Understanding Cultural Issues: The Canadian Conference of the Arts Launches
The ABCs of Cultural Policy Series

OTTAWA, June 10, 2008 – The Canadian Conference of the Arts today begins publishing The ABCs of Cultural Policy, a new series of documents providing basic information to help understand Canadian cultural policy, along with many useful links. These documents will be freely available on the CCA website, under the heading The ABCs of Cultural Policy, at the following address: http://ccarts.ca/en/advocacy/publications/

The CCA has developed this tool in response to the repeated requests it receives from its members for information on various topics relating to cultural policy. While these topics are dealt with regularly in our bulletins, there was a need to bring together all material concerning a given topic in one document, so as to provide a readily accessible and timely reference source.

The first of The ABCs of Cultural Policy, posted today, deals with copyright, an issue being discussed by the cultural sector in light of the government’s promise to reform the copyright law. In these discussions, many terms, such as economic rights, moral rights, and fair use are employed. These terms reflect precise legal concepts, as well as the international context influencing Canadian lawmakers. The concepts included in the The ABCs of Cultural Policy document will allow you to follow developments in these areas and to better understand their impact on the rights of artists and consumers of cultural products.

This first The ABCs of Cultural Policy will soon be followed by a second, which will feature key information concerning fiscal measures affecting artists, cultural workers and arts organizations. This material will be particularly useful in understanding measures relating to arts and culture in federal budgets. A third The ABCs of Cultural Policy will focus on the issue of the status of the artist, a topic of continuous discussion within the cultural sector in Canada.

These first three instalments are just the beginning of a series the CCA intends to develop in the years to come. This series is designed to be a permanent reference tool that will be revised periodically to ensure that the information it contains remains up to date. You will therefore always have access to a reliable source of information when trying to understand cultural policy issues.

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For more information, please contact:

Guillaume Sirois, Cultural Policy Advisor
(613) 238-3561 ext. 19
guillaume.sirois@ccarts.ca

The Canadian Conference of the Arts (CCA) is the national forum for the arts and cultural community in Canada. It provides research, analysis and consultations on public policies affecting the arts and the Canadian cultural institutions and industries. The CCA fosters informed public debate on policy issues and seeks to advance the cultural rights of Canadians