Nourishing our community's soul and economy.

"We need to treat artists and creators as the economic and cultural drivers they are."

Arts and culture are essential to the vitality, identity, and economic prosperity of Peterborough. They enrich our lives, bring people together, and make our city a premier place to live, visit, and invest.

For too long, the cultural sector has faced unnecessary friction and budget cuts when it should be championed. When local groups want to bring music, markets, or festivals to our community, we need to cut red tape, act quickly, and say "yes".

We need an approach that champions our creative economy, supports community organizers, and ensures artists have the spaces and resources they need to thrive.

Our Strategic Approach

To achieve these goals, our approach will be guided by three core strategies:

  • We will market our arts & culture industry as a key part of our tourism economy.
  • We will partner with local organizations that promote arts, culture and entertainment.
  • We will enhance community grants for organizations that participate in shared-services agreements.

Our Core Policies

Streamlining Special Events & Festivals

We will simplify and streamline the process by which people apply to host special events in Peterborough—including insurance requirements for community events and festivals.

Completing the Municipal Cultural Plan

We will complete Peterborough’s Municipal Cultural Plan through meaningful collaboration with artists, cultural organizations, Indigenous communities and residents, and ensure it includes an implementation plan, with measurable goals, defined responsibilities, funding priorities and annual public reporting so the arts community can see real progress.

Creative Space Conversions

We will expand the Downtown Community Improvement Plan to encourage the conversion of vacant commercial space into artist studios, rehearsal spaces, galleries, and other creative uses that bring new life to our downtown.

Additional Arts & Culture Policies
  • Provide multi-year operating grants to established arts and cultural organizations that demonstrate fiscal prudence, cross-organizational co-operation, and demonstrated economic impacts.
  • Support the development of outdoor pop-up performance and exhibit venues across Peterborough by making it easier to activate vacant store fronts, public spaces, and underused buildings for arts and cultural programming.
  • To elevate the spirit of urban life, expand a public art program that showcases Peterborough artists through municipal facilities, parks, streetscapes, landmark signs and civic projects.

"Our Invest in Arts & Culture plan is how we unlock our creative economy. This is how we celebrate our artists, bring life to our streets, and ensure Peterborough loves its culture back."

Together, We Will.

That is how we revitalize Peterborough’s cultural scene.

That is how we support community builders and creators.

And that is how we build a vibrant city for everyone.