With the belief that art has a critical role to play in increasing climate change adaptation awareness and well-being, CreativePEI is proud to launch the Climate Artist-in-Residence Program (CAIR). The Program aims to strengthen community resilience through the creation and dissemination of artwork, including artistic activities presented by each artist, such as workshops, screenings, presentations, art exhibitions and more.
Status: In Progress
CreativePEI and the River Clyde Pageant have partnered with the Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation to host artist Alexis Bulman as an intern in UPEI’s ClimateSense program. Bulman has been learning about climate change adaptation and exploring ways in which the arts can help people deal with anxiety associated with climate change by developing and delivering a series of community-engaged arts installations to inspire action on climate adaptation.
Status: Complete
There is a lack of accurate culture sector employment statistics on a provincial level in Prince Edward Island. Statistics Canada provides sector-level data through its Cultural Satellite Account but there are serious granularity issues with their industry-level numbers. By developing better sector-level data we will be able to better identify employment gaps, and be able to create more effective programs and policies to address these gaps.
Status: In Progress
The Creative Well-Being Initiative began in 2022 with the goal of improving the mental well-being of PEI’s artists and creative sector workers. During the first iteration of the project we made connections within art and mental health communities and began discussing ways in which we could achieve our goal. The current phase of the project has resulted in the development of a free therapy service for artists, as well as a peer support program.
DS4Y is an internship opportunity connecting recent graduates to meaningful employment and giving them the skills to succeed in the digital economy. For-profit business or not-for-profit organizations with fewer than 500 employees who can provide valuable employment opportunities related to digital activities and skills can apply.
Doors Open PEI is an annual event that provides the opportunity for community members to go behind the scenes at arts and culture facilities and explore spaces that are normally off limits. First launched in 2019, Doors Open connects members of the public with some of Charlottetown’s best kept secrets and gives the community an opportunity to uncover some of the history and stories behind the buildings we share the city with.
Status: Planning for 2022
DotGain is PEI’s annual creative sector conference held each fall in collaboration with Holland College’s School of Visual Arts and other industry partners. This one-day professional development conference is specifically tailored to the visual arts communities of Prince Edward Island.
Status: Planning for 2022
A lack of curators in PEI has left some arts organizations without the managerial expertise and programming knowledge needed to organize and design art exhibitions. The Exhibition Curation and Management Training Program was designed to alleviate a shortage of curators, festival organizers, and gallery managers in the P.E.I.’s Visual Arts industry.
Status: On Hold
The rapid growth of the Film industry in PEI has led to an urgent need for skilled workers. We have been working with FilmPEI and educational institutions to develop training opportunities to address the skills gaps in the industry.
Status: In Progress
Need personal health insurance?
PEI’s creative sector workers can now access affordable health insurance through the popular Arts & Entertainment Plan® offered by the not-for-profit insurer AFBS.
Accessing the plan is easy with online quoting and enrollment functionality resulting in the fastest application process in Canada.
Status: Ongoing
Artists and other creative professionals often lack the business skills needed to make their careers thrive.
CreativePEI has run a creative entrepreneurship incubator program five times since 2014. The HIVE brings together emerging creative entrepreneurs with business experts and provides training on business strategy, marketing, and finance.
Status: In Planning
The Living Lab is a CreativePEI initiative delivered by SRL Solutions that provides training, group coaching, and mentoring support to 20 leaders in PEI’s Arts & Culture Sector. This project was a response to the significant impact the COVID-19 crisis had on the Arts & Culture sector on PEI. The core of the initiative is to reinforce that Arts & Culture organizations must first survive the pandemic for the Sector to thrive once again.
Status: Ongoing
Many individuals find themselves in leadership positions in arts and culture due to their knowledge and expertise in the sector. However, those individuals may not possess all the skills needed in order to manage their organizations. CreativePEI works with not-for-profit organizations in the arts, culture and creative sectors to strengthen their capacity in governance, program development, financial administration and evaluation.
Status: Ongoing
CreativePEI has launched PEI.ART – a beautiful and feature-rich online directory that aggregates relevant information on the amazing individuals, businesses, and organizations that make up PEI’s creative sector. The website will provide a space online for creatives to promote their work to local and global audiences who are actively seeking information on our province or members of our sector.
