HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-16-034 - Creative Hub Options
REPORT TO:Planning & Strategic Initiatives Committee
DATE OF MEETING:December 5, 2016
SUBMITTED BY:Cory Bluhm, Executive Director(Interim), Economic
Development, 519-741-2200 x7065
PREPARED BY:Silvia Di Donato, Manager, Arts and Creative Industries,
Economic Development, 519-741-2200 x7392
WARD(S) INVOLVED:ALL
DATE OF REPORT:November 25, 2016
REPORT NO.:CAO-16-034
SUBJECT:Options for a Creative Industry Hub
RECOMMENDATION
1. That the establishment of a Creative Hub to incubate and strengthen the
Development Strategy, Make it Kitchener, be supported;
2. That staff be directed to continue with next steps in establishing the Creative
Hub at the preferred initial location, 44 Gaukel Street;
3. That staff initiate an Expression of Interest (EOI) process and criteria to lease
44 Gaukel Street to an operator for use as a creative hub,as defined in the
report CAO-16-034;
4. Thatthe City-owned property at 48 Ontario Street North be declared as
surplus and offered for sale through a Request for Proposals (RFP);
5. That the net proceeds from the sale of 48 Ontario Street North be allocated to
initiate and develop a Creative Hub, as described in report CAO-16-034; and,
6. That staff continue to explore the full growth potential of the creative hub, with
its location at 44 Gaukel Street in the short-to-medium-term, working with
community partners to articulate medium-to-long-term opportunities and
future phases.
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BACKGROUND
Make it
Kitchener, includes three objectives: be agile in the provision of services for startups;
continue to attract entrepreneurs; and become a magnet for investment.
More specifically Make it Kitchener identifies the need to establish a creative hub for
arts and creative sector to create an environment for their economic success.
the creative hub is intended to serve the economic success of industries like
music, film, interactive media, theatre and other disciplines. Uses proposed included
entrepreneurial and promotional services, skills development, rehearsal spaces and
event programming. These needs were based on extensive consultation, including
creative industries participating in the stakeholder engagement for the Economic
Development strategy.
In alignment with that strategy, staff brought forward recommendations to develop
criteria for an RFP related to community engagement on the location of a creative hub.
The identified need for an affordable, incubator style creative hub converged with
increasing community interest in a vacant property owned by the City at 48 Ontario
Street North, then listed on the Heritage Registry, and since received designation a
heritage property.
In June 2016, council directed staff to proceed with community and stakeholder
engagement on a range of options for a catalyst location for arts and creative industries
(i.e., an arts hub) and the potential of 48 Ontario Street North as its home,the potential
use or sale of 48 Ontario Street North, and further to report back before the end of
2016.
Staff was also directed to consult with the community on a more precise definition of the
, irrespective of location. (further in
this document as that was the original term used in the adopted Make it Kitchener
Economic Development Strategy) Council and Corporate leadership Team further
directed that staff also consult with the community on a range of potential locations
including 48 Ontario Street North. In the summer and fall of 2016, staff proceeded to:
Design and conduct stakeholder engagement process that built on previous
findings and articulated a definition of the creative hub,
Develop a process that explored multiple potential locations for the Creative Hub
in addition to 48 Ontario Street North,
Consider recommendations for the future of 48 Ontario Street North in light of
those options,
Condensed the proposed timeline to report back before the end of 2016, and
Conduct extensive research into best practices and feasibility studies for various
models for incubator hubs for various industries and sectoral analysis with an
emphasis on the creative sector.
In September 2016, Report CAO-16-025 Creative Hub Status Update was submitted to
Council for information. Further detail on the findings and methodology of the creative
hub stakeholder engagement process can be found in Primary Data Findings from the
Creative Hub (Appendix 1)
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REPORT
Following next steps on the background reports and direction provided above, this
report summarizes:
Community engagement process results;
Locational analysis on multiple properties;and
Creative industries sector research, best practices and economic impact.
Community Engagement Analysis
As part of the development of Make it Kitchener stakeholders identified the need for a
creative hub as a mechanism to grow arts and creative industries, support innovation
across other sectors such as digital media, and to provide the source for content and
experiences that create urban vitality in the city. Stakeholders referenced the need for
space and resources for growing or incubating arts, creative practitioners, and startup
businesses. Consultation as far back as 2012 is represented by hundreds of artists,
musicians, interactive media designers, theatre professionals, filmmakers, animators
and other representation from the literary, performing and visual arts sector. Previous
history of this consultation is documented in section 4.1 of Appendix 2, Background
Research on a Creative Hub
The community was engaged further in the specific definition of a Creative Hub, and
possible suitable locations, including the currently vacant property owned by the City at
48 Ontario Street North. Staff was also asked to conduct tours of 48 Ontario North for
interested members of the public, including all advisory committees of interest: Arts and
Culture Advisory Committee, Economic Development Advisory Committee, Downtown
Action and Advisory Committee and Heritage Kitchener. Participants included interested
citizens, artists, community organizations, businesses and other building owners
downtown.Concurre-locate creative industries practitioners
with the Accelerator Centre at 44 Gaukel Street meant that many stakeholders also
toured this facility individually and as part of open houses hosted by ArtsBuild Ontario
and City staff.
The most recent community consultation took place over three events:
a stakeholder lab in which participants articulated the definition and function of a
creative hub;
aworkshop in which participants considered the services and spaces needed to
support their career development; and
public information sessions
hub within the network of existing assets.
With the support ABSTRACT Project Management & Consulting, more than 300 people
participated in the various engagement opportunities. Primary Data Findings from the
Creative Hub (Appendix 1) provides an in depth account of community engagement
methodology and findings. These results expand on findings from several years of
community consultation data regarding the development of the creative industries (see
section 4.1 of Appendix 2, Background Research on a Creative Hub). A summary of key
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findings from community consultation is provided below and is comprised of the
definition, operating model and space requirements of a creative hub.
Defining the Creative Hub: Consultation with stakeholders identified that the space
allocation at a creative hub should consist of shared office spaces, workshops, studios,
networking event space and specialized service/resources to support entrepreneurship
and professional development.
Working Mission: The creative hub would exist to facilitate the career success of those
engaged in the creative industries by expanding the capacity for entrepreneurship,
creation, networking and collaboration.
Distinctions: The creative hub would be a centrally located gathering place that offers
the artists and creative practitioners space to find solutions, make connections, take
risks, share knowledge, build dialogue, integrate, grow careers and collaborate. The
creative hub will operate on a cost-recovery model.
Shared Values:Adaptable, collaborative space that is flexible, creative, inclusive,
accepting, open and fun.
Operating Model: Based on consultation data and consistent with best practices the
creative hub would operate on a cost-recovery basis. To generate revenue, short-term
rentable multi-purpose spaces for rehearsal, exhibition, events, performance, and
specialized studio needs and long term compatible commercial tenant uses were
identified. The preferred approach is for the space to be operated by a not-for-profit
agency, non-profit consortium, or private-public partnership in a municipally-owned
building.
Space Requirements: There are two components to the space requirements
expressed. The first type of spaces are those that benefit from central location in the
downtown in a size range of 14,000 to 20,000 square feet for uses including
entrepreneurial services, professional development.These spaces and services should
be centrally located in a hub that will act as a significant nucleus to the network of
facilities and spaces throughout the city.
The second type of space requirement expressed are specialty requirements for large
film spaces (soundstage) which may not be affordably located downtown. Also, specific
needs for the professional theatre sector space would not necessarily co-locate with a
creative hub. Total space requirement for this second category of space is estimated
roughly at 14,000 to 20,000 square feet.
Local experience, best practices and community engagement workshops helped define
these ranges. It is important to note that these are example allocations only. The
selection of a building location greatly enhances the accuracy of maximizing spaces for
appropriate uses. Table 1 provides an example of space allocation for a creative hub:
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Table 1 Creative Hub Space Allocation Example
ExampleSpace UsageEstimatedSq. Ft.Location
Entrepreneurial Services & Professional 5,0007,000Hub
Development
Shared office (entrepreneurial services,
shared reception, work space)
Networking / event / workshop / classroom
Short-Term Space Rental (Revenue generating)3,000 5,000Hub
Flexible rehearsal/performance
Specialized studio spaces (visual arts,
sound/ video recording, multi-media)
Commercial Tenants (Revenue generating) 5,0008,000Hub
Leased compatible commercial space
(music, digital design, retail, café etc.)
Total central hub space requirements13,000 -20,000Total hub
CommercialFilm Soundstage7,000-10,000Other location(s)
Professional Stage/ Theatre7,000-10,000Other location(s)
Total facilities space at other locations14,000-20,000Total otherlocations
27,000-40,000Total estimate
Locational Analysis
Increasing property values have raised the spectre of displacement as higher paying
tenants push out creative practitioners sometimes leaving Kitchener for other cities.To
support a diversified creative economy and continued vitality in the urban centre, the
City could play a role in preserving affordable space for the creative industries in order
to incubate their growth and retain these small businesses in our community.
Criteria for locating the creative hub are determined by community engagement results,
best practices research, centralized facility examples and distributed models. Also
reviewed was anin-depth analysis presented
prepared by N. Barry Lyons Consultants Limited in 2009 and which resulted in
Staff also reviewed
case studies from Halifax, Edmonton, and Toronto.
A central downtown location emerged as a high priority, with the notion of a creative hub
playing a role as a nucleus to a network of arts spaces and facilities throughout the city.
As indicated in Table 2 Location Criteria Assessment, the criteria for locational analysis
includes factors such as a central downtown location, municipal ownership, potential
immediate occupancy, etc.
