yet the mayor's dreams of building a world-class performing arts centre are now on hold. Vale and Xstrata are cutting production in Sudbury and closing mines because of a sudden and severe crash in base metal prices brought on by the global financial crisis.
“This is not the time to do it because the economy is falling apart,” he said.
Read the rest of the article here.
This year NetGain completed a review of another consultant's feasibility study for a new performing arts centre in the city of Sudbury. We saw many similarities between the anticipated problems and success of this PAC and the North York Performing Arts Centre, for which we have completed a series of studies over the past 7 years or so.
At the time, the Greater Sudbury city committee leading the process wanted to build a centre of about 1800 seats, which we felt was far too large for the city, its current arts/culture market and its stated goals of revitalizing business downtown and serving the local arts community. This size was already being debated within the arts community itself. In fact, one of the things we mentioned in our final report to the client was to be very cautious, because a downturn in nickel prices could severely affect the city's fortunes and their ability and desire to subsidize a new PAC in perpetuity. Lo and behold, the following article came out this week.
Report on Business:
Closed mines, broken dreams in the town that nickel built
ANDY HOFFMAN
From Friday's Globe and Mail
December 5, 2008 at 12:56 AM EST
SUDBURY, ONT. — When John Rodriguez became Mayor of Sudbury in November, 2006, things had never looked better for the city whose economic fortunes have always been inextricably linked to the price of nickel.
The price of the metal was rocketing to record levels and Mr. Rodriguez saw opportunity for Sudbury to spiff up its image and shed its reputation as a hardscrabble mining town beholden to the vagaries of the boom and bust commodity cycle.
He unveiled plans for a massive recreation complex and a $167-million performing arts centre. Mr. Rodriguez planned to tap the new foreign owners of the region's major nickel operations for cash. Brazil's Companhia Vale do Rio Doce and Swiss-based Xstrata PLC had just shelled out nearly $40-billion combined to buy in to the Sudbury Basin. “I was going to ask for big bucks,” Mr. Rodriguez said in an interview.
Yet the mayor's dreams of building a world-class performing arts centre are now on hold. Vale and Xstrata are cutting production in Sudbury and closing mines because of a sudden and severe crash in base metal prices brought on by the global financial crisis.
“This is not the time to do it because the economy is falling apart,” he said.
Read the rest of the article here.
Monday, November 10, 2008
But do you want to share your culture?
Doug and I have wrapped up our trip to B.C.We are exploring the possibility of fundraising for the QCCC (left). I took some photos on my phone. They're not great quality but they show the potential of the site, which sits on the banks of the Cowichan River. The QCCC has an excellent business plan in hand, developed by Rod Smith and his colleagues at Festival management inc. (Fmi), for restoring the facilities and redeveloping their cultural programming. There are a number of great, new Aboriginal Cultural Centres in and around B.C. and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics have brought significant funding to B.C attractions. On the other hand it was still a stretch to find something to do in the off-season in and around Nanaimo as I had forgotten my hiking boots and we could not find a sea kayaking place still renting in November. Luckily, it was a beautiful day when we made the initial site visit.
We wanted to answer three key questions before taking a case for support to potential funders.
We wanted to answer three key questions before taking a case for support to potential funders.
1) Why will the future of a funded QCCC be different from the past? (A past composed as far as we can tell of scandal, alleged theft and alleged embezzlement, questionable tourist appeal and little use or support from the Cowichan community itself).2) What is the cultural centre for? The Khowutzun Development Corporation, the "economic development arm fo the Cowichan Tribes" seems to be primarily interested in job creation. But, as we suggested to the GM of the QCCC, if job creation and revenue generation is the most important thing, then why not create the hotel and conference centre and expand the banquet business currently in place? Inter-cultural learning and sharing is superfluous.
3) Whose project is this? (Who generated it? Who will provide oversight throughout? And, who will lead it through to completion?)We arrived at the last question by way of a conversation with the Aboriginal Studies Department head of the newly formed Vancouver Island University, and through reflection on previous Aboriginal tourism projects. Doug was involved in creating a marketing plan for Six Nations' disparate tourist attractions in Ontario as well as a revitalization of Wanuskewin Heritage Park, out in the Prairies.
