Ecentricarts founder wins prize for professional, volunteer activities

In April, The Banff New Media Institute awarded the 2004 Global Television Network Broadcast Communications Award to Michel Blondeau, new media producer and founder of Toronto-based ecentricarts inc. Blondeau will receive $5,000 toward participation in training and mentorship at Banff. While in Toronto recently, Canadian NEW MEDIA asked Blondeau about the prize. Canadian NEW MEDIA (CNM):What is the CanWest award given for? Michel Blondeau (MB):It’s awarded for exemplary achievement within your field that relates to network broadcasting and communications in Canada in general. Specifically, I think, why I was given the award was for my commitment to some social networks that we contribute to as a company, that I contribute to as an individual. That is, I think, that industry support and also kind of that pro bono stuff that we do - the stuff that you never see. CNM: Like what? MB: Like Raising the Roof is a big one, the daily food bank. So, that really comes out of the company, what they feel is important, the people who work here, what they’re involved in. In Toronto, homelessness is a big issue. We try to focus as much of our attention as possible, and reasonable, I suppose. I think that helps along with the fact that we’re a successful company and that we’re able to give back to the community as a community that we live in. I think a secondary thing is our commitment to the Canadian cultural problem, or opportunity, whatever that case may be. I think we like to work in this space. We believe that talking about it, defining who we are as a mix that changes all the time is a really important component. By being able to plug into a lot of our clients and how they perceive the public and the whole space of culture in Canada. Those are really important elements, as well. CNM: When I think about ecentricarts, that’s the first thing I think about, is that your clients are those who contribute to our culture but are not commercially viable. It’s non-commercial culture, which is the important culture. MB: I think so, and we talk about viable as meaning numbers and market mass. And, in Canada, just in terms of the way we’re constructed in terms of those who come to Canada as new Canadians, and those that exist and we’re regionalized and divided into so many different things, and I think it’s important to fund those different voices to see if they do find an audience. Of course new media has its own issues around what the business case is. It’s a bit of a natural. How does culture fit in the big scheme of things? How does new media fit in the big stream of things? Where are the tools that new media can supply to culture and diversity to make it a little bit easier for them to reach an audience, and define a longer-lasting voice? CNM: You talk about new voices...And it may just be my own ignorance, but what I see as big-C culture, traditional music, art - there’s a lot of white dead men represented in the stuff that I see online that you’ve designed. Where do the new voices fit in? MB: I think it’s tools to reach individuals who may have a different perspective in relation to the dead white men. Let’s talk about the Canadian Music Centre for a while. They have a lot of music that is new, that is not about dead white men, that’s really about reaching new audiences and new forms of communication, emotional communications through music. So, perhaps it’s that kind of thing. I also see our relationship with the cultural institutions as a mean basic in terms of promotion and marketing, and then allowing them to see where they can take it up to the next level. We haven’t seen where the germination of those ideas and influences and those cultural institutions will be in the future. That’s a bit of a long-term plan with ecentricarts and its relationship with culture - where might it go? I think that Canadian cultural audiences, too, are just learning to understand what their voice means in relation to these institutions. CNM: I guess we see it as odd that it’s CanWest that is behind this award. CanWest is not trusted by some in the producer community, let’s say. We know that it focuses on the bottom line, very much. We take a look at the debate that the National Post has engendered over ethics in the country. Forgive me, but this award seems somewhat out of synch with the public’s perception of what CanWest is all about. MB: I can’t really comment on that, Jeff. I see your point. I think the fact that it does exist and that it’s given to individuals who, perhaps, respect something larger says that they can conceivably have some level of awareness about how these things are happening across Canada. In terms of its own corporate mandate, that’s probably driven by other elements like bottom line and shareholders and stakeholders and that kind of corporate thing. Where this might be more of a recognition of a more, broader mandate as a good corporate citizen in Canada. CNM: Why did you get the award and not (partner) Keith (Durrant)? MB: That’s a good question. I think that I’m conceivably more public. I certainly play that role in terms of the company. Keith shares the award with me. I’m the guy who goes to pick up the awards, but certainly I never think of myself as the individual in the corporation who merits all the things. At the end of the day, I represent all the intellectual capital that’s here and I can stand up proud for that very reason - that it’s the staff and the people that are social networkers and supporters of their own communities and everyone deserves to take credit for that, as well. CNM: We were talking earlier about what the award actually is in that they’re going to give you something. What do those things mean to you? How will you be able to take the mentoring, for example, that’s part of the award and grow professionally, grow your business? MB: I think the first thing is to get together with the staff and talk to them about where the opportunities are, have them channel some ideas. I have my own ideas in terms of what we can do. So, it’s meant to move us forward as individuals and as a corporation into other areas, and then it may be that the end result is something that is another pro bono project for us. We’ll see where that goes. But, certainly, that would be part of that process, and then identifying who it is who can mentor us. I’ve already started to think about who it is that we may bring forward, and identifying the individual and some ideas and do that pragmatically and make sure we end up with success at the end of the day. I don’t see it as something that materializes very quickly, but something that maybe is a longer term effort so that we can really think our thoughts about it. Because, I think new media, the Internet, offers so many possibilities of being smart about it and making sure that we make the right decision to benefit Canada in the large Canada sense. CNM: It strikes me that you are talking about "we". Does this award mean anything to you individually as a professional in this field? MB: No. I am committed to the idea that if I’m successful, that others should benefit from that success. It never came to me that I was born this way. Rather, I look at it that this is for the long haul and that I need to give back, not to the same individuals who helped me, but rather to other individuals who are young and moving up. Maybe there’s some level of influence that will have to say, ok, that I inspire people to not take themselves for granted, to make sure that they’re giving back. It has its own returns personally, and then professionally as well, which is what profile like this is with the national awards and then maybe some people will find out about it. CNM: Ecentricarts is a unique company in Canada, focused as it is on the not-for-profit cultural sector. There are fears that the funding may run dry in this sector given that the new government is faced with lower surpluses - if it has surpluses - and has to put money into other areas of our economy. What is the future of ecentricarts if you continue to follow this path? MB: Yeah, let’s take arts in a really broad construct, that arts is - maybe it’s about creativity and innovation. And even then we have business clients who are more corporate, so they’re still creative, but maybe the box is a lot tighter, but you need to be more creative within that. In terms of that risk mitigation, what happens if that arts money runs dry - who knows if that will happen? It really is contingent upon the different layers of government to continue to promote that, and I hope that we give enough value to institutions that they see us as a viable, long term partner. But, our own kind of focus will probably be broader than culture and the arts. We’re starting to see some international recognition from the projects that we’ve created, so it may be that we start to move that agenda forward. The arts part will always remain a part of what we do, the style with which we approach things. But, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that the cultural arts field is it. It has a lot to do with paying salaries and making sure that the people who have contributed to the success of this company remain successful in their work here over the long term.

Ecentricarts founder wins prize for professional, volunteer activities

Broadcast | April 30, 2004

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