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Table 2 Location Criteria Analysis
Based on this analysis, 44 Gaukel Street and 48 Ontario Street North.ranked highest,
but differed on critical factors. Both meet important criteria such as downtown location,
municipal ownership, current vacancy, etc. Where the two properties differ greatly is
their capacity for immediate occupancy and the scale of renovations required to achieve
occupancy. Where 48 Ontario Street North requires extensive renovations, including an
elevator, HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems before occupancy can be initiated as a
creative hub, 44 Gaukel Street is available for occupancy presently, and requires lower
renovation costs to enhance the space.
Recommended Location: 44 Gaukel Street:
Staff recommend 44 Gaukel Street as the preferred Creative Hub location.More
immediate occupancy is possible which will build on the momentum currently in
progress on the second floor.Interest in the building as a Creative Hub has increased
throughout with the community engagement process.With its current use by the
Accelerator Centre, ArtsBuild Ontario and a variety of creative industries,the Gaukel
street location has provided
between artists, technology start-ups, post-secondary programming and unique creative
events. Recent initiatives,such as the Kinect for Microsoft Hackathon, theModern
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Audio Arts Conestoga Media and Design-WLU cross-accredited curriculum delivery,
Critical Media Lab Art Hackathon, CAFKA and NIGHT\\SHIFT events, have raised the
profile of this building substantially.
In the long term, 44 Gaukel Street provides options for expansion in the longer term.
The building can accommodate additional floors, while the surrounding parking lot
provides opportunities for expansion Such options can be considered as part of a
longer range strategy in the Arts Action Plan planned for 2017.
Future of 48 Ontario Street North:
Throughout this process the community expressed strong interest in this building being
repurposed, and not continue to sit vacant. In particular, a desire to see the buildings
heritage features conserved. As such, staff recommend initiating an RFP process,
seeking proposals to acquire the site and renovate/expand the building, in a manner
consistent with good heritage conservation principles and the
policies. This report recommends that the real estate sales proceeds from 48 Ontario
Street North. be allocated to the establishment, future growth and development of the
Creative Hub.
This report acknowledges the significant interest that has been demonstratedin 48
Ontario Street North, from heritage community input, to nostalgia rooted in decades of
until purchased by the City in 2001. Staff have received interest from community
members in support of its development as a hub for filmmaking and digital media
(including a conceptual proposal with 40 letters of support). As such, the recommended
RFP process would not preclude proposals to acquire and convert the building into uses
that support the creative sector.
Other Locations on the Creative Landscape: Council directed staff to engage the
community in the discussion of multiple locations and the results of that consultation
were highly informative (Appendix 1). Several locations were suggested by stakeholders
in the community, discussed and evaluated. Some were eliminated because they are
currently fully deployed, not known to be available in the short-term, have potential as
specialty facilities in the longer term, or are better suited as part of a wider network of
arts facilities rather than play the creative hub role.
Though not suited as the central Creative Hub at this time, the consultation revealed
that the locations provide many future opportunities for growth of specialty use facilities,
and a more robust network of spaces for visual and performing arts. These locations will
be studied further for opportunities as part of the 2017 Arts Action Plan, expanding on
the important theme of space for arts and creative industries.
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Economic Impact
Competitive Advantage: The local strength of the technology sector and start-up
culture provides an economic competitive advantage for content creators, artists and
creative industries in general. It is becoming clearer that rather than STEM, there is
Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics.) This signals an opportunity to invest in creative sector entrepreneurship
that drives other industries.
Growing Jobs and Opportunity:The economic impact of the Creative Hub will be job
retention and growth, and the further diversification of the local economy. There is
definite opportunity for job growth, as this sector is under-represented locally. This
weakens the local supply chain for businesses relying on content, innovation, and
ultimately, the need for a vibrant, magnetic community.About 10,000 people in
Waterloo Region (Canada, 2015) are artists and creative or cultural workers, making up
about 3.3% of the labour force. Figure 2 in Appendix 2 illustrates that this percentage is
slightly lower than other comparable municipalities, such as London and Hamilton
(3.39% and 3.34% respectively). By committing resources to the creative hub and arts
sector, significant new jobs would raise the representation for this sector to at least the
average of similar sized cities. Further job
competitive advantage as home to a strong technology sector with a defined need for
content creators and artist contribution.
Driving Momentum:Synergy in networking environments and incubators and an
already significant entrepreneurial ecosystem is expected to drive more start-up
activities. This is particularly relevant when entrepreneurship is high among creative
practitioners where 21% of artists are self-employed and inclined towards
entrepreneurship, compared to 8% in the rest of the labour force. (Statistics Canada,
Hill, 2015).
Another source of momentum is the opportunity for a more local supply chain to keep
related businesses local. Content creators (digital design, music, video) serve software
development, hardware design and product development.Local access supports growth
of these other sectors, andcould convert some of the outsourcing occurring now (e.g.
user experience design,video game graphic artwork) to local businesses.Supporting
entrepreneurship in acreative industry incubator space is an effective use of municipal
resources to serve economic growth and strengthen the roots.
Future Growth: Trends in local post-secondary institutions indicate the future growth
of the creative industries. New curriculums have been established to fuel this sector: the
film production option at WLU, the community music graduate program at WLU, the
Games Institute at UW, and the Animation program at Conestoga College. UW Fine
Arts is a source of post-graduate credentials for globally recognized animation schools.
A Creative Hub would keep more of the graduates with top credentials in the
community, instead of finding opportunity elsewhere.
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The creative hub will be a powerful catalyst to - culture
already established in creative practitioners, and connect for project-oriented work that
develops into further business opportunity. Incubation and acceleration are proven
models in this community, and this initiative will leverage the highly entrepreneurial
climate in both the local creative industries, and broader business community as a
whole.
Without support, there is a great risk that local jobs and businesses could be lost to
other cities where affordable space, mentorship and entrepreneurial programming for
creative industries exist.
And finally, as an unparalleled, additional impact on the community, just by virtue of
their economic activity, artists and creative industries deliver content, experiences and
enhance places that are magnetic to talent, contribute to quality of life and enrich the
soul of the city.
CONCLUSIONS
After the analysis of community consultation data, locational analysis of various sites,
and research into best practices, staff is recommending that the City-owned building at
44Gaukel Street be established as the location of the creative hub for the medium to
long term.The location provides an opportunity for the City to leverage a municipal
asset to strengthen the creative industries as an economic sector, as a way to grow
urban vitality and to spark innovation across other sectors.
In consultation with stakeholders, staff will explore partnerships for future phases of
development in the longer term.Immediate next steps include the development and
issuance of acall for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from potential operators for the
delivery of a creative hub as described in this report, and in consultation with tenants
currently occupying part of the space.
In reference to 48 Ontario Street North, this report also outlines the direction to declare
the property as surplus to the needs of the City, and offer the property for sale through a
Request for Proposal process. The net proceeds from the sale of 48 Ontario Street
North are recommended to be allocated to support the development of a Creative Hub
at 44 Gaukel Street.
Staff will continue to explore the long-term growth potential of the creative hub, with its
location at 44 Gaukel Street as a starting point, working with community partners to
articulate the future phases and opportunities for growth.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The Kitchener Economic Development Strategy (Make it Kitchener)adopted in 2016
recognizes arts, cultural workers and content creators (including music, media, film and
design) as a vibrant economic cluster in and of itself, comprising a significant segment
of the labour force. Creative industries leverage innovation throughout businesses as
diverse as digital media and advanced manufacturing design. Strengthening arts and
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and to visit. And it is a critical component to talent attraction, retention and development.
includes three objectives: be agile in the provision of
services for startups; continue to attract entrepreneurs; and become a magnet for
investment.
This report delivers against these objectives, specifically the establishment of a creative
hub for artistsin music, film, theatre, digital media and other disciplinesthat could
offer rehearsal spaces, entrepreneurial and promotional services, skills development,
and event programming.
The City of Kitchener Strategic Plan notes that arts, culture and the creative industries
diversity. Development goals are also served through arts and culture, and adding to
urban vitality.
RELATED REPORTS:
CAO-15-Make it Kitchener
CAO-16-015 Community Engagement on potential arts hub & potential of 48 Ontario St.
N.
CAO -16-025 Community Engagement for Creative HubStatus Update
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The sale of 48 Ontario Street North would generate a one-time source of revenue and
avoid a substantial building renovation expense.
The leasing of 44 Gaukel Street will result in a number of City expenses to
replace/repair building components at their end of lifecycle (e.g., HVAC infrastructure) to
accommodate ongoing use as a creative hub. In order to fund such improvements, the
proceeds from the sale of 48 Ontario Street North would be used to offset these costs.
In the event that 48 Ontario Street North is not sold, improvement costs for 44 Gaukel
Street would have to be found from other sources. There may also be ongoing
substantial costs to repair and maintain 48 Ontario Street North.
Greater detail and certainty will be known once proposals are received for both
properties.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Stakeholder and community consultation for this report was comprised of six main
phases, engaging approximately 300 members of the community.
1.As directed by council, community engagement began with tours of 48 Ontario
Street North: Staff offered 2 tours per week for 5 weeks between July and August
2016.Staff also provided tours to members of ACAC, EDAC, DAAC and PAWG.
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2. Tours of 44 Gaukel Street: Concurrent with the Creative Hub project, an
opportunity arose to locate tenants working in the arts at 44 Gaukel Street.
Through this exercise, tours and open houses were held. Additionally,
SpaceFinder Waterloo Region was launched and many artists and creative
practitioners have visited, and some ultimately locating at 44 Gaukel Street.
