In 2012, the Municipality of Port Hope created a Cultural Plan to help build and support the facets of our community that contribute to our rich, unique local culture. The Cultural Plan contains identified needs, strategies, and goals that span 20 years - from 2012 to 2032.

Our Cultural Plan outlines a vision for cultivating the growth of Port Hope’s unique and broad range of cultural assets, reflecting community need and future aspirations.

Vision statement:

The Cultural Plan is intended to provide a framework for fostering creativity and increasing cultural participation. The plan leverages resources while exploring new potential for growth until 2032.

One outcome of the Cultural Plan, the Municipality has created our Planning an Event webpage, which offers guidelines on the creation and delivery of events in Port Hope, as well as our A-Z Planning Guide. This webpage is updated regularly as we gain new resources to share with culture and event producers.

Collaborating on Culture, Propelling the Plan

2022 marked the halfway point of our Cultural Plan. Naturally, things have changed in the past 10 years, and we wanted to make sure the next 10 years are as productive and positive as possible. We created a community engagement series and feedback project called "Collaborating on Culture, Propelling the Plan". This was a series of pop-ups and focus groups that provided ground-level feedback from the Port Hope community at large. Feedback from this project was compiled into an updated document to help represent community voice and guide or focus. Check out our Culture Plan review here.

Five areas of Focus developed from Collaborating on Culture, Propelling the Plan

Below are five focus areas that will ensure that the plan continues to grow and develop culture for the community of Port Hope.

Raise awareness and leverage existing cultural assets

Clearly communicate municipal and non-municipal facilities and venues available for cultural programming and define assets of each
Create efficiencies and supports in permitting processes
Identify and support opportunities to connect culture providers as well as event organizers
Maximize space allocation and develop independent use of facility access where feasible

Increase cultural participation

Maintain and enhance barrier free (no cost, accessible) municipally produced events
Leverage diverse engagement tactics including existing networks, online platforms, digital and non-digital solutions
Revival of Business Community Update page on the municipal website to empower cooperation and promotion of local experiences
Champion interdepartmental strategic communications to align and strengthen municipal channels to maximize amplification e.g. pop up tourism activations, sharing of third party content

Be aware of and respond to current and future cultural space needs

Create inventory of available municipal assets and supports for events and cultural activities.
Audit municipal spaces compared to community demand to identify gaps Identify and promote consideration for refurbishment of current spaces to enhance and augment usability e.g. Bandshell – acoustics and backstage, relevant storage
Advocate for infrastructure and design that enables participation e.g. transportation, parking, making performance spaces accessible, multi-functional and appropriate

Strengthen the capacity of emerging cultural sector groups

Review, refresh and promote the Community Grant Program with consideration of defined funding streams as well as evolution of Foundational Funding Program
Provision of networking and collaboration opportunities including social events, workshops, and open office hours to support culture and event producers
Review and promote resource sources such as A/Z Guide, PRC Year in Review, distribution lists and asset inventory
Develop volunteer strategy and management process using existing community assets and platforms
Identify and foster development of response to cultural gaps e.g. history, youth

Communicate municipal support of cultural assets

Raise profile and promote use of current community calendar as central search engine
Align and strengthen municipal communication channels for maximum impact and amplification
Build and promote communications plan template for event use (share with external groups)
Highlight culture and events in Municipal plans and strategies i.e. tourism and economic development

For a copy of the Cultural Plan please contact us by phone at 905-885-8760 or email.

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Cultural Plan

Vision statement:

Collaborating on Culture, Propelling the Plan