CULTURE + CREATIVE CITY

Brent Toderian believes that culture and art is a 4th component of sustainability and progressive city-building, along with the economic, social, and environmental spheres. In Vancouver, he worked closely with Cultural staff in all aspects of cultural planning, policy and facilities design. He was an active leader in the Creative City Task Force, negotiated cultural facilities and features into proposed projects / designs, was instrumental in new approaches for integrating public art into building and public realm design, and helped develop new procedures and approaches for artist production space and artists live- work units. Brent often acted as a bridge between cultural and transportation experts in the integration of art and events into streets and the public realm, including street activations and installations like the “Picnurbia” street activation illustrated in the photo above.

In Calgary, Brent acted as an unofficial cultural manager in the Centre City before the position was ultimately created. The “Thriving Centre City” cultural and artistic policies and strategies in the Centre City Plan were some of the first integrated cultural policies in Calgary’s downtown. Brent also co-launched the development of a Creative Cultural “precinct” along Stephen Avenue pedestrian mall, aided by UK-based creative cities consultant Charles Landry.

Brent’s downtown revitalization strategies across Ontario and in NWT often included arts and culture, identity, branding, public life and public art strategies, as well as place-making initiatives. These contributed greatly to economic and civic revitalization.