Numerous hackathons, workshops and events like NIGHT\\SHIFT 2016 brought
many people through the facility.
rd
3. Imagining a Creative Hub: A Stakeholder Lab:At this event on August 23 at the
Victoria Park Pavilion, 75% of participants identified as either artists or other
creative professionals. Participants engaged in a mix of solitary and group work
designed to identify potential roles, services, values, missions, and challenges of
a creative hub that are unique to Kitchener and which would differentiate it from
existing amenities and services.
4. Building a Creative Hub: A Stakeholder Workshop:At this event on event on
September 20th, participants engaged in a mix of solitary and group work
designed to identify specific space requirements for a creative hub, possible
locations, and the mix of activities that would support a cost-recovery model and
serve creative practitioners.
5. Placing a Creative Hub: Drop-In, Weigh In:This two-day drop-in event in the
Rotunda, offered participants an immersive view of some of the creative
resources available in downtown Kitchener. A 3-dimensional installation placed
the Creative Hub within the network of existing creative resources, reflecting
stakeholder feedback that the Creative Hub should not duplicate what already
exists, but provide space and resources that are not currently available.
6. Advisory Committees:This report was presented and discussed at the recent
meetings of ACAC, DAAC, and EDAC. The timeline of this project will result in a
presentation to Heritage Kitchener in January 2017.
Previous community and stakeholder engagement consultation data was also
considered in the preparation of this report. This includes:
1. Development Strategy, Make it Kitchener (2016)
2.Strategic Review of JM Drama (2016)
3.Arts Reboot/ ArtsTogether, Shift #2 (2015)
4.Creative Content Industry in Waterloo Region (2015)
5.City of Kitchener Strategic Plan 2015-2018 (2015)
6.(2013)
7.Music Works | Strategy and Action Plan (2012)
8.Kitchener Economic Development Strategy 2011-2015 (2011)
9.Downtown Kitchener Arts & Culture Cluster Development Framework (2006)
10.CulturePlan I (1996) & CulturePlan II (2004)
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ACKNOWLEDGED Jeff Willmer, CAO
BY:
ATTACHMENTS
Appendix 1, Summary of Primary Data Findings on a Creative Hub
Appendix 2, Background Research on a Creative Hub
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CAO-16-043
Creative Hub Options
Appendix 1
Summary of Primary Data Findings on a Creative Hub
13pages
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SUMMARY OF
PRIMARY DATA
FINDINGSON A
AUGUST -
NOVEMBER
CREATIVE HUB
2016
Lauren Judge & Gabrielle Clermont
ABSTRACT Project Management & Consulting
November 18, 2016
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Community Engagement for aCreative Hub
At the City Council regular meeting held on Monday, June 6, 2016, a resolution was passed
that, “staff be directed to proceed with community and stakeholder engagement on a range of
options for a catalyst location for arts and creative industries (i.e. an arts hub) and the potential
of 48 Ontario Street North as its home, as discussed in Chief Administrator’s Office report CAO-
16-015, including, but not limited to:
Option #1 - development of criteria for a Request for Proposal (RFP) to sell the property
“as is” or withminimal improvements, with consideration during public consultation as to
whether the proceeds of said sale should be held in reserve for an arts hub at an
alternative location; and,
Option #2 - development of criteria for an RFP to lease the property primarily as an arts
hub; and,
Option #3 - development of criteria for an RFP to sell the property with a portion to be
reserved or leased back to the City for use primarily as an arts hub; and further,
that the results of community and stakeholder engagement inform a future report or reports to
Council recommending a suitable site for an arts hub and the potential use or sale of 48 Ontario
Street North.”
The City of Kitchener contracted the associates at ABSTRACT Project Management &
Consulting to undertake the planning, facilitation and reporting of the community engagement
activitiesand secondary research on theconcept of creative hubs.
With the support of City staff, the consultants engaged the community on three separate
occasions, in addition to interviews with individual artists and creatives. In all, over 300
community members participated in the events and interviews.
The background on, and findings from each of those occasions are outlined below, followed by
a locational analysis and conclusions.
.
1
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Background and Outcomes
Community Engagement Event#1: “Imagining a Creative Hub”
Victoria Park Pavilion
August 23, 2016
Methodology
The77 participants in attendance engaged in a mix of solitary and group work designed to
identify potential roles, services, values, missions, and challenges of a creative hub that are
unique to Kitchener and which would differentiate it from existing amenities and services.
In the “Personal Journey” activity, each participant charted their personal career path from
“emerging” to “totally successful”, identifying on a timeline the assets, connections and skills
required in their professional development -information that is essential to understanding how
individuals might utilize a creative hub and whatresources and services might be required.
Consultants extracted 24 characteristics identified in the reports from past consultations and
had each participant prioritize their preferred characteristics in a “Dot Vote”.
Figure 1 Imagining a Creative Hub Dote Vote
2
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In the “Creative Hub Character” activity, participants were asked to work in round table groups
of 8-10 to imagine the Creative Hub as a person they know well and to describe them using
specific questions, like “What amI like?”, “What are my values?”, “What is my community?”,
“What is my fight?” and “What makes me different?”
To dig deeper, participants were asked to review all of the work completed over the course of
the evening and working with their table groups, reflect on all of the information in more detail,
answer questions like “Why?” and “What’s missing?”
Outcomes
The results from the round table group work were useful in identifying community consensus
around the following four areas needed to form a working definition of an arts hub.
1.Shared Values
a.Adaptable/Flexible
b.Collaborative
c. Creative
d.Fun
e.Inclusive/Accepting/Open
f.Resourceful
g.Motivational/Inspiring/Enabling
2.Working Mission Statement: The arts hub exists to build recognition of the arts sector
andto develop its measurable economic impact by expanding the capacity of creative
workers and facilitating the creative process.
3.Audience/Community/Users
a.Artists and Creative Workers
b.Non-profit cultural boards
c. Mentors
d.Investors/funders
e.Partners/Collaborators
f.Visionaries
g.Entrepreneurs
h.Professional associations
i.Corporations
j.Educators
k. Youth groups
l.Arts organizations
4.Distinctions: An arts hub is different because it is a centrally located gathering place to
help the cultural community find solutions, make connections, take risks, share
knowledge, build dialogue, integrate, and collaborate. The arts hub will be financially
self-sufficient and not dependent solely on grants or public funding.
The “Dot Vote” activity revealed a prioritized list of roles for the artshub. In the figure below, the
order of preference is identified in the numbers preceding each aspect.
3
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The consultants and staff worked to map the 197 aspects mined from the Personal Journey
worksheets to the Dot Vote results. Significant clusters emergedthat identified clear purposes
for the arts hub.
The insights revealed that the community requires a creative hub be composed of space,
resources and services in four areas:
1.Advocacy & Promotion - 33.3%
2.Networking & Events - 29.2%
3.Physical Space - 25%
4.Hard & Soft Skills Development - 12.5%
Figure 2 Purpose Cluster for a Creative Hub in Kitchener
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Community Engagement Event#2:“Building a Creative Hub: A
Stakeholder Workshop”
Kitchener City Hall, Rotunda,
September 20, 2016
This event was designed to build on the findings of the previous event, knowing the key
attributes and values of a creative hub and moving toward an understanding of the physical
space needs. It was important to identify and explore potential, suitable locations for a creative
hub, while allowing existing facilities to have an opportunity to considertheir capacity to meet
the requirements for a creative hub.Of the 68 participants, 7 attended the previous event.
Methodology
The evening began with a “Personal Massing Activity” designed to learn more about the
physical space needs of creative professionals, and to help participants create a personal
inventory of space needs to refer to throughout the evening. Each participant was provided with
a worksheet to design their personal creative hub. Working individually, they were asked to
draw out a floor plan of a hub that
Figure 3Building a Creative Hub
would service their creative career,
specifying resources and physical
spaces proportionately in their
diagrams, and identifying any
special requirements (e.g. access
to water, ventilation, sprung floors,
soundproofing, etc.).
Participants were asked to combine
their results with those of the other
participants at their tables. The
exercise was an experiment to
generate a massive “dream hub”
that could service everyone at the
table, and discuss that the needs of
the creative industry are diverse.
A “Location Post-up & Dot Vote” activity was designed to explore specific locations that might be
suitable for use as a creative hub. Some locations were predetermined by staff and participants
were asked to contribute other locations. The predetermined locations included:
41 Ardelt
44 GaukelStreet
48 Ontario Street North
Centre in the Square
Kitchener Public Library
KW Musical Productions
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THEMUSEUM
The Registry Theatre
The Conrad Centre
Participants added the following locations:
Constellation Model (no one particular location/a supportive network of spaces)
Former Provincial Courthouse
Former Zion United Church
Sacred Heart School
152 Shanley
Next, participants were asked to vote for the location they most wished to discuss in the second
half of the evening using a single dot sticker. Staff selected the top 8 locations, one table for
each:
41 Ardelt
44 GaukelStreet
48 Ontario Street North
Constellation Model (no one particular location/a supportive network of spaces)
Former Provincial Courthouse
Former Zion United Church
Sacred Heart School
152 Shanley
Figure 4Building a Creative Hub Ideation
In the first round of location-based
group work, participants were asked to
form groups by sitting at the table
representing the location they most
wished to discuss. Working within
these groups, they designed a planfor
the creative hub based in their chosen
location. Using a summary of findings
from the August event, the groups
were asked to incorporate these
findings into their design.
In the second round of location-based
group work, each group was provided
witha worksheet with three questions
designed to develop different aspects
of their hub design.
1.Who will use your hub?
2.Who runs your hub?
