been extremely successful in the past
few years? The answer is simple: gov-
ernment funding. Canada off ers many
opportunities for young artists, both
in and out of school. This is extremely
important in fostering young artistic
minds and providing them with outlets
for their creativity. Smallwood promotes
the notion that the music industry "may
not be a get-rich business right now," but
it is a very rewarding career, one that is
moving online.
other way.
should the government support the
arts?
role in supporting arts, and govern-
ment support changes over time. The
important thing is that government and
citizens understand and appreciate how
important the arts are.
arts initiatives?
which is really important. Although
it's principally focused, it has tremen-
dous participation and is a great way to
involve young people. Luminato in June
has a lot of Canadian and International
content. At Harbourfront one can see
things from many cultures, and it's very
and glamour of the movie business. Arts
and culture are getting embedded in
local communities as well: The Brickyards
Project or Wychwood Barns for example.
you see the arts prospering?
to be entertained more. It's a way to take
their minds off their problems. However,
there is much more caution about cost.
With popular arts, people will have to
be sensitive about the cost of the ticket.
Arts organizations will be aff ected in
their ability to raise money, and it will be
diffi
and more of a culture worker. His experi-
ence as a manager of the Elgin Theatre
gives him real-life insight to the arts groups
with which he works. Mr. Mortimer exem-
plifi es the value of fi ne arts degree. [m]
Programs and Services Branch of
Ontario.
music from their own bedrooms. This,
says Smallwood, is the genius of the
online music industry. Blogs, viral videos
and other forms of online publicity have
created opportunities for young people
to establish an image.
an identity and be market savvy. Some-
times it's hard to weed out the bad from
the good, but they're out there." He also
credits social networks like MySpace
over their art and vehicles for promoting
it worldwide. In a world saturated with
competitive people wanting to be artisti-
cally recognized, they learn what works
and what doesn't.
of today's music industry refl ects that.
With thirteen years in a business he loves,
Smallwood has proven his own dedica-
tion to music, and, by supporting young
musicians, he is demonstrating a com-
mitment to Canada's music future. [m]
embarked on a trip to Chicago, a city
that rivals Toronto in its wealth of art and
culture. These students hoped to gain
personal experience to progress as musi-
cians while enjoying a once in a lifetime
get-away with friends to one of the most
vibrant cities in North America.
other on the eight-hour bus ride, which
left the school at 6:30 in the morning.
The ride also gave them time to rest up
which began shortly after arriving.
museum and aquarium, informative
music seminars with professors from
Northwestern University, nights out
on the town at events like the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra, slices upon slices
of famous Chicago deep-dish pizza, boat
tours through the city's waterways, shop-
ping time on the Magnifi cent Mile and,
of course, some very successful perfor-
mances by the Senior Concert Band and
Orchestra ensembles.
from Lawrence Park emerged as artists
with experience and inspirations to con-
tinue on their musical journeys.
chance to get out of their comfort zones
and gain independence as artists and as
people. Whether this experience helped
build a foundation for a trumpet player
dreaming of a professional career or for
a lifelong friendship, it was certainly a
memorable part of many students' high
school careers. [m]