What is community art? a definition

Community cultural development is the process of collaboration between artists and community members on agreed upon goals. Community art is the medium through which this collaboration can take place and includes visual, media and performing arts. The principles behind the work are active participation, intentional inclusivity and ongoing learning. The process builds community, increases awareness of the value the arts in our lives, develops creativity and addresses common issues.

Mission Statement

CACV creates community through the arts.

CACV is the voice for the community arts in Vancouver. We explore critical social issues through creative processes. CACV fosters and supports programs, practices and initiatives that develop common understanding through shared experiences.

Core Values

To fulfill its mission of Creating Community Through the Arts the Council incorporates the following values:

* Accountability: To be transparent and responsive

* Contribution: To create opportunities for everyone to contribute and to learn

* Community: To encourage active participation and collaboration in community life

* Diversity: To be open and inclusive

* Creativity: To support the role of the artist in bringing out the creativity and the artist in everyone

* Meaning: To bring to light the beauty of people and their communities, the issues of social justice that challenge people and communities, and the opportunities for healing within our communities.

Roles

The Council fulfills its mission to “create community through the arts” through these key roles:

1. Annually selecting program priorities that will advance community arts throughout Vancouver (the current priority is the Downtown Eastside)

2. Operating a communications program that informs and engages people to understand and engage with about the community arts

3. Initiating and supporting demonstration projects in the community arts

4. Working to support the sustainability of community arts programs

5. Advocating for the central role of the arts in the lives of people and their communities.

2010 program priorities are to:

1. Support community arts programming and infrastructure in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver;
2. Provide leadership in community arts in the City as a whole; and
3. Be a leader in the developing field of environmental art.

Our history

The Community Arts Council of Vancouver was the first arts council in North America.
Since its beginning in 1946, the Community Arts Council of Vancouver has been a contributor to shaping the cultural life of Vancouver. The Council has been a powerful force in creating and advocating for many of the institutions, traditions and policies in Vancouver that we benefit from today.

For more than 60 years, CACV has been contributing to the cultural and community development of Vancouver by creating art projects that engage the community and facilitating, supporting, and advocating for initiatives, facilities, and programs that increase community participation in the arts. Our interests are to increase understanding of how the arts create community, grow our appreciation of our cultural differences, and engage the community in the art of developing community.