Answer:
Culture is our way of life. It includes our values, beliefs, customs, languages and traditions. Culture is reflected in our history, in our heritage and in how we express ideas and creativity.
Our culture measures our quality of life, our vitality and the health of our society. Through our culture we develop a sense of belonging, personal and cognitive growth and the ability to empathize and relate to each other. Direct benefits of a strong and vibrant culture include health and wellness, self esteem, skills development, social capital and economic return.
New Brunswick’s cultural policy renewal will address how culture is fostered, strengthened, recorded and preserved, and how our culture is expressed and re-interpreted. It will touch on how we experience culture in our lives, the role of the arts in creating a vibrant cultural community, our natural, human and built heritage, and the role of culture as an economic driver.
Culture in our Everyday Lives
Whether you attend a free concert in the park, visit a museum, attend a school play or sing in a choir, culture is present in many aspects of our daily lives. Culture is a key part of wellness and learning, and can play a role in healing and social development.
The Arts
Artists and arts organizations are central to the creation of works of art, cultural events and festivals, products and industries. Authors, theater companies, dancers, musicians, film makers, businesses or teachers, artists and arts organizations are at the heart of many of the cultural creations that we enjoy.
Our Collective Heritage
Our historic and contemporary buildings, museums, monuments, libraries, burial sites and sacred places, archaeology, artifacts and archives are all critical aspects in our culture and our heritage. Our living heritage – our traditions, customs and practices – along with our natural heritage, add to the legacy of our ancestors that are part of the identity and cultural life that we share.
Culture and the Economy
Creative industries and enterprises are extremely significant aspects of our provincial and national economy. Wealth is generated by cultural workers, small businesses, sole proprietors, non-profit organizations, media and marketing companies, and cultural tourism industries. The creative economy relies on skilled cultural workers to create new ideas, enterprises and industries. It also helps attract new immigrants and helps retain our present citizens.
