District 16 - Candidates

Candidates for Councillor in District 16

Mohammed Issa

Engaging with art became a powerful experience for me when I created custom light boxes with an indigenous artist. The boxes displayed simple yet impactful words, conveying a mix of messages about identity, culture, and history. Through this project, I had the opportunity to learn more about the history of residential schools and it opened my eyes to the broader cultural impact and the power of art to communicate important truths. This experience was both educational and deeply moving for me.

Anita Kirkbride

The best example I can think of is the VanGogh exhibit at Exhibition Park a couple years ago. I very much enjoyed being immersed in his work and learning about him. I felt very creative in the space and played with my camera to make videos and take photos. It was a very soothing experience.

Scott Maskell

Did not fill in survey

Prathibha Narasimhan​

Art has always been a huge part of my life, but one that really stood out to me was a local theatre production in Halifax, focusing on some of the most topical issues of belonging and community. It was through watching the performers bring these stories to life and witnessing the deep connection of the audience with the material that brought me full circle back to the profound impact the arts could have in uniting people. This further crystallized my desire to believe that it was important to support the arts in their every shape and form, and that communities needed avenues through which they might express themselves and tell their stories.

Aaron Rice

My hometown of Sydney hosted the Lumiere. They blocked off one of the main streets in Sydney. They had art exhibits, live performance and sculptures. I was a wonderful evening and event for the area.

Jean St-Amand​

All the way through school I was heavily involved in music. My family was musical generally to begin with - my mother a music teacher and performer, my uncle a professional trumpet player and music teacher, my aunt a talented pianist and music teacher, and my brother, who followed behind me in school, has gone on to be a professional jazz trumpeter and singer here in Halifax. Music is simply part of who I am and it's difficult to articulate what it means to me exactly, other than to know I would be a profoundly different person if I hadn't grown up with music in my life - and it continues to be in my life as I take in performances with my brother and his performing friends, even if I no longer pick up an instrument myself.

Scroll down for the detailed feedback from the candidate:

GHAC has four specific goals we're asking candidates to engage with.
Goal One: Become a leader in funding arts and culture activities.  Will you commit to:
1. Increasing HRM arts and culture program funding until it meets and exceeds the median per capita spending on art and culture of other major Canadian cities, with a goal of consistently ranking in the top 25% for arts and culture funding within the next 4 years?
2. Indexing HRM arts and culture funding to inflation to avoid real value erosion of funding envelopes?
3. Structuring HRM arts and culture funding programs to ensure equitable and meaningful investments in underrepresented communities and new voices?
4. Initiating a new HRM peer-reviewed funding program for grants to professional artist individuals and small groups targeted towards creation, presentation and professional development?
5. Initiating a new HRM program to fund artistic residencies promoting artistic research, creation and community engagement within HRM departments (example: Halifax Public Gardens artist-in-residence)?

Mohammed Issa

1. While I believe it is important for arts and culture program funding to be administered, I believe we need to leverage all opportunities before bringing it to the municipal level. I also would like to commit to being in the top 25%, however this is highly contingent on their budgets and spends, and I would like to remain fiscally responsible while also supporting the arts.
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. I have heard of many non profit groups who have initiatives like this and are able to access provincial funding from CCTH and Arts Nova Scotia. I'm curious where the gaps are here and to further understand this issue.
​5. I do believe there is existing funding (ex: Artists in Communities Fund) that could make this feasible.

Anita Kirkbride

1. I recognize the importance of art however with our current housing crisis and transportation issues I cannot promise to increase funding for the arts.
2. I recognize the importance of art however with our current housing crisis and transportation issues I cannot promise to increase funding for the arts.
3. Yes
4. Yes
​5. I cannot say I commit to this without more information but I like the idea in principle.