Status: In Progress
The Performing Arts Mentorship Program (PAMP) was created to fast-track eager arts industry workers into a career in backstage technical, administrative, and creative work. Sponsored by Skills PEI and CreativePEI, this program provides paid mentorship training down a variety of pathways in the Performing Arts.
Status: Ongoing
Four provincial political parties responded to a survey conducted by a group of PEI arts and culture organizations. The results show that all four parties value arts and culture but there is a range of approaches about how best to support the sector.
Status: Complete
This page links to a collection of relevant research into national, regional and provincial Culture Sectors.
Resources are listed in reverse chronological order.
Status: Ongoing
Researcher Emma Bugg is pursuing a Master of Environmental Studies at Dalhousie University. As part of Mass Culture’s Researchers in Residence: Arts’ Civic Impact initiative, she will explore the intersections of art, climate change, and environmental sustainability to develop an impact framework to better understand, amplify, and enhance the contributions of the arts towards addressing the climate crisis.
Status: In Progress
Prince Edward Island has over 1100 km of highly erodible sandstone coastline. The island’s shorelines face significant threat and degradation due to their sensitivity to sea level rise, storms and increased development. The Riverworks project will see three artists create outdoor public artworks exploring ecological transformation through their distinct creative practices. Each artwork will be installed at one of three living shorelines in Charlottetown and Stratford.
Status: Complete
During summer 2021 three living shorelines were constructed along the Hillsborough River to strengthen eroding shores. In tandem with this construction, the Riverworks project commissioned three land-based artworks to be created. At the Tea Hill shoreline Kirstie McCallum constructed Pollinator Clock, at the QEH shoreline Doug Dumais performed Shoreline Palimpsest, and at the Stratford Waterfront Alexis Bulman installed Lillian’s Place.
Status: Complete
A 2500 sq. ft space conveniently located in downtown Charlottetown offers creators a place to undertake a range of different activities. From painters to poets, cartoonists to coders, and fashion designers to film editors, creative professionals of all kinds will find a place to create and connect with a supportive community of peers. Micro-studios and semi-private workstations and basic desk spaces are all available to rent on a flexible basis.
Status: In Progress
The Good Projxt is Art, community, self-understanding, healing and Love.
The idea for the Good Projxt came in 2020. The world felt so…divided and the pandemic had us isolated. In the Isolation, I had many conversations with myself. I’d say that’s when I started to really talk to myself about the world. Without fear of external judgment, I pondered big issues, painful issues, complex issues and I had a profound realization that we can choose to be Good however we don’t even know what Good means anymore.
Islanders Love to say, we are Good people. Well, what does that even mean?
Status: In Progress
The video games industry on PEI has seen sustained growth and success over the last two decades. However, there is a need for a refreshed strategic plan to help maintain the pillars that have fostered a globally-competitive video game industry on PEI, and to grow the sector to its full potential. We are partnering with VideogamesPEI to create an industry-led plan that will ensure all stakeholders engage in the up-to-date approach needed for continued success.
Status: In Progress
The Cultural Human Resources Council has developed a template of policies dedicated to tackling workplace harassment and violence. Creative PEI is committed to working alongside a wide range of creative sector organizations and partners on PEI to adapt, tailor, and implement policies that address the specific needs and employment circumstances within their organization.
Status: In Progress
Youth and newcomers would make valuable additions to the creative sector if they were made aware of opportunities available to them. This project plans to work alongside the PEI Department of Education and the PEI Association of Newcomers to Canada to ensure that youth and newcomers are made aware of career opportunities in the creative sector and the pathways available to them.
Status: In Progress
CreativePEI is funded in whole or in part by the Canada/Prince Edward Island Labour Market Agreements.
We acknowledge that the land on which we operate is the traditional unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq Peoples. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq Peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with surrender of lands and resources but in fact recognized Mi’kmaq title and established the rules for what was to be an ongoing relationship between nations. We recognize that true reconciliation is an ongoing process. Acknowledging territory and First Peoples should take place within the larger context of genuine and ongoing work to forge real understanding, and to challenge the legacies of colonialism.
