ke ogs/sshrc - take two

This doctoral research project has two primary aims. First, to document and describe non state-based and non-corporate organizations which operate to promote photographic communication and photographic learning. De Cuyper (1998) and Braden (1983) each detail a rich history of community arts practice utilizing photography from late 20th century Britain. However, no comparable history of such practice in Canada exists at present. Through interviews and archival research, this project will begin to fill this gap by developing a history of community arts photographic practice in Ontario. The second aim of this research is to describe and define the social benefits, perceived and actual, of the activities conducted by these organizations. Given that photography-centered community arts practices exist in some form in most major Canadian cities (and in many smaller communities as well), it is apparent that a range of agents deem them of social value—both those who fund them and those who participate in them. By engaging in case study explorations of several arts-based practices, including field research in at least one community arts setting and with one visual arts cooperative organization, I intend to develop a theoretical framework that defines key activities, goals, and practices of community arts agencies and their participants. Doing so may be crucial to developing a strong policy position that argues for maintaining or increasing small-scale, autonomous, and community-supported initiatives such as these—particularly important in the face of continuously eroding funding for the arts (at least at the federal level) in 21st century Canada.