The issue of "Aboriginal tourism" is divisive. Even where tribe leaders or band councils decide to move forth with tourism planning and consulting, there has been dissent within the community, members who don't want tourists on the Reservation and certainly don't want to invest in bringing them there or making them feel welcome. Is the community interested in sharing its culture and history with non-Aboriginals? How much of it? What is sacred and cannot or should not be shared? Who will have the right to disseminate this information and in what way? These are questions that can only be answered by the communities themselves. And the answer has to be, yes, we do want to share because...in the case of Wanuskewin, "to increas[e] public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the Northern Plains First Nations people."
The issue of "Aboriginal tourism" is divisive. Even where tribe leaders or band councils decide to move forth with tourism planning and consulting, there has been dissent within the community, members who don't want tourists on the Reservation and certainly don't want to invest in bringing them there or making them feel welcome. Is the community interested in sharing its culture and history with non-Aboriginals? How much of it? What is sacred and cannot or should not be shared? Who will have the right to disseminate this information and in what way? These are questions that can only be answered by the communities themselves. And the answer has to be, yes, we do want to share because...in the case of Wanuskewin, "to increas[e] public awareness, understanding and appreciation of the cultural legacy of the Northern Plains First Nations people."Do the Cowichan tribes want to share? And if so, why? These questions have to be answered before we can move their project forward.
(Photos: Julia Dow)
Monday, October 27, 2008
New project takes NetGain to Vancouver Island
Photo: Cowichan Feather Headdress, courtesy of First PeopleNetGain is off to Duncan, B.C. next week to contribute fundraising expertise to the redevelopment of the Quw'utsun' (Cowichan) Cultural and Conference Centre, located in the Cowichan Valley. It is a matter of public record that the Centre has been plagued by mismanagement, dwindling popularity amongst both the native community and tourists, and, as NetGain can say with confidence at the launch of most projects, "the status quo is intolerable."
B.C. interests have risen on a crest of excitement and goodwill around the 2010 Olympics, but business is general, as we are all aware, has not been great.
More to come and I promise to send photos when on site as well.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Who wants to go see contemporary dance?
You probably do...if you already volunteer somewhere...
or have seen a live performance lately...
At least according to the stats.
I asked our research associate, Andrew Swales, to write something for the blog on the environmental scan of the Canadian contemporary dance “industry”. Essentially his findings, or more aptly, his lack of findings, confirmed our impressions of this marginal art practice. He was struck by the lack of reliable statistical data on contemporary dance and found his efforts to establish a potential audience for Kaha:wi Dance Theatre frustrated by unclear or downright contradictory data.
Without consistent numbers it was difficult to uncover which demographic finds contemporary dance the most appealing or to determine the share that Kaha:wi could claim.
Traditional demographic indicators (e.g. income, education) were not reliable predictors of a potential audience, but other indicators, such as whether someone is involved in his or her community, or whether someone has visited an art gallery, do appear to be more closely related to other arts participation rates that could be applied to dance.
Therefore, it is more beneficial for Kaha:wi, a small company with a negligible marketing budget, and niche artistic groups like it, to try to connect with arts audiences as they volunteer or take in other live performances, rather than spending advertising dollars on targeting a gender, income bracket or education level.
Specifically it suggests that those who are interested in art and performance of any kind could be interested in contemporary dance. There are undoubtedly huge marketing benefits that could be reaped simply by collaborating with artists in other disciplines.
It appears that dance “enthusiasts” make little distinction between enjoying dance and enjoying any other art form. The challenge for Kaha:wi and those working to broaden the audience for contemporary dance is to create bridges with other disciplines that people can cross with ease.
Without consistent numbers it was difficult to uncover which demographic finds contemporary dance the most appealing or to determine the share that Kaha:wi could claim.
Traditional demographic indicators (e.g. income, education) were not reliable predictors of a potential audience, but other indicators, such as whether someone is involved in his or her community, or whether someone has visited an art gallery, do appear to be more closely related to other arts participation rates that could be applied to dance.
