Edmonton Journal arts reporter / Alberta novelist Todd Babiak published an article today titled "Don't spin oilsands, deploy artists." In this piece he comments on a $25 million provincial advertising campaign aimed at improving perceptions about oil sands development among U.S. policymakers and poses an alternative: investing in a cultural diplomacy program instead as a way to bolster the province's reputation. Here's a brief excerpt and a link to the full article:

"Alberta's authors, dancers and puppeteers wouldn't shill for the province in any way; simply through their work, and the way their work represents a civilized, cosmopolitan, interesting and modern province, they will counter Alberta's burgeoning national and international reputation as a sludge pit."

DEMOS has a project and a publication on cultural diplomacy that serve as great reads for anyone interested in the subject.