Promote Kingston's Creative Industries sector and enhance its reputation through new and existing marketing campaigns that align with the Kingston Integrated Economic Development Strategy. Create a local campaign celebrating and showcasing our creative ecosystem and its resident artists. Engage in collaborative storytelling campaigns that support diverse cultures and histories in line with our strategies.
Creative Industries
Kingston's creative community is thriving, attracting artists and creative professionals. The city's strategic location and creative workforce make it a hub for the growth and innovation of various creative industries.
In April 2021, Kingston City Council approved a creative industries strategy to boost the local creative sector, particularly in film, music and theatre. Kingston's rich creative assets, like libraries and museums, position it well. Creative industries contributed over $137 million to the local economy in 2020, with over 1,300 people employed.
The strategy identifies Film, Media, Music, and Theatre as key focus areas for Kingston in the coming years. It also acknowledges the strength of literary and visual arts, heritage, and Indigenous culture in Kingston, providing a foundation for creative industries to flourish.
We encourage you to subscribe to our Arts & Culture Newsletter for updates on opportunities within the creative industries, including local artists and creatives, and important news.
Our strategy
The Creative Industries Strategy has two main parts, six topics, five support elements, and 15 proposed actions.
Build a creative industries narrative
Support emerging creative industries
We will take specific actions and make plans for areas like film, music and theatre to help the economy and support recovery after the pandemic. We will also work together more closely with economic groups and community partners to make things easier for the creative industries.
Offer business skills and training
We will partner with Kingston's innovation network to help creative businesses and entrepreneurs grow. We will include creative programs in existing services like workshops and educational programs to help artists turn their ideas into businesses. We will also investigate available funding programs for businesses and explore digital platforms to connect everyone in the creative industries.
Facilitate partnerships and collaboration
We will create a creative industry working group with members from different sectors to help develop Kingston's creative industries. We will also explore research funding with Queen's University and St. Lawrence College and build partnerships with other communities to share ideas and support our local creatives. We will maintain connections with other cities through the Canadian Creative Cities Network.
Identify, develop and make available sustainable spaces and places
We will make better use of libraries, parks, and public spaces in Kingston for creative industries, especially performing arts. We will also find places that can be transformed to help these sectors connect and work together more easily.
Support diversity and inclusion
We will do research to learn more about diversity in creative industries and make commitments to include everyone. We will also create ways to measure and report our progress on this.
Partner organizations
We are proud to collaborate with Kingston Economic Development Corporation and Tourism Kingston to support and create opportunities in the creative industries. Together, we are working on initiatives that include training, investment, job creation, business attraction and tourism. For more information, please visit:
Business support
If you are a creative business or entrepreneur seeking support, we can assist you in finding and using municipal programs, services and resources to enhance the success of your business.
Contact Us
City of Kingston
City Hall
216 Ontario Street
Kingston, ON K7L 2Z3
Canada
contactus@cityofkingston.ca
Phone: 613-546-0000
Fax: 613-546-7816
![](/media/g5xhnj12/land-acknowledgement.png?width=75&height=76&format=webp)
The City of Kingston acknowledges that we are on the traditional homeland of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee and the Huron-Wendat, and thanks these nations for their care and stewardship over this shared land.
Today, the City is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.
Learn more about the City's reconciliation initiatives.