Scott Maskell

1. Unanswered
2. Unanswered
3. Unanswered
4. Unanswered
​5. Unanswered

Prathibha Narasimhan​

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
​5. Yes

Aaron Rice

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
​5. Yes

Jean St-Amand​

1. I'm a proponent of such goal setting. I don't have all the necessary information upon which to provide an unequivocal yes. I support the premise and I recognize the value of art and culture support coming from the city and it should be a priority to maintain strong funding for arts and culture activities. I will admit I don't have a full appreciation for the breadth and depth of the support we provide now versus what funding we aspire to provide and how that might measure up in the context of this question since I am aware there are multiple facets of art and culture support that occur in tandem within one another, from direct program and service support to grants, to tax relief eligibility for non-profits, all of which may be considered part of the funding model HRM uses to provide support. How do they collectively factor into the target in this ranking?
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes
​5. I love the idea. I'd like to see a program like this pitched and supported as a collaboration between the city and the province rather than just the city on its own. But I support the initiative broadly as I believe when successful, artist-in-residence programs can be inspire broader successes in the artistic community in which they are hosted since they often include opportunities for mentoring, collaborations, industry exposure, workshops and partnerships with local artists and can serve as a catalyst for inspiration within the artistic community.

Goal Two:  Increase supply of varied, accessible artistic venues and cultural production facilities.  Will you commit to:
1. Addressing gaps identified in HRM Performing & Visual Arts Venues Study (2024) and Discover Halifax Venues Inventory and Assessment (forthcoming)?
2. Providing major capital grants to arts and culture organizations building or renovating venues for the production or presentation of arts and culture?
3. Providing capital improvement grants to arts and culture organizations who own or rent premises?
4. Increasing grant funding available to non-profit arts and culture organizations that rent space to offset the steep rise in rental costs?

Mohammed Issa

1. Yes
2. There are existing grants such as the federal GICB and others that allow for major renovations and construction of community buildings.
3. There are existing grants such as the federal GICB, provincial ACCESS-Ability grants, New Horizon's Capital Stream, and others that allow for major renovations and construction of community buildings.
4. I believe it is important for non-profits to be operationally viable. I would prefer to support opportunities for community organizations to learn more about revenue diversification, social enterprise development, and more to become independently operationally viable and healthy.

Anita Kirkbride

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. I cannot say I commit to this without more information but I support the idea in principle.

Scott Maskell

1. Unanswered
2. Unanswered
3. Unanswered
4. Unanswered

Prathibha Narasimhan​

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes
4. Yes

Aaron Rice

1. Yes
2. The municipality doesn't have a big capital budget. Saying that, working with other levels of government or finding another revenue source maybe something to look at.
3. Yes
4. Yes

Jean St-Amand​

1. Yes
2. Another yes, but... answer. Of course I agree with this notion in principal. What I would like to see is a definition of the priorities and transparency in the process of determining how best to achieve the objectives while ensuring equitable and fair distribution of supports through the whole of HRM.
3. Yes
4. Whether this takes the form of a grant, tax rebate or another creative strategy, the end result may be the same - HRM facilitating a reduction in the operating costs faced by non-profit organizations in the space. I'd support whichever mechanism minimized the red tape in implementing such a cost reduction in a practical fashion.

Goal Three:  Equitable access to diverse arts learning opportunities for all citizens, in and out of schools.  Will you commit to:
1. Piloting a collaborative delivery model between HRM Parks & Recreation and local professional arts and culture organizations to increase arts and culture program offerings
2. Prioritizing arts education in schools by ensuring funds continue to be allocated through a Supplementary Education Funding Agreement between HRM and Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) and that such funds stay dedicated to arts education?
3. Increasing public event venue-use at Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) facilities for arts and culture programming by targeting staffing, funding and maintenance of such venues?

Mohammed Issa

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. I would be interested to learn more about what is trying to be achieved here.

Anita Kirkbride

1. Yes, especially if your programs catered to inclusion for people with disabilities.
2. I cannot say I commit to this without more information but I like the idea in principle.
3. I cannot say I commit to this without more information but I like the idea in principle.

Scott Maskell

1. Unanswered
2. Unanswered
3. Unanswered

Prathibha Narasimhan​

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

Aaron Rice

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

Jean St-Amand​

1. Yes
2. Yes - though as a data-minded individual, I'd like to see some additional reporting continue to come back to HRM to demonstrate the success and the reach of the program.
3. Yes

Goal Four:  An HRM where everyone can participate in thriving arts and culture activities.  Will you commit to:
1. Offering free public transit for major arts and cultural events, building off successful piloted efforts such as free transit for the first weekend in December, and chartered Halifax Transit buses for Nocturne and Juno Awards events?
2. Funding arts and culture organizations to improve financial accessibility of arts and culture experiences by reducing or eliminating admission fees for arts and culture events, programs, and activities?
3. Retaining and growing the creative and artistic workforce in HRM by developing affordable housing and live/work spaces for artists, and creating a Housing Task Force that includes artists, arts organizations, planners, and developers to define needs and propose viable economic models?