3.What will the impact of your hub be?
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In the third round of location-based group work, the groups were provided with a different
worksheet with three new questions designed to dig deeper into their designs.
1.What are the limitations of your hub?
2.What are the strengths of your hub?
3.What are the resources required to make your hub work?
The evening concluded with each group presenting their results to the rest of the attendees.
Outcomes
The “Personal Massing Activity” identified the preferred spatial characteristics in a creative hub.
According to individual participants, the top 35 physical needs (in order of priority) of Kitchener’s
artists and creative professionals are:
General Wardrobe/props
Office/admin spacestudio/maker/workshop
Classroom/teaching
space
Common
space
areas/lounges/collision/Parking/easy access to
Ventilation/dust
networking spacespublic transport/biking
Internet
Performance spaceChange
Access to water/sinks
room/showers/hair &
Storage/security
Climate control/air
makeup/green room
Rehearsal space
conditioning
Light/controllable
Gallery/exhibition space
Sprung floors
light/natural light
Various attributes for
Sound stage
Film/media
studio/maker spaces
High ceilings
support/editing/post
Technical/performance
production spaces
Box office
equipment
Meeting rooms
Photo booth
Kitchen
Specific use
Loading/truck access
Retail/café/restaurant/
maker/lab/studio space
Easy clean surfaces
shops
Soundproof/recording
Childcare
Outdoor space
space
Accessibility
Access to power
The outcomes align with the data presented in Figure 2, adding validity to the purposes,
mission, audiences and shared values that were uncovered in the August event.
The location-based group work revealed a number of useful insights about governance, impact,
constraints and advantages of a creative hub in general, and more specific to location.
In terms of governance, the groups devised approaches that could best be categorized as
grass-roots. The preferred model for Kitchener’s creative hub is a not-for-profit organization in a
City-owned facility, governed by a board of directors that includes various artistic or creative
backgrounds, or sub-committees that represent the various art forms. This organization would
be either co-operatively administered, or run by an anchor-tenant with a strong operational
history.
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The consensus around intended impactcan be described as a positive economic influence in
the form of job creation, and general commercial foot traffic. The organization will enrich our
city’s creative capacity and improve the sense of inclusivity among creative workers and arts
organizations by generating more connections, collisions, synergies and collaborations among
the art forms.
The following table outlines the key strengths and limitationsidentified by the groups for each
location.
LocationStrengthsLimitations
41 Ardelt A large, established, adaptable Not central, or easily accessed by
Avenuespace with no restrictions and ample transit or foot traffic.
parking.
44GaukelA city-owned, centrally-located Current floor plan and lack of natural
Streetfunctioning hub, with possibilities for light.
development, located near a transit
hub and green space.
48 Ontario A city-owned, centrally-located, Requires extensive renovations to
Streetmulti-level space that is close to the improve accessibility and energy
growing tech sector, containing a efficiencies; may be prohibitive to
hall and stage. not-for-profit organizations.
152 ShanleyLarge, historical, unused Requiresextensive renovations with
manufacturing spaces.limited parking.
Constellation A fiscally-prudent model that works Fixed distances between places
Modelwith, and inspires movement without a unified governance model
between existing organizations.or administration.
Former A large and accessible, unused Provincially-owned building that
Provincial space, located in a burgeoning requiressignificantinternal
Courthousecultural district with underground renovations.
parking.
Former Zion An architecturally uniquespace Requires major renovations to
United Churchstrongly suited for theatre groups improve accessibility and energy
and performances.efficiencies.
Sacred Heart A large, unused school in a Midtown Requires major renovations to
Schoolneighborhood with potential as a improve accessibility, energy
multi-functionalspace with ample efficiencies, and possibly rezoning.
parking.
Each of the groups identified the resourcesnecessary to convert their locations into a creative
hub. Kitchener’s creative hub will require initial funding from all levels of government to
customize a space; a solid business plan and governance structure that includes a development
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(fundraising) strategy; a safe, secure and accessible building; and partnerships with the
surrounding business and tech communities.In return, Kitchener’s creative hub will provide a
breadth of resources to enrich the capacity of creative professionals and their businesses.
Community Engagement Event #3: “Placing a Creative Hub:Drop-In &
Weigh-In”
Kitchener City Hall, Rotunda, October 18-19, 2016
Estimated attendance:150
The intent of the third community engagement event was to continue the dialogue started in the
first and second events by providing some artistic stimulation through a study in place making.
Guest artist, Agnes Niewiadomski was contracted to assist ABSTRACT associates in creating a
prototype of Kitchener’s existing cultural ecosystem with the addition of a new creative hub.
Each cardboard pyramid represented an existing facility (many of which were studied in the
September event) and its resources, the creative sectors served, purposes and potential
limitations. One pyramid appeared different (hollow) and represented a new creative hub that
Figure 5 Placing a Creative Hub
could add to the ecosystem what the
other locations lacked.
Artist Statement
“As our city evolves under a veil of
perpetual construction, so does our
cultural landscape.
This prototype of the creative
ecosystem in Downtown Kitchener
shows that, while we have so many
resources within walking distance,
there is in fact a need for yet another –
a creative hub. We are not sure yet
where this hub lives, but through our
research we have learned that it must
give form to flexibility, collaboration,
creativity, fun, inclusivity, resources
and motivation.
A new creative hub will stand among the existing assets to infuse this cultural landscape with
advocacy and promotion, networking and events, creation spaces, and skills development. The
research has shown that what our current landscape needs is a resource that will help to propel
the careers of our creators, build recognition for our creative community and develop a
measurable economic impact.
With the help of a local artist, Agnes Niewiadomski, ABSTRACT Project Management &
Consulting designed and constructed this prototype for the City of Kitchener.”
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Consultants and staff collected feedback from visitors, in person and online to supplement the
growing data set.
Interviews with Artists and Creative Professionals
Interviews with individual creative professionals: 12
As part of our research, Abstract Project Management & Consulting conducted interviews by
phone, email and in person with 12 individuals. A review of the data yielded the following
insights:
One building will not solve all the needs.
Some spaces currently considered as “available”, are not really so. Examplesinclude
the Studio at Centre in the Square (prohibitively expensive to use), Globe Studios
(currently full witha long waiting list to get in), and Registry Theatre (currently booking
approximately 2 years in advance).
The City should concurrently examineexpanding support to existing facilities to help
solve space needs in addition to looking at a creative hub.
The creative hub should consider a sliding scale of rental prices or different prices based
on the type of work. Subsidies should be set aside foremerging creatives or those at the
beginning of their careers.
The creative hub should provide training in entrepreneurial skills, arts business
development, and best practices.
The creative hub should have a flexible list of amenities and options, but not require
people to use them.
Whoevermanages the space will be very important as they will set the tone and feeling
of a space. The City should carefully consider proponents for fit. Watch for conflicts of
interest (e.g.making sure the managing organization does not book all of the good
spaces/times for itself) andconsiderexperience in facility management.
A creative hub should be a “home for art”.
The creative industry is an ecosystem. If the City wants to see a thriving cultural sector
and create morejobs, it needs to invest in the sector in the same way it invests in other
sectors, such as tech, sports and recreation. The needs are similar.
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Comparative Analysis: 48 Ontario Street North and 44 GaukelStreet
The increasing property values and lease rates contribute to an increasing displacement of the
creative industries in Kitchener. When artists and creators are pushed out, they leave for other
cities where space is more affordable and/or the cultural scene is more hospitable.
The community stakeholders’ preference is a central and urban (i.e.downtown) location for
Kitchener’s creative hub. While many locations were discussed, two sites are subject to the
City’s oversight and are currently vacant: 48 Ontario Street North and 44 Gaukel Street.
The old Legion building at 48 Ontario Street North has attracted substantial interest from the
heritage and cultural sector since it was vacated, including an increased interest from
developers. Many stakeholders would love to see new life breathed into this building. Thecity-
owned property at 48 Ontario Street North requiresextensive renovations, which may be
prohibitive for not-for-profit organizations (even a consortium) in the City of Kitchener.
The city-owned property at 44 GaukelStreet already contains a functioning creative
environment. It would require minimal renovations to accommodate a more enriching hub
experience. The 44 GaukelStreet pilot program has demonstrated results, increased
entrepreneurial capacity for existing tenants, and set expectations for a working model.
It is encouraging to know that city-owned property and not-for-profit partners have more access
to capital grants (Canada Cultural Spaces etc.) than privately-owned buildings.
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Conclusions
The definition of a creative hubhas evolved to include
Entrepreneurship and professional development services for creative professionals
Multi-use rentable spaces for rehearsals, performances, exhibition, specialized studios
Compatible commercial tenants
Operated by a not-for-profit or partnership on a cost recovery basis
Municipal-owned building to maintain stabilized rental rates
The incubation, acceleration and networking is critical to the success of Kitchener’s creative
professionals, as they are currently under-represented compared to other municipalities. The
development of a local supply chain for creative content strengthens the tech sector and other
leading sectors. It will be important to have a healthy creative sector to accommodate the talent
being fostered by local post-secondary institutions.
With the City’s support, like in other sectors (e.g.tech sector and innovation district), Kitchener’s
creative hub will result in substantial economic development by supporting career development
in the creative industries and cultivating opportunities for success.
Considering the lack of affordable real estate in the city’s centre, and the stakeholders’ feedback
outlined above, a city-owned building is the preferred location.
To summarize, a creative hub is:
Located downtown in acity-owned building
A proven incubator
A cost-recovery operation
Third-party operated
A nucleus to a city-wide network
Two locations remain for consideration:
44 GaukelStreet - occupancy ready, expandable, and a highly anticipated development
opportunity
48 Ontario Street North - high renovation costs, delayed occupancy and significant to the
heritage and creative communities in particular, and the community at large in general.
