Our Context
In times of cultural and societal transition, the arts hold a critical social role in reflecting our reality back to us.
... but
social inequality in the arts in Canada is longstanding.
As recently as 2021, research examined the state of diversity in leadership roles among Canada’s 125 largest arts and cultural institutions and found:
The leadership of major arts organizations in Canada does not reflect the diversity of Canada’s population. For example, among 125 Canadian Arts Summit organizations, only 5.7% of CEOs are racialized compared to 94.3% who are white. The findings show similar results for lack of diversity in the Artistic and Chair of the Board roles.
Based on our work in community arts over the last 25+ years and our lived experiences, we believe in the powerful benefits of co-designing a Foundation at a national scale to confront the conditions that limit emergent leadership and amplify their visionary work.
It is our collective work to shift the next emerging systems to ones of greater justice.
This includes altering investment and leadership in the arts.
Emergent leadership can then experience thriving careers within the arts such as:
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Community-based and socially-engaged arts
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Business, social enterprise and consulting
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Craft, dance, literary arts, media arts, visual arts, music, opera, and theatre
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The Creative Industries: Film, television production, digital media, music industry and publishing
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Public libraries
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Heritage: Built heritage, cultural heritage landscaping, archaeology, and museums
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Academics
Our Strategic Response
FLIP responds to our context in these ways to make systems change:
Leadership
Work with arts sector leadership to expand coaching and networking in support of emergent leadership, particularly of QT & BIPOC creatives.
Research
Co-create knowledge on systemic barriers and creative responses to leadership and systems change, in partnership with academic institutions and emergent leadership as co-researchers.
Education
Create accreditation partnerships with post-secondary institutions leading to certifications.
Fund Development
For emergent leadership to access resources which contribute to career development and community transformation.
A note on Financial Activism:
Justice, FLIP’s first value, calls us to engage in the redistribution of opportunity, resources, power, and equitable pathways toward a just arts sector in Canada.
Redistribution of Resources
Resource redistribution attempts to address injustices and tackles entrenched inequalities. It emphasizes the moral obligation to act, going beyond charity. At its core, the redistribution of resources extends beyond mere financial restitution, encompassing structural changes aimed at dismantling systems that sustain inequality, and limits communities on the margins from equitable access to resources and opportunities.
Financial Activism
Financial activism is a community-driven approach that invests financial and social capital to address societal challenges, build community wealth, and advance sustainable futures. It involves personal investment, collective action, and the sharing of resources.
How is FLIP Responding?
FLIP is building a national network of individual and organizational financial activists. Currently, we are engaged with the Just Economy Institute to build a framework to guide resource redistribution.