Wednesday March 18, 2026 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
A new Arts and Culture Development Strategy was presented to City of Langford council at their regular council meeting on Monday evening, March 16.
The consultant’s presentation was about 50 minutes long, followed by about 25 minutes of comments by council members.
There will be a second round of public engagement in the coming weeks.
First strategy:
This is the first Arts and Culture strategy proposed for City in its 34 year incorporated history. Until now, it has evolved here and there in response to economic demand by some businesses or haphazardly based on spontaneous leadership from within the community.
Putting a strategy in place is intended to assure more stability and continuity to the development of arts and culture in the growing Langford community. In part this recognizes a changing composition of population not just an increased number of people. More young professionals are choosing Langford to call home and young adults without families. Seniors who hope to age in place in Langford aren’t necessarily in older larger homes.
Four objectives:
Objectives of the new arts and culture strategy are listed as:
- 1 – Everyone can access the arts.
- 2 – Cultivate a thriving creative economy.
- 3 – Chamption arts and culture.
- 4 – Create more arts and culture spaces, both indoors and outdoors.
Council discussion:
Various aspects of the arts and culture strategy presentation were commented upon by council on Monday evening.
Councillor Mary Wagner was concerned that a long-standing push for a performing arts centre in Langford seemed to be reconsidered with a much lower priority. Staff and consultant explained that in the current economic situation there is no available provincial or federal support funding to make possible a full scale performing arts centre.
The consultant’s presentation outlined how existing spaces could perhaps be better identified and more reliably accessed, instead of expecting all arts to happen in one location. Some of those spaces were itemized by staff as including the Royal Roads building in Langford, the school theatres at Belmont Secondary and Spencer Middle School, Starlight Stadium, and various gymnasium spaces.
Councillor Mark Morley specifically wanted to know if the North Langford Secondary School (yet to be constructed) would be included on the theatre opportunity list.
The consultant’s presentation also noted how there are generational shifts in the expectation of arts and culture participation. Sitting in theatre seats might be outmoded compared to interactive and outdoor arts experiences.
Councillor Lillian Szpak said at Monday night’s meeting that she appreciated the evidence-based approach of the consultant’s presentation, including a timeline perspective on whether or when to become involved with the Capital Regional District (CRD)’s arts and culture program at a cost to Langford taxpayers.
Szpak felt that “bricks and mortar will come” for a performing arts space. However, she noted that an amphitheatre facility proposed for Bear Mountain has seen no progress.
Councillor Colby Harder delivered her observation that Langford is becoming more multicultural and sees Langford as becoming “a creative city”. She wondered if the arts and culture strategy had considered street performance or busking. She highlighted the transportation aspect of accessing the arts, ideally that walking or taking transit short distances to events would be possible.
Councillor Kimberly Guiry (who currently also chairs the Westshore Parks and Recreation Society which serves five west shore municipalities) asked for a definition of of ‘creative placemaking’ and ‘pride of place’. She spoke about maintenance of older homes (with an eye to heritage designation), community beautification, and installations like murals.
Mayor Scott Goodmanson says he sees arts in Langford growing from a grassroots level. He would want to see people get involved and then see it grow — for both distinct activities and activities as well as indirect impacts of the arts. He noted the somewhat intangible but powerful value of 3-D public art like sculptures or other installations that people might suddenly happen upon.
Langford Station:
A few year ago, starting The Langford Station arts and culture district in the town centre area has given emerging businesses a place to launch their arts-based enterprises.
Langford will hold lease fees at the same level for the next three years, as a way to encourage more vendor participation.
Reader comments:
Reader comments on arts and culture in Langford are welcome. Email to letters@islandsocialtrends.com or post comments in the Island Social Trends section in Bluesky.
===== NEWS SECTIONS: LANGFORD | MUNICIPAL & CIVIC