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
As part of Phase 2, the City is hosting a series of online and in-person workshops focused on priority-setting for the renewed Arts Strategy. Phase 2 Workshops will be between June 9 - 20, 2026.
Community Survey and Arts Sector Survey will be available via Be Heard New West from June 5 - 30, 2026. now extended to July 19th
Upcoming Engagement Activities
Staff will be showing up at community events this summer, engaging with residents and sharing more information about the Arts Strategy Update
July 16, 2026 | 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm | New West Farmers Market
July 18, 2026 | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm | New West Craft
Project Milestones
- 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