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CAO-16-043
Creative Hub Options
Appendix 2
Background Research on a Creative Hub
26 pages
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Background Research on a Creative
Hub
November, 2016
Arts and Creative Industries
1 - 28
Does Kitchener need a Creative Hub? Does the city have the conditions to support a Creative
Hub?
The Kitchener Economic Development Strategy (Make It Kitchener)adopted in 2016 recognizes
arts, cultural workers and content creators (including music, media, film and design) as a vibrant
economic cluster in and of itself, comprising a significant segment of the labour force. Arts and
culture industries leverage innovation throughout businesses as diverse as digital media and
advanced manufacturing design. Strengtheningarts and culture activities helps to develop
Kitchener’s distinct identity as a desirable place to live and to visit. And it is a critical component
to talent attraction, retention and development.
There is strong interest and support for the concept in Kitchener. The establishment of a
Creative Hub is proposed in Make it Kitcheneras a way of supporting the development of the
creative industries and the creative entrepreneurs in Kitchener. This background research
provides insight into some of the dynamics affecting the development of the Creative Hub.
Based onbest practices from across North America and Europe, the components of the
following frameworkidentified by N. Barry Lyon Consultantsare assessed for Kitchener(2009).
1.Champions
2.Existing Creative Community
3.Mix of Uses & Services Offered
4.Location
5.Financing
The following document explores each of these success factors.
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C ONTENTS
1.0 Champions ........................................................................................................................................................................
3
2.0 Existing Creative Community ................................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 The role of the creative industries in economic development ............................................................ 4
2.2 Defining the creative industries .......................................................................................................................... 4
2.3 The creative industries in Kitchener ................................................................................................................ 5
2.4 Which creative industries? ................................................................................................................................... 7
2.5 Creative Industry Dynamics ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.0 Mix of Uses & Services Offered ............................................................................................................................ 10
3.1 Models ..........................................................................................................................................................................
10
3.2 Types of Users ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
3.3 Services Offered ...................................................................................................................................................... 11
3.4 Facility Operations & Management ................................................................................................................ 12
3.5 Financing ..................................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.6 Other Hubs ................................................................................................................................................................. 13
Cotton Factory, Hamilton, Ontario..................................................................................................................... 13
Art Space Winnipeg, Manitoba ........................................................................................................................... 13
Brick & Mortar, Toronto........................................................................................................................................... 13
Khyber building, Halifax, Nova Scotia ............................................................................................................. 13
4.0 Location .............................................................................................................................................................................
14
4.1 Demand for Space ................................................................................................................................................. 14
4.2 Site Selection ............................................................................................................................................................ 17
5.0 Financing and Community Support ..................................................................................................................... 19
Kitchener-Waterloo Community Foundation ..................................................................................................... 19
Ontario Trillium Foundation ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Canada Cultural Spaces Fund ................................................................................................................................. 21
FedDev: Economic Development Initiative ........................................................................................................ 22
6.0 Conclusions .....................................................................................................................................................................
24
Works Cited .............................................................................................................................................................................
25
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1.0C HAMPIONS
The idea of a central space for the production and delivery of creative work and access to
resources supporting creative entrepreneurs ismanifested by a variety of champions and
organizations within the community. While the need for such a space and associated services
has been identified in a number of strategies and plans (see section 4.1), there are people and
organizations currently undertaking aspects of this work. A small selection of current examples
includes:
The Registry Theatre’s plans for a renovation to accommodate additional rehearsals
and performancesand the “Registry Model” of providing guidance and support to
both emerging and established performers
Globe Studio’s proven model of affordable visual art space, studio sales, and co-
location
Treehaus’s affordable and collaborative co-working space
The co-operation and collaboration of a group of theatre companies to share costs
associated with block bookings (Greenlight Arts, Lost and Found, MT Space)
The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre’s programming dedicated to
entrepreneurial business development skills for the creative industries (The Business
of Song, Arts, Business and Creativity: The ABCs of Success)
Through the community engagement process, staff received interest from community
members in support of thedevelopment ofa hub for filmmaking and digital media
(including a conceptual proposal with 40 letters of support)
The collaboration between ArtsBuildOntario, the Accelerator Centre and UW Critical
Media Lab now co-located at 44 Gaukel Street
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2.0E XISTING C REATIVE C OMMUNITY
2.1 T HE ROLE OF THE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Knowledge is the basic economic resource required for production in the knowledge or ‘new’
economy (Florida, 2002; Scott, 2004). As knowledge and creativity are now viewed as key to its
competitiveness, the repositories of this knowledge and creativity—people—are paramount to
its operation. Therefore, one of the main requirements of this approach to the “new” economy is
human capital. The creative industries are increasingly understoodby academics and policy-
makers to be valuable attributes in the global competition for human capital (Florida, 2002).
Furthermore, Pratt argues that the creative industries are significant not only for their role in
talent attraction and retention, but for their production value (Pratt, 2008)—in other words, not
so much what they produce but how they produce it. This often involves social inclusion and
social capital, also important factors in economic competitiveness. Attempts to cultivate
knowledge-based industries and the need for highly sought-after human capital underpin current
economic development interest in the creative industries. Furthermore, the creative industries
are critical to a diversified economy, they provide an intensely local supply chain, and
strengthen technology and other leading sectors by driving innovation
Consistent with other economic clusters such as technology, manufacturing and finance, spaces
for collaboration and incubation are essential to foster strong economic performance creating
jobs, increasing assessment. This is even more important in project-based ecosystems, such as
the creative industries, where uniquely skilled people come together to work on specific projects
(Grabher, 2002b).Through extensive community engagement, the concept of a Creative Hub
was recommended as part of Make it Kitchener, the 2016 Economic Development Strategy for
the City of Kitchener. Incubation, acceleration and networking are firmly established as critical to
success.
2.2D EFINING THE CREATIVEINDUSTRIES
For the purpose of this analysis, the creative industries aredefined in line with NAICS selected
by Vinodrai and Gertler (2007)for a number of reasons:
1) The selection examines the creative industries in Ontario
2) The NAICS are selected based on previous policy and academic definitions of the creative
industries in Ontario
3) The selection considers the performance of the creative industries in a variety of regions in
Ontario.
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By maintaining this definition articulated comparisons can be drawn between Waterloo Region
and the creative clusters identified by Vinodrai and Gertler. The NAICS industries included in
creative, cultural, and new media are as follows:
3346 Manufacturing and reproducing magnetic and optical media
5110 Newspaper, periodical, book, database, software, and information services
5112 Software publishers
5121 Motion picture and video industries
5122 Sound recording industries
5131 Radio & TV broadcasting
5414 Specialized design services
5418 Advertising and related services
6115 Technical and trade schools
6116 Other schools and instruction
7111 Performing arts companies
7112 Spectator sports
7113 Promoters/presenters of performing arts, sports, or similar events
7114 Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers, and other public figures
7115 Independent artists, writers, and performers
8112 Electronic and precision equipment repair and maintenance
8132 Grant-making and giving services
2.3T HE CREATIVE INDUSTRIES IN K ITCHENER
Vinodrai and Gertler(2007)establish that the creative industries in Ontario experienced an
overall increase in employment between 1987 and 2004: this outpaced growth in Ontario’s
economy as whole over the same timeframe. This trend is reflected between 2001 and 2006:
Figure 1 illustrates that the creative industries in Ontario experienced more employment growth
than the economy in general. While this trend is reflected in Waterloo Region, growth in both the
creative industries and in all industries was stronger than thatof Ontario. Data from the 2006
Census was used, as data from the 2011 National Household Survey was deemed too
unreliable. The 2006 Census survey had a 95.3% response rate, while the National Household
survey in 2011 had a response rate of 68.6% (and thisvaried considerably from city to city)
(Vinodrai, 2015). The lower response rate not only resulted in lower-quality data, but it meant
that some data was suppressed entirely where insufficient information was available or to
protect anonymity (Vinodrai, 2015).
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Figure 1: EmploymentGrowth in Waterloo Region Census Division and Ontario, 2001–2006
14.00%
11.74%
11.68%
12.00%
10.00%
8.00%
6.99%
All industries
6.06%
6.00%
Creative, Cultural, New Media
Industries
4.00%
2.00%
0.00%
Employment GrowthEmployment Growth
OntarioWaterloo CD
Artists and cultural workers make up about 3.3% of the labourforce, or approximately 10,000
people in Waterloo Region (Hill, 2015). Figure 2 illustrates that this is slightly lower than other
comparable municipalities, such as London and Hamilton (3.39% and 3.34% respectively). The
under-representationof the creative industries in Kitchener (Hill, 2015)weakens the local supply
chain for businesses relying on content, innovation, and ultimately, the need for a vibrant,
magnetic community where people want to live, work, and feel a sense of belonging (Kitchener
Waterloo Community Foundation, 2015).
In mid-sized cities, the development of targeted creative industries that have a natural
connection to leading economic sectors has positively impacted local economies(Markusen &
Shrock, The Artisitic Divident: Urban Artistic Specialisation and Economic Development
Implications, 2006). The potential benefits of localized supply chains and the growth potentialof
the creative industries indicates that economic development intervention is needed to support
their growth, cultivate their myriad impacts on the community, and strengthen the region’s
competitive advantage.
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Figure 2 Cultural Workers: Municipal Comparison
2.4W HICH CREATIVE INDUSTRIES?
