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Vancouver city council votes today (June 26) on Phase 1 of a new 15-year culture plan for the city that includes changes to programs for grants, public art, arts facilities, and cultural tourism.

Among the recommendations to council from the city’s office of cultural affairs are proposals to streamline several existing grant programs into a single cultural-grant program; to better integrate public art into the planning process for civic buildings and infrastructure; to investigate pilot projects to create nonmarket artist’s studios in housing developments; and to develop a culture plan for the Downtown Eastside.

“What they [artists] are looking for from the city is a combination of support and services,” Sue Harvey, the city’s managing director of cultural services, told the Straight.

Andrew Wilhelm-Boyles, executive director of the Alliance for Arts and Culture, said he would be speaking to council today in favour of the new plan. “From what I see of the recommendations…they do, actually, pretty fairly reflect the views and the hopes of our community,” he said.