Therefore, it is more beneficial for Kaha:wi, a small company with a negligible marketing budget, and niche artistic groups like it, to try to connect with arts audiences as they volunteer or take in other live performances, rather than spending advertising dollars on targeting a gender, income bracket or education level.
Specifically it suggests that those who are interested in art and performance of any kind could be interested in contemporary dance. There are undoubtedly huge marketing benefits that could be reaped simply by collaborating with artists in other disciplines.
It appears that dance “enthusiasts” make little distinction between enjoying dance and enjoying any other art form. The challenge for Kaha:wi and those working to broaden the audience for contemporary dance is to create bridges with other disciplines that people can cross with ease.
Photo by jere-me
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
TEDCO - Revelations and Leaks
Doug has been collaborating on a review of a "city agency" (now revealed as TEDCO, the Toronto Economic Development Corporation) for the past few months.
Yesterday we were called by Jeff Gray of the Globe and Mail. He was looking for one of the authors of the report. (Of course, the report that is eventually released by the City of Toronto is not the same report that was put together by NetGain and the Randolph group, as with many other consulting studies generated for city staff). The NetGain/Randolph report was the result of many hours of analysis, interviews and deliberations about the future of TEDCO.
The article by Jeff Gray, "Mayor unveils new development plan", can be found here.
Apparently the original NetGain/Randolph report was leaked by someone (possibly a member of City staff) to a blog.
And from my overview of various articles and the comments posted, very few people know what is actually going on or why change may be necessary (or why certain people resign or why certain positions remain unfilled or became empty in the first place).
TEDCO was formed in 1986. That's over 20 years that they've been working their magic. As Janet Jackson might say, speaking for Toronto, "What have you done for me lately?"
Yesterday we were called by Jeff Gray of the Globe and Mail. He was looking for one of the authors of the report. (Of course, the report that is eventually released by the City of Toronto is not the same report that was put together by NetGain and the Randolph group, as with many other consulting studies generated for city staff). The NetGain/Randolph report was the result of many hours of analysis, interviews and deliberations about the future of TEDCO.
The article by Jeff Gray, "Mayor unveils new development plan", can be found here.
Apparently the original NetGain/Randolph report was leaked by someone (possibly a member of City staff) to a blog.
And from my overview of various articles and the comments posted, very few people know what is actually going on or why change may be necessary (or why certain people resign or why certain positions remain unfilled or became empty in the first place).
TEDCO was formed in 1986. That's over 20 years that they've been working their magic. As Janet Jackson might say, speaking for Toronto, "What have you done for me lately?"
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The guru of web usability
"He's also the man that some web designers love to hate. In particular, they love to heap abuse on his website - UseIt.com."
I like lists. So much that I have lists upon lists. Lists for everything. Lists of life goals, lists of tasks...really long lists of tasks. Then, people send me lists via email (usually more tasks). Those lists get added to my other lists. Then I have Outlook making lists for me everytime I flag something. So I have paper and Outlook lists. Then I go home and I have sheaves and sheaves of paper detailing tasks, things to do around the house, chore schedules, future goals, places to visit, websites to revisit, books to read, films to rent, errands to run, food shopping lists....etc.
Then I found this web application....
In one of my fits of internet browsing, I came across 37signals, an ingenious little company that makes ingenious little applications. I now have my own ta da list (which is a compilation of to do lists). I tried to share a list with both my brother (with whom I must collaborate on a number of house projects) and another one with a client. To my dismay, neither appear to have looked at the lists. Prior to finding Ta Da, I used "now do this", which is a very simple program that allows you to put in your tasks for the day and click the "done" button when you're done, until you uni-task your way through. However, after a couple of days I found that now-do-this was too simple. In fact, if you accidentally close your browser you lose your whole list and you're left thinking, now don't do that, stupid program. So, not functional enough.
I am waiting to see what the pick up is on the Ta Da to do lists before I introduce my client to Highrise or Basecamp. However, both of these web apps could be just what our small, minimally staffed, frequently travelling dance company needs.
