Provincial legislation is needed to improve “cultural policy” in B.C., says an SFU professor.

“It’s what kind of a sustainable cultural future do we want in B.C.? What are our B.C. residents’ right to culture?” Catherine Murray, codirector of SFU’s Centre for Policy Studies on Culture and Communities, told the Straight. “I think we need to look at cultural issues in different ways, and a cultural policy allows you to actually do that,” she added.

Murray, B.C. Arts Council acting director Gillian Wood, and B.C. Federation of Labour director of campaigns, community and social action Jessie Uppal are set to discuss the issue on June 25.

The panel discussion, moderated by Mark Marissen, a lobbyist and consultant, is part of the Alliance for Arts and Culture’s Arts Summit 2010.

Murray argues the B.C. government should assume more of the responsibility for setting cultural policy, which has largely been left to communities and local governments.

Murray said any discussion around policy will be divisive, but she indicated it doesn’t have to be a partisan issue. “What kind of a B.C. creative economy do we want? What role do we want to protect for culture in our communities, and how can that in turn contribute to economic growth, environmental sustainability, [and] smarter, more prosperous people?” she said. “I think those are ultimately the kinds of questions we need to ask.”

Arts Summit 2010 takes place June 24 and 25 at Chuck Bailey Recreation Centre in Surrey. Registration is required to attend.