Yellowhead communities will only grow if their creative roots are nurtured, Hinton Mayor Glenn Taylor told a gathering of municipal politicians and representatives of arts and culture organizations.  

Meeting against the backdrop of the Yellowhead Rotary Arts Festival in Hinton last weekend, the informal group gathered to discuss forming a regional body dedicated to developing and promoting arts and culture.

“We need to use this opportunity to network and build connections regionally,” said Taylor, who is “personally committed to formulation of a regional initiative among the communities of Grande Cache, Hinton, Jasper and Edson.”

Taylor pointed to the annual arts festival as a possible vehicle for a regional initiative, but Joan Udell, YRAF executive director, said in an interview that a permanent, funded organization is needed to co-ordinate arts and culture activities in the region.

“We can’t continue to do these things on the backs of volunteers,” Udell said. 

Taylor quoted from Richard Florida’s book ‘The Rise of the Creative Class’ which asserts that “human creativity is the ultimate source for economic growth.” 

“Hinton Town Council is committed to supporting our creative community as well as our strategic initiative to build regional partnerships,” Taylor  said.

“We must work collaboratively on a regional basis to share, support, achieve and appreciate what each of us has and what we could be together.”

Taylor noted that Hinton formed a Council for the Arts about nine years ago and said  “we would be willing to share our learnings with anyone in the region.

“Perhaps we could help others avoid some of the challenges we faced and at the very least share our successes and failures, along with our experiences, with those who are looking to form similar groups.”