Welcome to the In this issue!
The Steering Committee for the Cultural Sector HR Study met with the Conference Board of Canada consultants in late January to give final input into the first-of-its-kind comprehensive Labour Market Information (LMI) of the cultural sector. The consultants continue to refine the report and its recommendations on information gaps that will guide CHRC's research agenda in the coming months and years. The Steering Committee also reviewed the Online Survey questionnaire that the Conference Board sent out to over 2,000 artists, cultural workers and employers in early March. Respondents choose one of five questionnaires: for employers, employees, self-employed, unemployed or volunteers/students. The survey takes about half an hour to complete. We strongly urge you to take the time to do it. It is a unique opportunity that is being offered to the sector to document the HR issues we are facing and to direct policy and programs to address them. www.conferenceboard.ca/culturesurvey.aspx We also urge you to forward the survey widely. Much of its success depends on this kind of viral distribution. The results of the online survey will feed into the HR analysis, to be validated at a Roundtable in June and released in September.
As mentioned above, Labour Market Agreements (LMAs) have been signed between individual provinces and the federal government to formalize the transfer of millions of training funds dollars to the provinces. The cultural sector is trying to access these funds for training. In Manitoba, the sector has had considerable success in using LMA funding for training delivery. They are well organized with 4 provincial sector-like councils: Film Training Manitoba, Music Manitoba, New Media Manitoba and Arts and Cultural Industries (ACI) Manitoba; and a provincial government that recognizes the importance of the cultural industries to the overall economy. In addition to using LMA funds to deliver TAMYC modules to self-employed artists as described above, Music Manitoba and Film Training Manitoba have mounted important training initiatives for their communities. Best Practices in Manitoba
The National Training Advisory Council for the Film and Television industry will meet on March 19 in Ottawa under the new title of the NTAC for Screen-Based Training - recognizing the reality of convergence in the industry. On this theme, participants will hear Valerie Creighton speak about the Canada Media Fund; and Benoit Dubois on how CHRC's Convergence Media course modules are being use in Quebec. The agenda also includes developing consensus on national standards for set safety and set etiquette; and reports from emerging Regional Training Organizations (RTOs) - signs of growing strength at the grassroots level of the industry. The National Training Advisory Council for the Music Industry will meet one week later on March 26 in Ottawa. Participants will be considering key topics raised in the national strategy document: the need for business of music programs, copyright issues, professional development opportunities, and how digital technology is impacting the industry.
CHRC is about to launch a transformed Film and Television Training Database under the new name of the Screen-Based Media Training Database. It will include a third stream with training for Digital Media.
With support from Industry Canada, CHRC is undertaking a study to identify hubs for Digital Media Content Creation across the country. This is a follow-up to the Technology Roadmap for Digital Media Content Creation which stressed the importance of collaborative environments (which hubs represent) in the Digital Media Content Creation industry. The compendium of hubs will be a building block in the architecture of a Canadian Digital Media Network. CHRC's interest in the project is the need for training as Canada's content creators find themselves at the cutting edge of the Digital Media industry. A skills gaps analysis is the next phase of this work.
The jury for selecting successful applicants for Career Focus and Building Careers in Culture internship program is meeting in early March. Results will be announced soon after. We expect to be able to provide support to over 50 employers through the two programs.
If you haven't already done so, we encourage you to renew your CHRC membership! It is very important to have you on our roster. It demonstrates the importance the sector attaches to addressing HR issues, and gives strength and credibility to CHRC's efforts to gain government support for key projects.
We urge you to keep in touch with comments, questions, suggestions, or criticisms. Our ongoing dialogue with you is vital to our success! A list of 2009/2010 Board members can be found on CHRC's web site at www.culturalhrc.ca
Arts Consultants Canada Members are accepted through a peer jury process. The objectives of the organization are to serve the professional development of arts consultants by providing networking opportunities with other arts consultants working in the field in Canada, and providing a forum for discussion of issues of concern to the arts and professional consultants. It also seeks to serve artists, arts organizations, funders, public policy-makers and, by extension, arts audiences in Canada by identifying a body of skilled, experienced and knowledgeable colleagues; recommending qualifications, ethics and practices for arts consultants; offering opportunities for the exchange of knowledge and development of the field; and promoting the use of experienced and qualified professionals in the field. |
Cultural Human Resources Council (CHRC) |