Media

lease direct questions to the media team at media@departmentofculture.ca.

DOC press releases

Links to useful resources, research

DOC in the blogosphere (respect)

DOC in the news

Recent news articles mentioning the Department of Culture:

Is There a Good Date With Stephen Harper?

Torontoist / October 9, 2008 / Since last week, the DOC’s blog has been featuring videos of so-called “Bad Dates With Stephen Harper,” created by such theatrical talents as Alex Pugsley, Rosa Laborde, Alex Poch Goldin and Linda Griffiths

Press Conference: Eight Good Reasons to Vote Against Stephen Harper’s Conservatives

TORONTO, Oct. 8 /CNW/ - Eight leaders from the environmental, labour, arts, aboriginal,
culture, anti-poverty, and anti-globalization communities in Canada will speak
at an impromptu "Stop Harper" press conference in Toronto on Thursday, October
9, at 10:00 a.m. in the Civic Ballroom of the Sheraton Centre Hotel, 123 Queen St. W., in Toronto.
With Naomi Campbell, Chief Isadore Day, Alice Klein, Ken Lewenza, David Martin, Garry Neil, Marvyn Novick and Ricken Patel.

A culture of cutbacks

$45 million dollars in cutbacks shows the importance of voting for art’s sake

The Varsity / October 06 2008 /
It’s hard to know where Mr. Harper will hit next. Many Canadians feel like deer in headlights, frozen by the glare. … Mr. Harper would like us to believe that the many aspects of Canadian life can be divided, that one thing is the enemy of another, one person is worthy and another expendable. This breeds ignorance, or worse, elevates it to a virtue.

Artists across Canada practising political theatre

Campaign by Canadian talent targets more than funding cuts

CBC News online, Monday, October 6, 2008

It’s not just about arts funding cuts anymore — artists are making a conscious attempt to address wider political issues….”It’s an evening of fresh theatre with uncensored content,” said Koby Rogers-Hall, co-ordinator of another artist-run political organization, the Department of Culture, in Montreal.

Calgary artists go black in protest of cuts
Calgary Herald - October 6, 2008
The rare appearance of arts funding as a federal election campaign issue makes an even rarer appearance in Calgary today, with a pair of protests against the federal government’s recent funding cuts to arts programs. …

Political theatre moves to the stages
Toronto Star - October 5, 2008
Proceeds go to the Department of Culture, an artists’ network. At TheNewsShowOnline, they’re young, they’re new and they’re live as well as digital. …

Arts group takes dramatic steps against Conservative Party
Newsdurhamregion.com - October 3, 2008
Known as Department of Culture, it is a group of artists, arts professionals and cultural workers who are worried about Canada’s social and cultural …
Wrecking ball politics
Robyn Fadden

October 2nd, Hour.ca


Political theatre tackles election

Reaction to the Oct. 14 federal election has been varied in stance and in form, from pundits debating in the media to protests in the streets. The Wrecking Ball (www.thewreckingball.ca) presents a particularly theatrical reaction, meant to challenge and provoke, with humour, drama and likely some unbridled audience participation.

The teacher that changed my life
by June Chua
September 22, 2008
on Rabble.ca
“‘What do you think about the starving people of Ethiopia?’ blared Agrell as he stroked his ZZ Top beard. I was mystified, what did this have to do with art? He repeated the question and then pointed at each of us to reply.”

Culture tube-ing -
Dept. of Culture solicits anti-Harper videos
Paul Terefenko
September 28, 2008
on NowToronto.com
“The activist group is pissed about ‘a Federal Government that is aggressively undermining the values that define Canada.’”


Sept. 17, 2008

Billions promised for education, child care
Norma Greenaway, Mike De Souza, David Akin and Glenn Johnson, Canwest News Service, National Post
“Protesters were expected to dog Mr. Harper for a second straight day during campaign stops in Ontario. ”

…


Sept. 17, 2008
Protesters greet Harper at rally
By Tina Depko, Burlington Post
“As Conservative supporters gathered at St. Volodymyr Cultural Centre to hear Stephen Harper speak last night, a group of about 30 vocal advocates made their dissatisfaction with the prime minister known.”

Sept. 15
Make arts funding an election issue
Toronto Star editorial
“It’s heartening that Prime Minister Stephen Harper loves music and plays the piano. But sharing these endearing personal details on the campaign trail won’t reassure
supporters of Canadian culture that he is playing from the same songsheet.”

Sept. 11, 2008
Make the case for culture to ordinary Canadians, artists told
CBC
“It’s really laid out a kind of ideology of the Conservative government toward a government of no government,” he [Gregory Elgstrand] said.”This not just about money. What we’ve seen in this round of cuts … is the disappearance of programs … Once these programs are gone, throwing more money at nothing is not going to produce anything,” he added.