Which brings us back to the issue of web usability. What does that mean, anyway? Well, from what I understand from 37signals and Jakob Nielsen (see his retro-looking site), it refers to web interfaces: web design, not graphic design.
Some interfaces work, some don't. We all know this intuitively. Like many semi-sophisticated web users, I do have some basic programming skills, I started a blog in 2000, I use dictionary.com, I get a lot of my news online, google is my best friend....I am loyal to good sites and don't both with bad ones.
From the point of view of the 'user', websites provide a service.
How well they provide that service is a question of their 'usability'.
A real time, enfolding as I write this, example of web usability:
My dear colleague Douglas, despite wearing two watches on his left wrist like a character in Alice in Wonderland, has somehow mistaken the departure time for his daughter's bus trip up to camp. This, he now claims, is the fault of the website. He could not find the departure time of the bus, and when he did find it, it was buried in many other numbers and dates so he mixed it up with some other time.
I just went to the website to find the relevant page and link it for our reference but...I couldn't find it. Disastrous!
Now, Camp Big Canoe is a very small organization that services a limited number of people. But any time you go to a website and get fed up that you can't find what you want, anytime a website drives you crazy by hiding the most important information behind layers of click, anytime they frustrate you as you try to: find a schedule; book a ticket; do a search; find a phone number; donate money; send an email-- they are crippling the functionality of the internet, wasting our time and their own money in the process.
I have gone to a website before, felt confused or irritated, and left right away. I no longer go to those websites (ie. nowdothis.com).
Anyhow, those issues are top of mind because since working for NetGain I have been responsible for generating content for one website and designing two others from scratch. Any sites you love lately or have been forced to use?
Then I found this web application....
In one of my fits of internet browsing, I came across 37signals, an ingenious little company that makes ingenious little applications. I now have my own ta da list (which is a compilation of to do lists). I tried to share a list with both my brother (with whom I must collaborate on a number of house projects) and another one with a client. To my dismay, neither appear to have looked at the lists. Prior to finding Ta Da, I used "now do this", which is a very simple program that allows you to put in your tasks for the day and click the "done" button when you're done, until you uni-task your way through. However, after a couple of days I found that now-do-this was too simple. In fact, if you accidentally close your browser you lose your whole list and you're left thinking, now don't do that, stupid program. So, not functional enough.
I am waiting to see what the pick up is on the Ta Da to do lists before I introduce my client to Highrise or Basecamp. However, both of these web apps could be just what our small, minimally staffed, frequently travelling dance company needs.
Which brings us back to the issue of web usability. What does that mean, anyway? Well, from what I understand from 37signals and Jakob Nielsen (see his retro-looking site), it refers to web interfaces: web design, not graphic design.
Some interfaces work, some don't. We all know this intuitively. Like many semi-sophisticated web users, I do have some basic programming skills, I started a blog in 2000, I use dictionary.com, I get a lot of my news online, google is my best friend....I am loyal to good sites and don't both with bad ones.
From the point of view of the 'user', websites provide a service.
How well they provide that service is a question of their 'usability'.
A real time, enfolding as I write this, example of web usability:
My dear colleague Douglas, despite wearing two watches on his left wrist like a character in Alice in Wonderland, has somehow mistaken the departure time for his daughter's bus trip up to camp. This, he now claims, is the fault of the website. He could not find the departure time of the bus, and when he did find it, it was buried in many other numbers and dates so he mixed it up with some other time.
I just went to the website to find the relevant page and link it for our reference but...I couldn't find it. Disastrous!
Now, Camp Big Canoe is a very small organization that services a limited number of people. But any time you go to a website and get fed up that you can't find what you want, anytime a website drives you crazy by hiding the most important information behind layers of click, anytime they frustrate you as you try to: find a schedule; book a ticket; do a search; find a phone number; donate money; send an email-- they are crippling the functionality of the internet, wasting our time and their own money in the process.
I have gone to a website before, felt confused or irritated, and left right away. I no longer go to those websites (ie. nowdothis.com).
Anyhow, those issues are top of mind because since working for NetGain I have been responsible for generating content for one website and designing two others from scratch. Any sites you love lately or have been forced to use?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
