Section I - Building A & C in Toronto
1. On June 9 2003, The Toronto Culture Division released “The Culture Plan for a Creative City” outlining plans for cultural development
over the next 10 years. What three points of the culture plan do you advocate most strongly? Why?
1) Increase the cost /capita from $ 11 to 50% of New York's $63 Why? Simple math. And a good first step. (tripling the budget!!!.)
2) Selling Toronto To ourselves: Why? Local participation is what will make us great. While it is always wonderful to bring others to make our venues sing, it makes more sense to generate from within the stars and talent that will make all Toronto want to go and see their own - after all, we are multi cultural - so lets build on what we have that is extra -ordinaire
3) Public Art: Why? I have stated this in my attached letter. The City should be a cultural smagasborg. Wherever we go in the city - we should find music, story - enlightening experience. What we need to do is to encourage the individual to express themselves. We do not have to invent anything - we just have to do what we do. People will come. They will have a good time. They will tell their friends. Toronto IS the meeting place on the planet.
2. The Toronto Arts Council received $7.9 million dollars from City Council this year to go towards the arts and cultural sector.
Do you feel this arts funding should:
Remain the same Decrease[X] Increase[ ]
Please explain:
I think the amount has little relevance to anything. The amount could/ should relate to construction activity as one part of the formula, and the amount should also bear some relevance to the cultural programs in the schools, and it ought to bear some relevance to the multiplicity of other aspects of the City. To analyze a number in a vacuum will not deliver intelligent responses. The Toronto Pot lands have 1.5 billion dollars to develop the lands - why is this not factored in? Where is its relevance? If we used a 3% factor on development, the Port Lands themselves would generate $45 million for Arts and Cultural development.
3. Do you feel the City of Toronto should be contributing to the development or re-development of Toronto's cultural facilities
(Canadian Opera Company, Gooderham & Worts Distillery District, etc.)?
Yes[X] No[ ]
Please explain:
: I think so, but I am not clear on how these organizations are owned. I think there are some distinctions here, and my answer may be different for the Private development of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery (which I support) and the opera house ( which I also support) . Support does not mean that I would support them the same way. Each has its own quality that would require analysis and support from the sectors involved. I have approached the Distillery District with the intention od developing an Arts program and they do not return telephone calls. I have made no such overtures to the Opera house, and feel that it is already more bureaucratic than I would prefer. IN short, these two reas require different approaches and more explorations to discern what I would do..
Section II – Concrete Initiatives
4. Do you support city-based initiatives that provide affordable live/work space to artists? Please explain.
Absolutely. In my City of the Future, the artist will be a "more valued" participant in society. I believe the Distillery district offers some ideas on how this might work, but requires more thought and more integration of the artist and his /her lifestyle. The area over on the old Toronto Stadium lands have set a good example of how the artist community might work effectively as does the area on Wards Island. I do not know if they need more support, but i think these kinds of initiatives should be encouraged and expanded
5. Describe initiatives you would develop to help support arts workers and keep Toronto affordable and viable for artists.
1) All government buildings will be a source for artistic expression - inside and out.
2) Encourage artists participation in the schools
3) Develop programs for apprenticeship in multiplicity of disciplines
4) .Develop awards for contributions in fields where currently none exist
5) Have visiting artist programs with other countries artists - cultural exchanges
6) Develop programs where creativity is shared in local communities involving seniors / day care ie old and young / where costs of existing systems are shifted to artistic endeavours
7) Encourage artists to use the Toronto Dollar
8) Develop protocols for encouraging integration of Information Technology and artistic endeavour. ( I understand that the fellow who got the architectural assignment for the NY World Trade Center had learned animation as a skill - this assisted him in the field of architecture. In other words cross disciplines in work could be encouraged.
9) Further to 8 there could be a significant marketing effort of artistic works over the internet to other parts of the country and the world.
10) I want to stop at ten, but believe that we ought to think tank these alternatives and establish whole industries based upon artistic endeavour - all supported by unique strategies regarding, food shelter clothing etc
6. How much revenue do the cultural industries generate for the City of Toronto? What are your sources of information?
Film |
Poetry |
Football |
Television |
Book Publishing |
Hockey |
Photography |
Radio |
Basketball |
Dance |
|
Baseball |
Theatre |
|
Soccer |
Music |
|
|
Music Production |
|
|
The first two columns would also include revenue from the third in the areas of radio and TV. I plead guilty. I have no idea!
7. Do you support moving the Toronto Film and Television Office from Economic Development, back to the Mayor’s office?
Yes[X] No[ ]
I would want to understand why. However, I suspect economic development has no understanding of the dynamic, either financially or social.. And would likely support the move back to the Mayors office - especially if I were Mayor.