Industry targeting analysis categorizes industries for the purposes of strategic planning,
suggesting the potential economic development value of each industry. This analysis
categorizes industries according to their concentration in the local economy (LQs), and recent
growth performance (employment growth and shift-share) (McLean & Voytek, 1992). Based on
these three considerations, industries are accordedone of seven categories. Table 1 includes
the seven categories and how LQs, employment growth, and the regional shift-share data
determine how an industry is categorized. The most useful categories for the purpose of
strategic planning in economic development are current specializations (current strengths and
high-priority retention targets), and potential import substitution opportunities (emerging
strengths) (McLean & Voytek, 1992). It is these high-potential categories that can assist in
determining which industries merit particular attention from economic developers.
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Table 1 Industry Targeting Analyses
CategorizationLQEmploymentRegional Effect
Current strength>1+
High priority retention target>1
Prospects limited due to external trends>1+
Prospects limited due to local weaknesses>1
Emerging strength<1+
Prospects limited due to weak base and declining <1
competitiveness
Prospects limited due to weak base and external trends<1+
Limited prospects overall<1
Source: (McLean & Voytek, 1992)
Bradshaw and Blakely suggest the third-wave economic development includes “an identification
of industries and industrial sectors believed to have high potential for expansion and that can
stimulate other economic sectors” (1999, p. 236). This strategic planning approach to economic
development can be applied to the creative, cultural, and new media industries.
Table 2 includesthe creativeindustries in the Region of Waterloothat are categorized in the
positive growth categories: current strength and emerging strength.Table 2 highlights industries
in the Region of Waterloo that are emerging strengths: motion picture and video industries;
specialized design services; and promoters or presenters of performing arts, sports, or similar
events. The only current strength within the creative, cultural, and new media industries—other
schools and instruction—is also highlighted. While each of these industries requires further
investigation to determine which specific sub-sectors are most relevant locally, this analysis
indicates which creative industry sectors warrant further attention as target industries. While
these results required furtherconsideration, the industry targeting analysis is a first step in
identifying high-potential industries for which economic developers can createinitiatives in the
targeted sectors.
Table 2 Industry Targeting Analysis for the Region of Waterloo's Creative, Cultural, and New Media Industries
2006 in Waterloo CD
IndustryIndustry Targeting Category
5121 Motion picture and video industriesEmerging strength
5414 Specialized design servicesEmerging strength
6116 Other schools and instructionCurrent strength
7113 Promoters (presenters) of performing arts,
sports, and similar eventsEmerging strength
Source: Custom tabulations using 2006 and 2001 Census data from the Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
While it is impractical to speculate which businesses will occupy the Creative Hub; we have
observed momentum in visual art, theatre, music, media, film and design. These sectors are
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identified in Make it Kitcheneras a strategic and promising cluster, and further confirmed
industry targeting analysis (City of Kitchener, 2015).
2.5C REATIVE I NDUSTRY D YNAMICS
In the creative industries social interaction is integral to career development, collaboration, peer
review, the commodification of cultural products, and collective inspiration (Currid, 2007). For
example,advertising is project-based and calls for the development of project teams specially
assembled to meet the needs of a particular project (Grabher, 2002b). The ability to assemble
the right project team for the successful completion of a project is a highly valued skill (Grabher,
2002b).In order to seize new project opportunities, cultural workers must be “plugged” into a
social network. Similarly, in the creative industries, where human capital mixes with social
capital, value is associated with the success of your last project (Grabher, 2002b). The
cultivation of personal reputation is imperative: the social network is a platform for these efforts
(Grabher, 2002b). The dense social networks that underpin the creative industries can also
serve as the mechanism for self-organization and governance (Lange, Kalandides, Stober, &
Mieg, 2008).A centralized location, where creative industry practitioners get to know each
other, get to know each other’s work, and consequently develop increased capacity to secure
projects, can positively impact their economic performance.
Outside of large urban centres, best practices suggest a model of artistic specialization targeted
creative industry sectors to develop a competitive advantage (Markusen & Schrock, 2006). For
example, research indicates that Minneapolis-St. Paul’s “specialization in advertising
employment dovetail with prominent pools for designers, writers and other artistic groups”
(Markusen & Schrock, 2006, p. 1676). Thepresence of artists in a particular location may
encourage the formation of new enterprises and may attract “other arts-using firms” (Markusen
& Schrock, 2006, p. 1682).
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3.0M IX OF U SES &S ERVICES O FFERED
3.1M ODELS
Based on research examining models of creative buildingsfrom the Hamilton Creative Catalyst
Project Feasibility Study, a Creative Hubneeds to foster interactionamong tenants. It does this
by ensuring tenants bump into each other in common spaces.Tenants also need to perform
their work in close proximity to those doing different, but related, work(N. Barry Lyon
Consultants Limited Consulting Matix, 2009).
There is an expectation that the Creative Hubcan be delivered on a cost-recovery basis. The
preferred approach is for the space to be operated by a not-for-profit agency, non-profit
consortium, or private-public partnership in a municipally-owned building. Increasing property
values has raised the specterof gentrification. Stakeholders expressed their belief that the city
has a role in preserving affordable space for the creative industries as a mechanism of
incubating their growth and retaining these small businesses in our community.
This preference is consistent with a study conducted by Ipsos-Reid in 2006-2007 on behalf of
ArtsBuildOntario (N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited Consulting Matix, 2009).The study
determined that 52% of arts organizations either lease space from their municipalities or operate
in their own space.
To further articulate the concept of a Creative Hub, council asked staff to work with stakeholders
to define the concept, including users, space requirements, values, and functions. The results
of that study were presented to Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee of Council on
October 3, 2016 in report CAO-16-025.
3.2T YPES OF U SERS
Based on previous consultation data and data collected from Imagining a Creative Hub: A
Stakeholder Lab, several user groups were identified. The Creative Hubwill be used by creative
practitioners, arts organizations, and creative industries that are market-oriented and artist-
driven. Examples of users include:
• Arts organizations
• Creative practitioners
• Visual artists and craftspeople
• Literary artists
• Writers
• Musicians, industry professionals
• Digital media technologists
• Festival operators
• Performing arts and related professionals
• Music
• Theatre
• Dance
• Digital media developers
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• Filmmakers
• Animators
• Photographers
• User-experience designers
• Architects
• Curators
• Designers
• Industrial
• Graphic
• Textile
• Fashion
• Interior
• Educators
• Investors
• Professional associations
3.3S ERVICES O FFERED
Findings from Imagining a Creative Hub: A Stakeholder Laband research referencing other
hubs,indicate that the space allocation at a Creative Hubshould consist of administrative
spaces and workshop spaces supporting entrepreneurship; rentable multi-purpose, flexible
spaces supporting rehearsal, exhibition, events, performance, and specialized studio needs;
and a footprint for a compatible commercial use. These results are listed below and visualized in
Figure 3.
• Entrepreneurship & Professional Development
• Administrative space(s) (entrepreneurial services i.e. agents, digital marketing,
digital monetization, intellectual property rights, grants, etc.)
• Shared resources/tools workshop
• Space Rental:
• Flexible rental for rehearsal, event or performance space
• Specialized studio spaces (visual arts, sound/ video recording, multi-media)
• Formal performance space
• Soundstage
• Compatible Commercial Uses:
• Tenants such as retail music store, games startup, coffee bar, or other
compatible uses.
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Figure 3Sample Space Allocations at the Creative Hub
3.4F ACILITY O PERATIONS &M ANAGEMENT
The Creative Hubrefers toproperty occupied by several organizations working together and
separately to the Creative Hubexists to facilitate the career success of those engaged in the
creative industries by expanding thecapacity for entrepreneurship, creation, networking and
collaboration.
Several options are possible for the ownership, operations and management of the Creative
Hub:
1.The Creative Hubproperty is owned and governed by a corporation (not-for-profit, for-profit,
or partnership of both)
2.The Creative Hubproperty is owned by the city and is leased to a not-for-profit corporation
or partnership that manages the Creative Hubactivities therein
3.The Creative Hubpropertyis owned and governed by a corporation (not-for-profit, for-profit,
or partnership of both) and is leased to a second corporation (not-for-profit, for-profit, or
partnership of both) whomanages the Creative Hubactivities therein.
3.5F INANCING
The building and development of performing arts facilities, museums, libraries, and other public
institutions are generally supported by three levels of government as well as private
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foundations, companies and individuals (N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited Consulting Matix,
2009). In the face of high costs of investment, these types of institutions are often supported by
municipalities as they generate returns to residents and taxpayers “in ways that are not always
easily measured, but are real and beneficial”(N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited Consulting
Matix, 2009, p. 29).
Creative Hubrevenue sources can include:
Rent (some market and some below market for short-term space and for anchor
tenants)
Services (administration, marketing, programming)
Donors
Grants (an overview of potential grants can be found in section 5)
3.6O THER H UBS
C OTTON F ACTORY,H AMILTON,O NTARIO
Multiple Buildings 50,000 sq. ft. +
Cotton Factory has been transformed into a creative industries complex, with
space for workshops and small manufacturing, office space for creative
professionalsand studios for artists.
A RT S PACE W INNIPEG,M ANITOBA
55,000 sq. ft.
Home to film, media, theatre, music, literary arts, creators and organizations:
Cinematheque, TheWinnipeg Film Group, video Pool Media Arts Centre,
Jazz Winnipeg,digital arts etc.
B RICK &M ORTAR,T ORONTO
5000sq. ft.
Not- for-profit operating model; offers spaces for use and rent as studio,
performance, rehearsal, and multi- disciplinary endeavors. The spaces are
located at three addresses available forbooking.
