Arts Strategy
Your city's creative future!
The City of New Westminster is updating its Arts Strategy to reflect today’s realities and current conditions, community priorities, and the evolving role of the City within the local arts ecosystem. This update is intended to reflect on what continues to serve the community, acknowledge where challenges remain, and establish high-impact strategic directions for the future.
Updating the Arts Strategy is about:
- Reviewing what continues to work
- Acknowledging where challenges remain
- Addressing changes across the arts, culture, and creative sectors
Arts Strategy, 2026
We are working with Cornerstone Planning Group to develop a renewed Arts Strategy in collaboration with community. Details about community engagement opportunities will be shared here throughout 2026.
Get Involved | We Want to hear from you
To refine the draft Strategy, the City plans to host a series of workshops during this phase to confirm the proposed strategic direction, identify any necessary refinements, and ensure the strategy accurately reflects earlier input. Workshops will be in Fall 2026.
You can also visit Be Heard New West to add your voice.
Project Milestones
- What We Heard Report: Phase Two - Coming Fall 2026
- Arts Strategy Progress Report 2019-2024 - August 7 2026
- Presentation slides: Confirm engagement approach with the Arts, Culture, Economic Development Committee - April 9 2026
- Information boards presented at the Arts Strategy Update launch event - May 7, 2026
- What We Heard Report: Phase One Reflections and Current State of the Arts June 10, 2026
- Presentation and Memo: Phase 2 Workshop with the Arts Culture Economic Development Committee - June 11, 2026
- Presentation and Staff Report: Open Workshop with Mayor and Council - June 15, 2026
Additional Resources
Inventory of Municipal and Private Arts and Culture Indoor and Outdoor Spaces - Updated December 2025
Arts Strategy, 2019
Click here to read the City's current Arts Strategy
Thank you to everyone that came together to work on the new Arts Strategy! The Arts Strategy was approved by Council on December 10, 2018.
Additional information
- Arts Strategy SWOT
- Arts Strategy Public Engagement Summary
- Previous Draft (Spring 2018) - Our Arts Impact
