Case Study
Supporting the digitalization of communications in the cultural sector
The Fédération culturelle canadienne-française (FCCF) is an Ottawa-based organization whose mandate is to represent, defend and promote Canada’s Acadian and Francophone cultural sector. Founded over 40 years ago, the association speaks on behalf of its 21 members – all organizations with provincial, territorial or national reach – and their own members.
La bande numérique, launched in 2022 with funding from Canadian Heritage, is one of many initiatives spearheaded by the FCCF for the benefit of its members and the cultural sector as a whole.
The Storyteller has served as a digital advisor to the project since its launch, supporting organizations through their communications and digital transformation.
Overview
La bande numérique is an initiative aimed at supporting representatives of the Francophone arts and culture community evolving in a minority setting with their digital transformation. Following the pandemic, it became clear that cultural organizations needed to accelerate their digital adoption to become more effective and adapt to the evolving realities of the communities they serve.
The coaching program offered to FCCF members and their respective members begins with an extensive self-assessment of each organization’s digital knowledge and practices. This is followed by an in-depth analysis process with the digital advisor, who then develops a personalized action plan. The organization then benefits from monthly meetings to support the implementation of that plan, with specialists brought in as needed. A robust training calendar rounds out the support offer.
This approach aligns perfectly with our “inside-out” communications transformation philosophy: before optimizing external communications, we help organizations take stock of and evaluate their internal practices, processes and capacities.
Our multidimensional support
Individual coaching
Since 2022, The Storyteller has provided ongoing coaching to close to thirty organizations participating in La bande numérique. At the heart of this work: building a relationship of trust that deepens over time, one conversation at a time.
While many organizations seek advice on their digital communications strategies and tools, we also provide support, ideas and guidance on other digital topics as well as governance: project management, collaboration, data collection, security and privacy, innovation and eco-responsibility.
Training
Close to ten training sessions and discussions on various communications topics — including sustainable marketing, responsible communications, communications planning, web writing and digital marketing — have been offered by The Storyteller to the wider La bande numérique community as well as to cultural organizations from across Canada.
Given the sector’s growing interest in questions of equity and environmental responsibility, our expertise in ethical and sustainable communications has been particularly well received.
Communications Advisory Services
In parallel with our regular coaching, The Storyteller also acts as a communications expert on specific projects identified by participating organizations. To date, we have co-created or delivered close to ten personalized communications plans and strategies, enabling several organizations to develop an official communications plan for the very first time. We also support organizations with their internal communications, collaboration and governance challenges, as well as editorial strategies, websites, fundraising campaigns and broader marketing questions.
Strategic contribution to the project’s evolution
Since joining La bande numérique, The Storyteller has contributed in various ways to the project’s development, offering ideas and optimization suggestions informed by the sector’s needs. In 2025, the FCCF also entrusted us with producing La bande numérique’s progress report, a testament to the confidence placed in our deep understanding of the project and its impact on the Francophone cultural ecosystem.
We’re pleased to share that the project’s funding has since been renewed by the Government of Canada — La bande numérique continues its work to strengthen the sector’s digital practices.
Measurable impact
For The Storyteller, truly understanding the realities, needs and capacity of each organization is essential to developing an action plan that is both practical and realistic — one that organizations can continue to build on independently once their program is complete. Many organizations have spoken to the quality of the coaching and action plan they received, and plan to continue advancing their digital adoption on the basis of our recommendations.
Concrete results include:
- Transformed communications practices: Several organizations have improved the reach and results of both their online and offline communications, and have made meaningful strategic adjustments to their existing approaches
- Stronger internal capacity: Organizations have gained confidence in managing responsibilities they didn’t always have the expertise for, given the breadth of their work and available resources
- Knowledge building: Training sessions have raised awareness of key communications issues and helped to strengthen participants’ knowledge, skills and practices
- High satisfaction: Surveys conducted by the FCCF following each training session and coaching engagement have consistently shown particularly high participant satisfaction
Our collaborative approach with associations
The Storyteller works with numerous associations, federations and networks that seek to offer coaching, advisory services and training to their members and the organizations they represent. This collaborative model creates a win-win-win dynamic: the association delivers a valued and useful service to its members, those members gain access to expert advice at little or no cost, and The Storyteller benefits from the long-term nature of the engagement to deepen its understanding of the organization and its sector.
This long-term partnership model allows us to become a true strategic ally rather than a one-off service provider. Our deep familiarity with the Francophone cultural sector and its specific challenges enables us to offer genuinely tailored support — and greater added value as the relationship grows.
La bande numérique story illustrates our conviction that successful digital transformation begins with strengthening internal capacity: clear processes, a well-equipped team and sustainable practices, before investing in sophisticated external tools.
