Cultural Plan

Vision

To be a community where culture inspires, engages and thrives.

Cultural planning in Oakville

Oakville’s approach to cultural planning has evolved over time in response to community growth, increasing diversity, and a changing cultural landscape. 

The Town’s first cultural plan, Enabling Culture to Thrive in Oakville: Oakville Strategic Directions for Culture 2009 (pdf), established a foundational framework for cultural development. It focused on building cultural infrastructure, introducing cultural mapping, and defining the municipality’s role in supporting arts and culture. 

Between 2010 and 2015, the Town made significant investments in cultural facilities and programming, including the development of the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre (QEPCCC). 

The Town’s 2016-2021 Cultural Plan (pdf) built on this foundation and marked a shift toward increasing participation, access, and community impact. The plan focused on engaging more residents, strengthening partnerships, and embedding cultural considerations across municipal planning and decision-making. 

Key priorities included:

•  Reaching and engaging the whole community
• Developing a public art program
• Leveraging the corporate art collection
• Investing in “cultural anchors” 
• Strengthening public and private sector partnerships
•  Increasing access to arts and culture in more facilities throughout the town
• Applying a “cultural lens” to all projects and programs

Culture Plan update 2027-2031 (in progress)

The Town of Oakville is currently developing a new cultural plan in collaboration with STEPS Public Art. Building on our past work, the plan will:

• Reflect current and future community needs
• Align with broader Town strategies and growth plans
• Identify opportunities to strengthen cultural infrastructure, programming, and partnerships
• Support a more inclusive, accessible, and connected cultural ecosystem 

The plan will be informed by research, community engagement, and input from community and cultural interest holders across Oakville. 

More information on opportunities to participate will be shared as the project progresses.