Cultural Strategic Plan

What does the future of culture in Kamloops look like?

The City of Kamloops initiated the review and update of its Cultural Strategic Plan in fall 2022 to provide a blueprint for cultural development in Kamloops over the next 10 years. Last updated in 2003, the Cultural Strategic Plan identified many strategies and recommendations that have shaped the community we live in today.

On November 28, 2023, the draft You Are Here Kamloops Cultural Strategic Plan 2024–2034 was presented to Council and received Council’s support to move forward by presenting the draft plan to the community. The project team will return to Council in early 2024 to share any proposed amendments and seek adoption.

You Are Here Kamloops Cultural Strategic Plan 2024–2034 is a 10-year vision for Kamloops’ cultural sector and creative communities. Whether you are a creative entrepreneur, an artist, an event organizer, a venue operator, or someone who simply enjoys the cultural experiences our city has to offer, the plan offers strategic directions to support our local cultural sector's vitality and resilience and the city's livability.

Between June 2022 and September 2023, the following engagement activities took place:

• Community conversations - four sessions
• Community working group (key stakeholder representation) - three sessions
• Internal planning team workshops - two sessions
• You Are Here exhibition and cultural mapping research lab at the Kamloops Museum and Archives - 1,900 visitors
• Cultural survey - 487 responses

The draft plan outlines six strategic directions that emerged from community and stakeholder engagement:

• Strengthen tourism, social, and economic impacts through cultural development
• Improve arts infrastructure and invest in cultural capital
• Attract and support cultural workers and creative entrepreneurs
• Reduce barriers to arts access and cultural participation
• Celebrate and share stories of this place
• Animate spaces through creative placemaking

Read the draft You Are Here Kamloops Cultural Strategic Plan 2024–2034.

Short on time? Read the draft summary.