The Centre for Policy Studies on Culture and Communities promotes teaching, research, and public outreach on cultural politics, policy and planning in communities from the local to the global. The focus is on how these support the cultural practices and ways of life in communities that contribute to sustainability and to an inclusive society. Studies of policy are not restricted to governments or public administration, but address the interaction of networks of voluntary, not-for-profit, neighbourhood and virtual community citizen-based initiatives as well as all levels of government, private foundations, and knowledge creators and disseminators.

This proposed seven-year collaborative research project, led by the CPCC, will investigate past, recent and new evidence on “cultural labour” as a major factor in the presence and future of Canadian cities and citizens. It will map artists, cultural workers and entrepreneurs in selected Canadian cities to identify how policies related to cultural infrastructure, the creative economy, labour, social and urban fields interact to affect cultural/creative working conditions, social inclusion and equity. What policies best leverage innovation and creativity in developing sustainable communities?

The Centre of Expertise on Culture and Communities (CECC) project was administered under the auspices of the CPCC from 2005-2008. The CECC conducted research and brought together academia, policy, and practice in four areas: The state of cultural infrastructure in Canadian cities and communities; Culture as the fourth pillar of community sustainability; Culture in communities: Cultural systems and local planning; The impacts of cultural infrastructure and activity in cities and communities.

Women in View 2010 will be a ground‐breaking three‐day gathering of media artists, policy‐makers, producers and researchers sharing their creative visions, expertise and research; and celebrating the achievements of women in media.

We regularly invite you to share ideas with others with similar interests who come from a variety of disciplines and backgrounds. This informative networking series is for faculty and students from SFU, UBC and other academic institutions, as well as members of the general public, who are interested in culture and the city issues like sustainability, infrastructure, community, creativity and work.

Please click here for resources and publications from all CPCC programs