Q: How does living in Durham Region contribute to this inspiration?
I believe there is a “new breed of seeds” being brought forth in our region – and that one of the ways for that to be communicated to those around us is through the arts.

Q: What does the Art of Transition mean to you?
I think that the effects and outworking of the shift in the times, in our economies, and particularly in our region will be positively influenced by how we are able to engage the creative spirit within us and the people around us.

The day of the AOT symposium crested on a tsunami of interest and excitement. Our speakers all addressed how the arts and culture sector can be the heart and soul of a community, as well as being a driving force in the economy. The research and theory they brought to us provided invaluable background to the work we have to do now.

It’s obvious this message resonated with huge numbers of artists, business people, educators and political players. In the weeks following the event, comments, ideas and visions have continued to flow in from all of
you. Thank you!

Creativity depends in large part on taking formerly separate ideas and combining them to make new and innovative solutions. Everyone who has engaged in dialogue with us since the event has had a unique insight or perspective to contribute. The task now is to take these particular ideas and synthesize them.

At the end of the symposium we developed an initial work plan. In the spirit and practice of creativity, we will be asking for your ongoing engagement, input and effort as we implement this plan. This zine has been developed to keep you informed of our challenges and achievements, as well as your opportunities to contribute.

Tourism Manager for Durham Region, Kerri King, with keynote speaker Dr. Richard Florida and Township of Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce, Chair of Durham Region’s Finance & Administration Committee.

With your help, we look forward to creating a cultural map that shows the roads leading to Durham Region’s
vibrant future!

Kerri King, Manager of Tourism
The Regional Municipality of Durham
905-668-7711 ext. 2606

The Art of Transition explored Durham Region’s creative communities and strategies on how to evolve the local economy by leveraging creative talents by taking into account the Region’s existing resources and labour force.

“As a person who survives on creativity, I’m glad I came. My new initiative, the Durham International Festival subscribes to the spirit of this symposium.”
- Farley Flex, Plasma Management and Productions Inc.

“A key to developing a creative economy is inclusiveness. Specifically, it is imperative to consider the potential contributions to economic activity of both the arts as well as science, and the fact that the two may interrelate and complement each other. People involved in both areas of endeavour should be considered a valuable human resource.”
- Steve Edwards, Manager, Town of Whitby

“Thank you for all of the hard work that goes into an event of this calibre. I believe that the Art of Transition was a wild success, not just in terms of numbers and organization, but in terms of what it originally set out to accomplish. It brought together vastly different groups and players to collaborate on some very important issues pertaining to sustainable development of our economy and communities.”
- Chris Fortin, IBM

Dr. Richard Florida’s Four T’s
Keynote speaker Dr. Richard Florida often praised Durham Region for its vibrant community and potential to revitalize its economy. He cited four major factors in the future success of Durham.

General themes included:

(From left): Break dancers, emcee Dan Carter; Township of Scugog Mayor Marilyn Pearce, Chair of Durham Region’s Finance & Administration Committee; Wayne Conrad, Omachron Science Inc.; Ajax Convention Centre filled to capacity. (Above): Keynote speaker Dr. Richard Florida speaks to attendees about creativity and the evolution of our economy.

We live in a vast beautiful landscape with Lake Ontario to the south, the Oak Ridges Moraine halfway, extending to Lake Scugog and Lake Simcoe and into cottage country. It’s a land that appeals to the sportsman and a land that inspires artists. Musicians have begun to sing its praises and it has become the keeper of the Canadian Sound, that folk and country rock tradition associated with these few acres of snow.

While a songwriter such as Timber Timbre of Brooklin will find his muse in the Purple Woods, Cuff The Duke can find her among the factories and suburban streets of Oshawa, and Evening Hymns can meet her on rambles around his hometown of Orono. These three acts are not only considered amongst the finest Durham has to offer, but among the best in Canada. Timber Timbre’s self-titled release is on many Best of 2009 lists. Evening Hymns has been surprising critics with his album Spirit Guides (which includes a five minute recording of a thunderstorm midway) and Wayne Petti of Cuff The Duke has been asked to join Canadian Walk of Famers Blue Rodeo as a vocalist on their current tour.

Durham is well known for the calibre of its talent – Feist has the Baird brothers of Oshawa in her band and the influential Broken Social Scene was co-founded by Brendan Canning of Ajax. Other stars are Sum 41, K-Os, Protest The Hero and of course Neil Young who spent a pivotal part of his youth in Pickering. It was among the fields, woods and distant train sounds of Taunton Road that Young first turned on to music.

But the key element common to too many of Durham Region’s musicians, beyond their affection for the folk tradition, is that they all must be movin’ on as the song goes. There is insufficient reason for them to reside in the area. There is little to no work in their field and with Toronto an hour’s drive away at most they leave and contribute vastly to its position as the centre of the music industry in Canada. According to some studies Toronto is only second to Nashville in its music related infrastructure. In fact, many former Durham residents are the reason for this success.

Yet the proximity of Toronto is both a bane and a balm. Who wouldn’t wish to stay where their inspiration is most potent. Who wouldn’t rather travel trails instead of traffic jams. Who wouldn’t choose to set up shop among such beauty as can be found here in Durham Region. No-one from Durham Region would choose to leave when they have the best of both worlds; a city on the doorstep and the great swaths of the untouched North as a backyard.

This is where the art of transition occurs for this Region. While music is ethereal the transition must be material in the form of support for venues, concert theatres, and studios. A concerted effort by Regional officials to include the area’s artists in public events of all descriptions would set the stage.

Fortunately those folks have taken the first steps and we are now well on the road to fulfilling Durham’s true potential.

A diehard foodie, Rankine’s exotic culinary travels provide inspiration for the ethnic-themed cooking classes she teaches at professional cooking schools throughout Durham Region, Toronto’s GTA, and on-air on Rogers TV’s “Daytime.”

As the proud winner of the Heart & Stroke Foundation’s Durham Region Chef Challenge, Rankine is passionate about giving back to her community in healthful, inspiring new ways. This spring, she will be participating in Durham Region’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program and will have locally grown produce baskets delivered to her home every other week. The CSA program creates a positive domino effect straight out of the Art of Transition handbook: consumers support their local farmer while reaping the rewards of fresh, local produce and the farmer supports the local economy, causing an undeniable cascade effect for the local community. Follow Rankine as she blogs about her “scores” at www.thefridgewhisperer.com and creates signature recipes from the cornucopia of local offerings that will, ultimately, find their way online and into one of her upcoming Fridge Whisperer cookbooks.