Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Minister and our other guests, for being here today.
Minister, just a couple of days ago I was at the sold-out fundraiser for the Art Gallery of Hamilton, which I'm sure you know is one of the biggest and best art galleries in all of the country. People were lined up down the street, dying to get in once they reopened during the pandemic.
I also recently visited a couple of TV shows that are being filmed in Hamilton. That's an industry that didn't shut down at all during the pandemic. All are very grateful for the supports from your department. I have also met with people who put on local festivals in Hamilton, who are also grateful for supports.
However, not everybody has recovered entirely from the pandemic. It's still difficult. Crowds have changed. People don't plan anymore. They don't buy their tickets to an event until the very last minute. It's very hard for music producers, for example, to know how many people or how much they can pay to put on their event. Everything has changed.
Could you reflect on that for us a little?
You mentioned that one of the first things you did in this session as minister was to hold a national seminar on the arts, culture and heritage. Tell us what you've heard from artists lately. What does the future of the arts look like in Canada?