From Leonard Cohen's darker legacy to art's obsession with dead young women, here are the culture conversations that helped define Canada

The Decade in Arts & Culture

As the 2010s come to close, we look back at a mix of your favourite stories and speakers. From Leonard Cohen’s darker legacy to art’s obsession with dead young women, here are the ideas, people, and conversations that helped define Canada



Photograph of a Woman Looking at a Leonard Cohen Themed Magazine Spread

The Darker Side of Leonard Cohen

BY MYRA BLOOM
How the myth of the male genius shields our cultural heroes from scrutiny



Illustration of a Man's Face above a City

Inside the Toronto Star’s Bold Plan to Save Itself

BY BRETT POPPLEWELL
Can Canada’s most storied daily convince readers that its brand of journalism is worth paying for?



Image courtesy of the artist and the University of Waterloo

The Age of Creativity

BY EMILY URQUHART
My father is a remarkable painter. And he’s done some of his best work in his eighties



Girls Contain Multitudes

BY HEATHER O’NEILL
Why is art so obsessed with images of dead young women?


How TIFF Helped Saved my Life

BY DANIEL SCOTT TYSDAL
I struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Movies provide comfort, human contact, and empathy



Multiculturalism Is Not the Real Story of Canada

BY TAJJA ISEN
Two new novels explore what it means to be Black in a country that prides itself on tolerance



Creativity Is a Waste of Time

BY JOEL FAFLAK
We should teach students not to fear failure, curiosity, and exploration




How Indigenous Filmmakers Are Changing Contemporary Cinema

BY ALEXANDER TESAR
For decades, Indigenous people have been calling for better representation on the big screen—and, in the process, making world class movies



Photo by selimaksan

The Rising Tide of Educated Aliteracy

BY ALEX GOOD
In the age of information overload, discussing books you haven’t read has become a badge of honour—and, for some, a profession



Illustration by Anoosha Syed

Inside the All-Consuming World of Paw Patrol

BY JASON MCBRIDE
How a made-in-Toronto cartoon about superhero puppies became a worldwide hit



Animation of Shooting Stars Coming off Blue Woman's Face

Madeleine L’Engle Taught Me the Universe Has Meaning

BY TARA HENLEY
The Wrinkle in Time author shaped my ideas on nearly everything, from family to illness


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The Walrus Staff