Creative communities, optimising the opportunities for your place and people
The arts, culture and creative industries sector in NSW has the largest creative workforce in Australia. The 2021 census showed that the arts and culture sector workforce in Western Sydney alone is 8.8% of the workforce with a significant increase expected once the creative industries sector is included.
The creative industries are an important part of the economy, accounting for a fifth of services exports and 10% of the state’s workforce and with great potential to grow. Australia is facing a big issue with our creative trade – for every dollar we make by selling creative stuff, we end up spending eight dollars on importing similar things. This deficit shows the potential growth that the arts, culture, and creative industries could have to bring in a lot more money and boost our economy as well as the profile of the sector.
To support this growth opportunity, the 'Creative Communities Policy was introduced by the NSW Government late last year to maximise the opportunity this sector presents and enhance the cultural and creative sectors. The Policy emphasises five core principles: prioritising culture, embracing the arts, advocating, supporting sustainable growth, and promoting global creativity.
A cross departmental approach
The policy cuts across a broad range of NSW departments and agencies contributing to building cultural activities, capacity and opportunities in NSW. Destination NSW, the Tourism agency for NSW for example will focus more on cultural experiences according to the policy, evolving beyond the Sydney Harbour Bridge and promoting the neighbourhoods, cities and towns and their unique stories. The policy pushes beyond the city into suburbs and regional NSW with commitments of festival support and working with local councils to reduce the authorisation and permit red tape. There is also a commitment to review the Entertainment Act to identify ways to strengthen the support for festivals including venues and people working in the sector. Interestingly, the Policy calls for a change to the way we measure visitors' investment to include not only what people do when they’re in NSW but also the quality of their experiences. Put into practice this means evaluating activities such as events, concerts and art shows to include outcomes of belonging and connectedness rather than just bums on seats.
Public Good
According to the Policy, culture is the fabric of life and the right to participate in arts, culture and creative industries is a fundamental human right. In doing so the Policy refers to culture being a public good - essential to community wellbeing and the key to belonging. Public goods are commodities or services that benefit all members of society and are provided free by the Government sector. This can include things like infrastructure like libraries or education. Public goods don’t lessen in supply when we consume them, meaning everyone can have access. In fact under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Article 27 declares “Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.”
While arts and culture contribute to our personal sense of belonging amongst others, we can't forget the economic benefit and the contribution the sector has to the vitality and sustainability of regional towns and major cities alike. The latest research from the Bureau of Communications, Arts and Regional Research shows creative and cultural activities contributed over $122 billion to our national economy in 2019-20.
Regional NSW application
For regional centers, the NSW Government plans include the creation of a regional arts, culture, and creative industries strategy by late 2024 to achieve this focus. Commitments for regional areas include supporting a regional touring network, and establishing four new regional creative industries/artist workspaces over the next four years.
This new spotlight on arts, culture and creative industries is great and welcomed, however to maximise the benefits for your place you need to be ready and prepared to link in with the key outcomes of the NSW Government. Being able to connect the dots from this policy into your place plans are key to achieving positive outcomes across the state.
As up to date experts in this sector, the Sparrowly Group team have constructed a quick checklist to help you maximise the opportunities in this Policy.
1. Check your current plans and strategies:
Do you have an arts and culture strategy? Does it need updating? Think about where the creative sector sits in economic development plans currently or in the community strategic plans.
If it isn’t included in any current plans, identify how you can make it an area of focus if appropriate for your place, or how you can be ready to leverage opportunities.
A simple example of this is Orange 360 leveraging this through their visitor website.
2. Understand where the strengths currently lie in the arts, culture and creative industries:
Audit your arts and culture product. Make connections and look for natural synergies and groups that already exist and nurture their development.
Identify gaps and which opportunities should be pursued in line with place and sector strengths.
Understand your value proposition - what makes your place unique and competitive?
Look for opportunities to grow and empower local talent either through funding local activations that community and visitors can engage with.
Identify ways for the community to be involved through areas including education programs, curations or performances.
Penrith City Council Penrith Regional Gallery has a large number of public programs available for locals to connect with arts and culture and also to learn new skills.
3. Build Partnerships
Work with your Regional Art network in your area to identify ways to leverage one anothers programming.
Look to ways to nurture and build partnerships or connections fostering networks within the industry.
Look outside your local government area to build strong partnerships across destinations, remembering that visitors are willing to travel. A neighbouring destination may have complementary products or may be able to fill a gap you have.
Artists trails are a good example of this like the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail in the Sutherland Shire.
4. Engage with First Nations Artists
Engage with First Nations arts and creative creators to understand their specific needs and expertise in the realm of arts and culture.
Actively promote First Nations art and culture through public campaigns, exhibitions, and events to raise awareness and foster appreciation.
Ensure representation of First Nations artists in cultural policies, decision-making bodies, and public art projects.
Identify ways to financial support through grants, scholarships, or funding programs specifically designed for First Nations artists.
Identify and broker further ways to connect local First Nations artists to opportunities including partnerships, funding and advocacy.
The Kew-Y-Ahn Aboriginal Gallery (pictured above) is a gallery exhibiting work of Aboriginal artists of the Central West NSW, located at Hartley Historic Site east of Lithgow. The project is a partnership between Arts OutWest, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the NSW Department of Environment and Heritage. It is a great example of partnership projects that can be achieved.
5. Advocate for your community
Be an advocate for your place. Understand your strengths and also your areas of potential. Be prepared and informed so you can approach and engage with the government in meaningful and strategic conversations. These conversations help inform funding and program design.
Read the Policy and understand where your place fits in with the policy and where your leverage points are. Understand in particular what your events, festival and outdoor dining application and permit process looks like now to understand what changes could make it better for business and event owners. Start by talking to past event organisers, live music venues and local businesses to understand their pain points to know your ways forward.
