The long journey towards establishing Brampton’s first ever “industry development agency” took one step closer to a reality last week, as city councillors voted to elect an inaugural chair to lead work on a larger vision for the city.
Community engagement specialist Navi Sidhu was appointed by Brampton council as the city’s first chair for the Arts, Culture and Creative Industry Development Agency — an organization that aims to be a key partner in delivering a larger vision for the arts and culture scene in the city.
Sidhu, who has worked with local non-profits and helped develop workshops to support the creative sector, will be joined by Senior Program Lead Michael Vickers to guide the startup and eventual formation of the development agency, which will take cues from the Cultural Master Plan established in 2018 to develop an arts, culture and creative industry development agency, incubating, growing, celebrating, advocating for and connecting the sector through the provision of a range of programs, services and resources.
“I look forward to reaching out to and working with the many talented artists and arts organizations who contribute to the diversity of Brampton’s creative comm unity . Collectively, with Brampton artists are the forefront, I hope we can work to see the vision for the agency come to life.
I am also excited to be working with (Michael),who will provide leadership and strategic planning expertise for launching this new and exciting organization,” Sidhu said on Feb. 18. The agency is intended to play a critical role in strengthening the arts as an economic driver and transforming the city’s current cultural environment into a thriving arts scene – complete with opportunities to produce, participate in and consume creative products that drive cultural and community progress, attract investment and build Brampton’s identity, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said in a statement last week.
