The Presumption of Culture: Structure, Strategy, and Survival in the Canadian Cultural Landscape

Christine Hughes is a policy analyst at the Ontario Native Affairs
Secretariat.

As the arts and cultural sectors in Canada continue to be attacked by
federal and provincial governments anxious to reduce deficits and
balance budgets, Henighan’s book provides timely and thought-provoking
analysis of how far the arts in Canada have advanced since the 1950s,
what is in store for Canadians if cutbacks to cultural institutions
continue, and how the arts and cultural industries in Canada might be
preserved.

The book suggests ways in which Canadian culture can be protected and
enhanced. Henighan argues that there is a pressing need in Canada for a
total “revisioning” of its art policy, but

that changes must be made consistent with the reality of existing
governmental structures and fiscal concerns. To do this, he proposes a
seven-point strategy ranging from creating two new ministries—one for
Culture and one for Mass Communications—to decentralizing cultural
funding and administration.

In defining culture, Henighan makes a distinction between
“aesthetic” (high) culture (e.g., Bach and Shakespeare) and
“entertainment” (low) culture (e.g., the Beatles and Star Wars). He
ar-gues that culture is a social necessity that should be supported by
the state in various ways, including public funding. Indeed, the major
theme of the book is that if Canada stops supporting its culture, it
will jeopardize its survival as an independent nation. Henighan warns
that Canada’s national vision, as shaped by its aesthetic culture, is
being threatened by the “universal entertainment culture,” largely a
product of the American industry. He also offers solutions to the
question of funding for arts development and proposes a new educational
approach to promoting arts and culture in Canada.

Readers engaged in research of their own will appreciate Henighan’s
in-depth work, as detailed in 16 pages of endnotes.