The Independent Media Arts Alliance (IMAA) is a member-driven non-profit national organization working to advance and strengthen the media arts community in Canada. Representing over 100 independent film, video, audio, and new media production, distribution, and exhibition organizations in all parts of the country, the IMAA serves over 16,000 independent media artists and cultural workers.
The term media arts applies to all forms of time-related or interactive art works that are created by the recording of sounds, visual images, or use new technologies. These art works are creative expressions and encompass the fields of film, audio, video and computer, digital, and electronic art.
It is exhibited everywhere from art galleries to movie theatres, on the web and in public space. As technology progresses, artists are eager to use new tools to reflect the world around them. In the 1960’s, video technology was introduced and since then media art has grown to include digital and electronic media. Independent means that the artist initiates and is the driving force behind the work and maintains complete creative control over the work.
As part of the strategic planning process IMAA staff and board members reviewed the organization’s vision, mission, and core principles and determined that the organization lacked a clear vision, mission statement, and principles to guide our work. IMAA board members and staff worked with Ivy + Dean through in- person discussions and surveys to define the vision we have for our work and the future of the organization and sector, how we will achieve that, and the principles that will guide our approach.
STRATEGIC PLAN PRIORITIES
1. Building Capacity and Sustainability in the Sector
2. Setting Best Practices for the Media Arts Sector
3. Striving to be an Anti-Oppressive and Equity-Based Organization
4. Deepening our Connection and Building Trust with the Media Arts Community
SUMMARY OF GOALS
1. IMAA will advocate for, and assist in developing sector sustainability by continuing our communications, research projects, resource-sharing initiatives, and other projects.
2. IMAA will set the standard for good workplace conditions throughout the media arts sector by focusing on building capacity and sustainability.
3. IMAA will work towards operating within anti-oppression, disability justice, and anti-racist frameworks for all work between team, board members and membership.
4. IMAA will strive to meaningfully understand the issues that affect the Media Arts sector and increase communications with all cultural workers in order to deepen relationships and build trust throughout the sector.
GET INVOLVED!
To join a committee or to learn more about our activities, please contact Marilyne PARENT, Communications & Membership Manager at info@imaa.ca or (514) 522-8240.