K HYBER BUILDING,H ALIFAX,N OVA S COTIA
10,000 sq. ft.
Halifax regional council considered a proposal from the Khyber Preservation
Society to transforming property into an arts hub.
W YCHWOOD B ARNS,T ORONTO
50,000 sq. ft.
Owned by City of Toronto; 50-year lease for operation byArtscape as a
multi-faceted complex with studios, live/work spaces, programming and
administrative facilities,community-run gallery, covered market area,
conferences and events.
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4.0L OCATION
There is a need for a Creative Hubin Kitchener. Through stakeholder consultation, staff
considered the types of uses that are in demand and for which the currently supply is limited,
the physical space characteristics, and how the Creative Hubmight be managed.
4.1D EMAND FOR S PACE
Consultation has been conducted for the 2016Economic Development Strategy Make it
Kitchenerand is in progress for the upcoming 2016 Arts Action Plan. Stakeholders have
identified pressing needs for space in project-based activities related to performing arts, visual
arts, film, music, dance, animation, and digital design, including activities such as production
and entrepreneurial services. These services for networking and project based activities are
significant to a sector with a high proportion of self-employed workers: 21% of cultural workers
are self-employed, while 8% of workers in the general labour force are self-employed. This
indicates high levels of entrepreneurialism.
Community engagement findings validate the input obtained over years of consultation, most
recently for the development of Make it Kitchener. A summary of the results from four
community engagement exercises: tours of 48 Ontario Street North, Imagining a Creative Hub:
A Stakeholder Lab, Building a Creative Hub: A Stakeholder Workshop and Placing a Creative
Hub: Drop In—Weigh Incan be found in Summary of Primary Data Findings on a Creative Hub.
The demand for creation space, rehearsal and performance space, administration space,
storage, meeting, and workshops with specialized equipment has been discussed in for many
years in Waterloo Region. Table 1 provides a brief overviewof the consultation findings and
policy directions that refer to physical space for the creative industries.
Table 31 Consultation Findings and Policy Direction re: Space for Creative Industries
SourcePolicy Direction / Stakeholder Consultation Findings
Strategic economic
MAKE IT START | Become a magnet for investment:
development goals
Establish a Creative Hubfor artists — especially in the
identified by Make it
music, film, theatre and digital media industries —offering
Kitchener, 2015-2019
such things as rehearsal spaces, entrepreneurial and
promotional services, skills development, and event
programming. Explore opportunities for pop-up retail to allow
prospective entrepreneurs to test concepts and products.
Raw input from ArtsBuild
“\[Some\] existing venues are not focused on community
Ontario’s strategic
needs. They are not artist centric. Some Kitchener spaces
review of JM Drama,
are more expensive than Toronto spaces!”
2016
The Registry works because it’s affordable, community-
based, offers required amenities, supportive, and has a
great atmosphere
Arts Reboot/ Shift #2, Apr 24 2015: Action Items—Immediate and Possible
ArtsTogether, 2015Longer Term:
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An artist-run gallery space
Affordable live/work spaces
Smalland medium affordable rehearsal and performance
spaces
Film studios for prop building, green-screening, and other
cinematographic purpose
Sound and video editing space
A black box experimental theatre for new music and
interdisciplinary work
Community input from
Live/work studios
“Ideas of the Brave”
Art centre: rehearsal space, performance space
public consultation for
Short term solution to vacancies: pop-up art galleries/art
the City of Kitchener’s
focused small businesses in vacant locations
economic strategy plan
Art hub (like 401 Richmond), art start-ups, multi-purpose art
update, 2015-2019
space
Film studio/sound stage
Specialized studio space. FX/MOCAP.
A want for creative collaboration being taken seriously
Need a more attractive key venues in the community
Lack of jam spaces for artists
Create a cultural/Creative Hub. Affordable, live/work, multi-
use space
Rent controlled and mixed use building spaces
Collaboration spaces needed
City of Kitchener 2.2 | Support the attraction, retention and development of existing
Strategic Plan, and new industries within the regional economy, working in
2015-2018collaboration with the economic development corporation for
Waterloo Region.
2.4 | Developandnurture a highqualityoflifeand a powerfulidentify
fortheCityofKitchenertoattractinvestmentand a talentedcreative
workforce.
ACTION | Invest in the cultural sector as a key driver of a creative
city and the local creative economy.
Creative Content
Achieving a central location to maximize accessibility
Industry in Waterloo
Assuring adequate resources are committed in order that the
Region, prepared by
facility can provide abundant programming and opportunities
FAD Research Inc.
for networking
(funded by OMDC for
CEI and the City of
Kitchener ), May 2015
ArtsBuild Ontario’s
Rehearsal space is in high demand.
Sustainable Creative
No one’s building studio space! Short-term artist rental space
Spaces sessions
is needed.
summary,
Need unfinished, semi-finished spaces – losing a lot of them,
April 2013
need more.
Need space to have meetings
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CEI Results to Date: A
Affordable mixed-use studio space
Report to Stakeholders,
3-5 year opportunity
December 3, 2012
30+ Applicants for 12 studios
Retail / event space
Music Works Action
Networking events related to music and digital media
Plan: CAO-12-034,
Stakeholder engagement
September 17, 2012
Broaden artist-in-residence to include musicians
Music business resource centre, bricks and mortar
Jam space for local musicians
Using vacant buildings for scene activities
Raw input collected in 1.2: Build emerging cluster: arts, culture and tourism
consultation with staff
1.2.4 (staff): Support feasibility study for a potential arts
and citizens to inform the
centre downtown
Kitchener Economic
1.2.13 (symposium): Artscape type faith
Development Strategy
1.2.18 (symposium): Create entrepreneurial environment
2011-2015
incubator
10.9 (symposium): Large arts venue
Downtown Kitchener
“The idea of a multi-use space is right for Kitchener. There
Arts & Culture Cluster
are more and more artists emerging, and small theatre
Development
groups forming.”
Framework, December
“It is hard to rent studio space because I have found a lot of
2006
property owners not willing to rent to artists.”
“These warehouses provide great studio space, but I don’t
consider it to be very safe at night.”
“We critically need stable rehearsal space, workspace and
studio space as a basis for a strong arts and cultural sector.”
“Spaces are there, but their potential isnot maximized.”
“Artists and arts organizations do not own their spaces – we
need anchors.”
“It should be balanced with a number of different types of
spaces and uses, from production to learning to showcasing.”
“Mixed use space between arts/non-arts businesses is as
important as mixed use by different types of art – different
kinds of synergies result.”
CulturePlan II, 2005)Continue to support and monitor the economic impact of the arts and
the benefits of cultural planning:
18. Development of creative industries
Investigate arts investment opportunities including new
festivals, live/work spaces for artists and multi-use arts
facilities:
58. Support a feasibility study for a multi-use downtown arts
centre
59. Facilitate investment in live/work buildings for artists
Downtown Strategic
12. Identify and facilitate a project (e.g. live-work or studio
Plan Volume II: The
space) focused on the development of arts space in
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implementation, 2005-partnership with the local arts community
2007
37. Facilitate partnerships between various “communities” to
help bring people downtown, such as the medical and
education community, and the business and arts community.
40. Identify key sites and negotiate with interested property
owners to develop art space (studio, live-work space) in the
Downtown.
41. Identify affordable sites for rehearsal and performance
space in the downtown together with partners in the arts
community.
Region of Waterloo Building Vibrant Urban Spaces:
Growth Management
Quality of life and re-urbanization by encouraging downtown
Strategy, 2003
revitalization, urban amenity development, heritage
preservation, mixed uses, brownfield regeneration, cultural
diversity, and balanced live/work opportunities.
City of Kitchener Arts,
Developing a stronger cultural heritage identity for the region
Heritage and Culture
Maximizing accessibility to arts, culture and heritage
Master Plan, 2002
opportunities and information
CulturePlan I (1996)D. Augment existing cultural facilities:
D13. Support the creation of performance venue of 300-450
seats
D14. Investigate the creation of an outdoor Amphitheatre
In summary, the types of space requested by stakeholders include:
Performance/ presentation
Rehearsal
Offices
Meeting
Classroom
Soundstage
Specialized studio
Live-work
4.2S ITE S ELECTION
There is considerable momentum surrounding a need for affordable space for artists who create
the cultural vitality of the city. Additionally, and as in other sectors such as technology, these
centralized spaces offer networking, collaboration and shared services to strengthen the careers
and project-based activities in the arts, culture and creative industries.
Critical to the success of any industry is finding the right location to start and grow a business
enterprise. Local studies indicate artists and creative workers in Waterloo region are largely
concentrated in their work and residence in and around downtown Kitchener(Hill, 2015).
Downtown Kitchener serves as a networking point: a way to link arts resources and spaces
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throughout the city. As in other communities, it is this heart of the city that sparks creative
industry across a vibrant cultural infrastructure throughout the community.
As in other growing and successful cities, as urban centres are intensified with office
employment, lease rates steadily increase. Though this is strong indicator of success, it
presents a risk to the creative sector: practitionersgenerally do not seek suburban locations but
rather skip over the region and relocate in other urban centres,such as Hamilton. This is a
known pattern of downtown development that risks creating a business monoculture, in turn
decreasing the unique features that attract talent in the first place(Zukin, 1989).
Based on previous consultation data, research on best practices, and data collected from
Imagining a Creative Hub: A Stakeholder Lab, several space characteristics were identified,
including:
Adaptable / Flexible multi-use spaces
Close to other creative resources in the community (The Working Centre,
Bonnie Stuart building etc.)