8. Do you support filming in your ward, subject to the existing film permit policy? Yes[X] No[ ]
The City is to be filmed - why would it not be permitted - although this is not the main purpose of a City - to be a backdrop for US films.
9. The City directly contributes $305,000 to community based arts service organizations (e.g. Scarborough Arts Council ).
What is the city’s role in supporting community arts?
I would want to look into this. What is the basis for this Community support? Why is it not more? How much support could be integrated into the School budgets - or how much should it be increased to do what is desirable. I do not like having a number thrown at me in no context. It has little meaning.
What does this money and service do? Should it be larger or smaller. I need to know more!!!
What initiatives have you developed, or would you develop in order to share and celebrate the cultural diversity in Toronto's arts communities? I have been involved in the arts community all my working life - even though I am a Chartered Accountant. My clients have been photographers, filmmakers, musicians, writers, painters, comedians, actors, models, singers, inventors (artists), sculptors, teachers, dancers, publishers. etc etc. See 5 above. I secured Second City in Toronto in the early 70's and I built Morgan Earl Sounds in the 70's ( a leading Commercial Sound Production Studio. We participated in numerous unique activities utilising sound and music.
As Mayor I could see many new opportunities being provided to explore the potential of the artist in all existing manners of artistic expression, and developing new methods through the new opportunities produced by convergence of media constructs.
10. Do you support arts education projects in and outside the school system and if so what should the city's role be? _______________
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11. What initiatives have you developed, or would you develop in order to share and celebrate the cultural diversity in Toronto's arts
communities? _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Section III - Personal Profile
12. Do you attend arts events in your ward? Yes[X] No[ ]
If yes, what was the last arts event you attended?
Briefly summarize your experience. Frankly I was disappointed. I felt the BIA ( which I helped found) misused the opportunity and abused both the participating artists and the local community. This is not unusual for the BIA as it is run in an unthinking manner and is not one of my prouder accomplishments. That is not to say that I am not proud of the accomplishment, but rather the end results do not serve anyone other than the bureaucrats that run it.
13. Do you currently, or have you ever sat on a Board of Directors/Advisory Committee for an arts organization/facility?
Yes[ ] No[X]
If yes, which one(s)? not really - although when we had a sound studio we participated in quite a number of events - from Cleos, Bessies, and a variety of other awards shows that escape my memory right now.
14. What artists and arts & cultural groups/businesses are in your ward?
In Yorkville we have a tremendous number of Art Galleries, including the ROM - whcih by hte way has a tremendous Friday night program over the past year. I wanted to impact it in several ways - but the administration was very fixed in their processes - so I left it alone.
For mayoral candidates who have worked for city-council or as mayoral incumbents:
15. What specific initiatives did you institute for the arts and cultural sector during your tenure? When was your tenure as
mayor/councillor? What should the mayor's arts and cultural priorities be in 2004?
For first-time candidates:
16. What makes a good mayoral candidate? What should the mayor's arts and cultural priorities be in 2004?
In short: there is no such thing as a good mayoral candidate. A good Mayor however, is one who knows how to work with people of differing skills and levels of understanding. He/she knows how to lead when leading is necessary, and when to seek counsel form wise people. Ithe Mayor is only one of 45 people on Counsel and has to bring people to the larger issues of the day. The small issues will look after themselves. But knowing which issues are the large issues is important - and in those areas he should seek counsel. No Mayor can know enough to pretend to know. A wise person seeks to learn to listen deeply. In that deeper listening he/she might come to know what to do. Further - I think the letter I sent in my earlier response summarises my position on what a Mayor might do. A priority might be to look to the development of apprenticeship programs in various sectors of the economy partnering with businesses in the production field. Canada has always been known internationally for the diversity and skills of our production people. I would want to build on that reputation and extend the depth of the training experience.
I, (candidate's name) __Mitch Gold__ have read and understand the following questions and declare that
the accompanying statements are true, correct, and complete to the best of my knowledge. This questionnaire must be signed by
the candidate and initialled on each page in order to be included in our assessment.
Was this questionnaire completed by the candidate? Yes[X] No[ ]
If not, please state the name, position and telephone number of the person who filled out this questionnaire.
Name: ___________________________ Position: ______________________ Tel: _______________
Candidate's signature: _____Mitch Gold by himself_______________________________________
Date: ______________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for completing this questionnaire.
Please return the questionnaire no later than 5pm on Monday, September 22nd, 2003.
C/O: John Watson/Merika Ramundo - Fax: 416-408-3402
or email: artsvote@yahoo.com
For more information on ArtsVote, visit our website: www.artsvote.ca
An arts community 225, 000 strong votes for a Toronto City Council that votes for the arts.
Voting Day is Monday, November 10th, 2003
Initials:___________