Mohammed Issa

1. Yes
2. I believe there are existing targeted efforts to achieve this, but I would be interested in working with provincial partners to ensure they are adequate.
3. Yes

Anita Kirkbride

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. I'm definitely in favour of working on the creation of more affordable housing, but I am not sure I can commit to prioritizing artists in those spaces.

Scott Maskell

1. Unanswered
2. Unanswered
3. Unanswered

Prathibha Narasimhan​

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Yes

Aaron Rice

1. If it were a major event certainly look at it.
2. Yes
3. Yes

Jean St-Amand​

1. Generally yes, but I won't say yes without a caveat that "major" is a subjective thing and I would like HRM to first establish transparent and clear parameters for applying such a policy so fairness and inclusion can be maintained.
2. As above, wherever possible and within the confines of what can reasonably be defined and share equitably by the city among programs vying for such assistance.
3. Yes in general. However we must be mindful of the careful balance of priorities with respect to affordable housing that HRM is already struggling.

How else do you commit to supporting and strengthening the arts and culture sector in Halifax, and improving the lives of the thousands of citizens who are arts and culture workers?

Mohammed Issa

I believe that it is very important for our youth to have the opportunity to explore arts and culture opportunities. It would be very important to me to work to ensure that arts opportunities continue to be available in Halifax. I would also like to mention that my business works on an immense number of art projects, particularly where arts and technology meet, such as Woody the Talking Christmas Tree and more. I think the arts is an economic driver and makes Halifax a great place to live and visit. I would be very interested to meet your group and learn more about how I can make Halifax a great place to be an artist. I also want to emphasize that while not all of my answers are yes above, it is important that we work to ensure our community organizations are independently operationally viable. We can see other provinces making huge advances in unique social financing opportunities, and Halifax needs more of this. Not only does it allow more resiliency in the sector, it also creates more community buy-in.

Anita Kirkbride

I do not have any further ideas on this as I am focused on improving transit, affordable housing and infrastructure for the time being.

Scott Maskell

Did not fill in survey

Prathibha Narasimhan​

I am committed to making sure the arts and culture sector in Halifax receives the recognition and resources it deserves. Complementing the above commitments, I'll be advocating for more municipal supports for arts festivals, expanding public art programs, and making sure arts and culture are part of Halifax's bigger plans for community development. The arts and culture should be at the center of what we are as a city, and I am committed to tireless work toward making that vision real.

Aaron Rice

Tackling transit issues so that we have a city that's more free flowing and easier to move. Changing the way we do things with public and active transportation.

Jean St-Amand​

I'm eager to se the inventory of performing arts spaces within HRM expended (without our means). I envision this being largely possible by creatively upscaling facility asset builds that are planned or forecast within HRM. When HRM is building a new building - as an example, a recreation facility that is forecast for the rapidly growing Bedford area - ensuring there is consideration and prioritization for the addition of performing arts spaces within such a build would not only expand opportunity for arts and culture but serve as an additional revenue-generating vehicle within such a space when it can be rented out by for-profit interests and help defray some of the operational costs associated with such an expanded purpose.

If there's anything else you'd like to tell us about your vision for arts and culture in Halifax, please use the space below.

Mohammed Issa

Thank you for the opportunity to answer, and I look forward to learning more about the coalition.

Anita Kirkbride

I realize my answers are non-committal and may appear as if I do not support the arts. I do support arts & culture work and I would be happy to increase funding in the ways outlined here if and when city finances are in a more stable and positive position. Until then I believe we need to spend our money on transit, housing and infrastructure first.

Scott Maskell

Did not fill in survey

Prathibha Narasimhan​

N/A

Aaron Rice

N/A

Jean St-Amand​

N/A