Publicly accessible
Inspiring exterior and interior, including high ceilings and natural light
Welcoming, inclusive, and accepting
Shared amenities and spaces for collaboration
Sufficient size to accommodate an anchor tenant
Criteria were developed to narrow the list of potential sites. The criteria by which locations were
assessed can be found in CAO-16-034Creative HubOptions Report.
Based on stakeholder feedback from years of consultation and interest in 48 Ontario Street
North, a great deal of emphasis was placedon city-owned facilities. Benefits of municipally
owned buildings include: lower land costs and less complicated and lengthy negotiations with
private landowners(N. Barry Lyon Consultants Limited Consulting Matix, 2009).
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5.0F INANCING AND C OMMUNITY S UPPORT
There are a number grant programs that the Creative Hubmay be eligible to receive. A
selectionfrom initial researchis provided below.
K ITCHENER-W ATERLOO C OMMUNITY F OUNDATION
Vital or Community Grants
P URPOSE
Vital Grants are designed to move the needle on the single most pressing issue facing out
Region as identified by Waterloo Region’s Vital Signs® (WRVS). This issue currently is
Belonging. The focus for Vital Grants is to improve the lives of our citizens in Kitchener,
Waterloo, Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich through projects that can demonstrate an impact on
Belonging.
T YPES OF P ROJECTS
Projects or programs that can demonstrate an impact on Belonging
Start-up costs for new initiatives and high-impact programs by existing organizations where
there is a demonstrable prospect for sustainability.
Start-up operating costs for organizations meeting new or emerging needs or
opportunities
One-time events that have the potential to result in significant community building
Contributions to capital campaigns
Short-term funding that may become the determining factor in the continuation of a
worthwhile charitable organization, or where such funding is required to review the efficiency
of a charitable organization, or to study the means by which an organization might establish
effective collaborative arrangements with charitable organizations with compatible aims and
objectives
W HO CAN APPLY
Organizations must be registered with the Canada Revenue Agency as a charitable
organization
For organizations that do not have charitable status, but would like to be considered for a
grant, please review the information on how to establish a written agreement with a
registered charitable organization that is a qualified recipient
A MOUNT AND T ERM
Amount range: $60,000
Duration: 2 years
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O NTARIO T RILLIUM F OUNDATION
Investment Stream: Capital
P URPOSE
OTF provides capital funding to improve the infrastructure required for communities to thrive.
Funding is delivered through a process that allows OTF to respond flexibly and effectively to the
broad and deep need for community-oriented capital funding across Ontario. The Capital
Investment Stream is for capital-specific projects that align with one of the OTF Priority
Outcomes and its related Grant Result.
R ELATED P RIORITY O UTCOMES
Priority Outcome: Better quality programming and infrastructure to experienceculture, heritage
and the arts
1.Arts, culture and heritagehave appropriate spaces Facilities play a large role in hosting
the exchange between artistic product and audience. Spaces that are welcoming,
accessible, technically sound and aesthetically pleasing improve the quality of the
production or program, whilealso engaging participants physically, intellectually and
emotionally. They create the conditions for the work to be well received and eliminate
barriers to full and active participation.
Project or Grant Examples:
A heritage site is renovated to provide a community hub for arts organizations
and individual artists.
The purchase of an accessible, mobile event stage enables performing arts groups to
reach new audiences by delivering performances in unconventional spaces, particularly
outdoors.
By purchasing and installing a new dance floor, a contemporary dance ensemble
ensures a safer environment for its students and performers.
2.Skills and knowledge are transferred to the next generation of artistic leaders
Artists are essential to our communities. Whether professional or amateur, good arts
programming depends on expert guides. Artists and other facilitators require ongoing
education, training and mentorship to ensure that they remain relevant and responsive to
evolving audience needs and interests. They need both the technical tools of creation as
well as business and organizational development skills.
Project or Grant Examples:
Independent artists come together for business skills training in partnership
with a local community college.
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Training, mentorship and succession planning is provided to theatre artists to ensure
the artistic integrity of their work.
T YPES OF PROJECTS
All supported Capital specific projects must achieve measured impact in their community.
Specifically, the purpose ofOTF capital funding is to:
Enhance access to community spaces, programs, activities and services, and
facilitate community members’ full participation in the life of the community
Enhance and build community spaces that support OTF Priority Outcomes
Promote energy efficiency and contribute to environmental outcomes by 'greening'
community spaces
Enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of programs and make better use of technological
resources
W HO CAN APPLY
A charitable organization or foundation registered as a charity with the Canada Revenue
Agency
An organization incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation without share capital in a
Canadian jurisdiction
A First Nation
A Metis, Inuit or other Indigenous community
A municipality with a population of 20,000 or less, or their cultural and recreational agencies
for initiatives in the Inspired or Active People action areas
A collaboration of two or more organizations, where the lead organization is an eligible
organization
A MOUNT AND TERM
Amount range: $5,000 to $150,000
Duration: Up to 1 year
Note: 10% of the funding will be held back, to be paid upon satisfactory review of the final
report
C ANADA C ULTURAL S PACES F UND
As part of the 2016 budget, the federal government announced that over the next twoyears, it
will be investing an additional $168.2 million in cultural infrastructure through the Canada
Cultural Spaces Fund. As of May 1, 2016, Public Art and Feasibility Studies are now eligible for
support under the Fund.
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P URPOSE
The Canada Cultural Spaces Fund (CCSF) supports the improvement of physical conditions for
artistic creativity and innovation. The fund supports the improvement, renovation and
construction of arts and heritage facilities, as well as the acquisition of specialized equipment.
By supporting improvements to our country’s cultural spaces, theCCSFincreases access for
Canadians to performing arts, visual arts, media arts, museum collections and heritage displays.
E LIGIBLE P ROJECTS
Eligible projects are construction and/or renovation projects, and specialized equipment
purchases related to cultural infrastructure projects intended for professional arts and/or
heritage activities. To be eligible, organizations who apply for a construction and/or renovation
project must demonstrate that they own the building or they have a long term lease (minimum of
10 years).
W HO CAN APPLY
Not-for-profit arts and heritage organizations, incorporated under theCanada Not-for-Profit
Corporations Act, Part II of theCanada Corporations Actor under corresponding provincial
or territorial legislation;
Provincial/territorial governments, municipal or regional governments and their agencies;
and
Aboriginal people’s institutions or organizations.
A MOUNT AND TERM
Amount Range: The program can finance up to 50% of eligible project (the average
approved contribution is 37% of total project cost). Up to $15 million in funding per project.
Applications are accepted at any time throughout the year.
Duration:Multi-year
F ED D EV:E CONOMIC D EVELOPMENT I NITIATIVE
ThroughBudget 2013, the Government of Canada announced theRoadmap for Canada's
Official Languages 2013-2018: Education, Immigration, Communities. Through the Roadmap,
the Government of Canada is investing $1.1 billion across 15 federal departments and agencies
with a focus on three pillars that will ensure the vitality of English and French in Canada through
education, immigration, and communities.
P URPOSE:
TheEconomic Development Initiative(EDI) is the key economic development initiative under
the Roadmap and continues to strengthen innovation, entrepreneurship, partnerships, and
diversification of economic activities in official language minority communities (OLMCs).Eligible
expenses include capital, non-capital, expertise and labour.
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E LIGIBLE P ROJECTS
Eligible activities are those that enhance the economic base, sustainability and competitiveness
of Ontario's Francophone communities, including:
Strategic Community Economic Planning
Strategic and community planning;
Community mobilization and networking;
Labour market development;
Feasibility studies;
Business planning;
Marketing studies; and
Export market research
W HO CAN APPLY
Community economic development corporations;
Not-for-profit organizations and sector associations;
Private sector organizations; and
Post-secondary institutions that offer full-time programs of study in French.
A MOUNT AND TERM
Amount Range:
o Private Sector Recipients:Conditional on approval for EDIfunding, private sector
recipients will be eligible fornon-repayablecontributions of up to$100,000 per
recipient for no more than 50percent of total eligible and supported project costs.
o Not-For-Profit Recipients:Conditional on approval for EDI funding,not-for-
profitrecipients will be eligible fornon-repayablecontributions up to $1million for no
more than 66
Applications are accepted at any time throughout the year
Duration: Year
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6.0C ONCLUSIONS
Does Kitchener need a Creative Hub? Does the city have the conditions to support a Creative
Hub?
Kitchener has the factors required to support a Creative Huband stands to benefit greatly from
the development of the creative industries. Not only does a thriving and authentic cultural scene
attract and retain the people needed to fuel the knowledge economy, it presents opportunities
for strengthening and diversifying the local economy.
The Creative Hubshould build on current assets and successes: complimenting and
strengthening what already exists. There are accomplished creative industries entrepreneurs
across the sector—by building on this momentum;the Creative Hubcan support the continued
development of the sector.
While arts, culture and the creative industries have been viewed as amenities for the
community, in the same vein as recreation activities, the Creative Hubpresents an opportunity
to view them as economic sectors in their own right. Like economic development interventions
in other sectors, this approach strives to create a local environment conducive to the success of
the sector. The research indicates that creative practitioners need several things to support their
success in Kitchener:
Entrepreneurship & professional development opportunities
Administrative space(s) (entrepreneurial services i.e. agents, digital marketing, digital
monetization, intellectual property rights, grants, etc.)
Sharedresources/tools workshop
Flexible rental for rehearsal, event or performance space
Specialized studio spaces (visual arts, sound/ video recording, multi-media)
Formal performance space
Soundstage
The Creative Hubis an opportunity to meet these needs and realize the transformative effects
ofthe creative industries our local economy and our community.
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