• I think, as has already been mentioned by a number of you, that we need to slow down, not speed up. This is a moment for really slow thinking and to be listening and to be doing deep listening. I like this concept that we use, again in Primary Colours. Instead of thinking of outreach and trying to convince people and tell them about how great the arts are, we need to do in-reach, we need to go into communities and listen to people, go where people are and understand what it is they understand about their cultures, plural. And their art practices plural. And after that process, maybe there's something to be said. 

- Chris Creighton-Kelly (1h03m05s)

A special edition conscient roundtable with Robin Sokoloski, Annette Hegel, Jai Djwa, Owais Lightwala, Sarah Garton Stanley (SGS), Max Wyman, Chris Creighton-Kelly and Claude Schryer

Key links

• https://createcanada.ca
• Save the Arts, Blow Up the Old Ways
• Does Canadian culture reflect Canadian identity?
• Controversy over lemmings painting exposes the real snowflakes at PEI veterinary college
• Primary Colours

Episode notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Acknowledge the ongoing nature of crisis and disruption, particularly in the arts sector
• Focus on deep listening and understanding the value of art within communities
• Deconstruct and pluralize the concept of Canadian culture, embracing multiplicity and diverse voices
• Recognize the importance of both large-scale advocacy and grassroots community engagement
• Seek out joy and connection as a means of addressing broader systemic challenges

Story Preview

What does it mean to be Canadian in a rapidly changing world? Artists and cultural leaders gather for a candid conversation about identity, purpose, and the future of art in Canada, revealing both anxieties and surprising sources of hope.

Chapter Summary

00:00 Introduction to Canadian Culture
03:34 Setting the Tone: A Moment of Silence
05:11 Reflections on Crisis and Opportunity
09:14 Navigating Cultural Identity and Reconciliation
12:49 The Role of Arts in Community Building
22:10 Art as a Source of Hope and Advocacy
30:10 Finding Joy and Connection in Art
39:00 The Long Arc of Change and Future Possibilities
55:11 Listening and Learning from Communities
01:08:01 Closing Reflections on Art and Identity

Featured Quotes

• Annette Hegel: We’re coming to the end stages of capitalism and colonialism and we’re all trying to kind of fumble in the dark, looking for new ways.
• Max Wyman: The crisis is not about the plight of the artist. I think it’s about what the artist can do to find joy, help people find joy and meaning and grace and courage in a world that right now doesn’t seem to offer much of that.
• Robin Sokoloski: Art is in the relationship.

Behind the Story

Amidst rising global tensions and a re-emerging sense of Canadian identity, Claude Schryer convened a diverse group of artists and cultural workers for an open discussion. Inspired by the Create Canada project and recent articles and media exploring the state of Canadian culture, the conversation navigates complex issues of decolonization, regionalism, and the essential role of art in building community. The participants grapple with defining Canadian values and finding actionable ways to foster a more inclusive and vibrant cultural landscape.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on January 9, 2026