Art Matters Forum Held in Conjunction
with the BC Scene Festival

Ottawa, Monday, April 20, 2009

Thank you, Ms. Moore, for your warm welcome and kind remarks.

Dear friends,

My husband Jean-Daniel Lafond and I are delighted to be with you this evening for this edition of Art Matters to explore a theme that is undoubtedly as dear to you as it is to us: How do the arts sustain our communities?

We would like to thank you for having responded to our invitation with such enthusiasm. I would like to make special mention of the artists from “Beautiful British Columbia” who will be dazzling us over the next two weeks.

The fact that you have chosen to take part in this discussion as a prelude to the BC Scene festival at the National Arts Centre is especially delightful for two reasons.

First, because we are convinced that the diversity of your points of view and experiences will bring a new and entirely relevant perspective to a topic that will allow us to explore the role of art in our society.

Second, because as we “[translation] search for meaning as we would for gold,” to quote Jean-Daniel, we may gain a better understanding of how art helps us to take part in the dialogue going on across this country, to ensure the survival of our cultural identity and, as a result, to improve the world in which we live.

And there is room for improvement, as I am sure you would agree.

We already touched on this in Vancouver in January 2008, when we celebrated in the Downtown Eastside the first anniversary of the Governor General’s Urban Arts Forums.

It is in that spirit of continuity that our moderator and friend, Mr. Hank Bull, and the five panellists for this 37^th edition of Art Matters will begin the dialogue this evening.

The paths they have travelled are incredibly inspiring, and I am thrilled that they gladly accepted our invitation. You will see that they have each in their own way given a great deal of thought to the scope of the arts.

You will then have the opportunity to respond, to share your ideas and viewpoints, as will the Web users who are following the discussion online on Citizen Voices. I look forward to hearing from you and to reading your comments!

I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to the organizers of BC Scene, Ms. Heather Moore and her team. To the NAC, this one-of-a-kind place of artistic effervescence, I would also like to extend my sincere thanks for their unconditional support. To say nothing of the partners, governments, foundations, businesses and members of the Rideau Hall staff who have made this forum possible.

I am extremely proud to be involved in this forum, just as I am proud to welcome to Rideau Hall the Spirit of Place: BC Young Artists exhibition, which captures the spirit—and, I would add, the genius—of a place like no other, into which young artists are already putting down deep roots, youth we can count on to protect nature and celebrate the vitality of our communities.

Thank you.

I will now turn things over to my husband. Jean-Daniel, if you please.