Development of Creative Together
In October 2018, Minister for the Arts, the Honourable Leeanne Enoch MP released Creating Queensland’s Future: 10-Year Roadmap for the arts, cultural and creative sector in the first stage of consultation.
Queenslanders were encouraged to have their say on the future direction of arts, culture and creativity in Queensland.
Initial consultation was held from October 2018 to April 2019. Further targeted consultation was conducted in late 2019, and from March to June 2020, following the impact of COVID-19.
How Queenslanders got involved
A number of consultation strategies were employed to ensure the widest representation and participation.
What we heard
Participants told us about the importance of arts, culture and creativity in their lives, communities and to Queensland as a whole. We heard about the challenges Queenslanders face in engaging in creative experiences and the types of support needed to address these barriers. We also heard about where changes need to occur to amplify the role arts, culture and creativity plays in Queensland’s future. Discussion with the Sector following COVID-2019 have highlighted the challenges experienced, relief measures required and the new opportunities that have emerged.
Summary of what we heard:
- Grow First Nations arts: Greater involvement of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander people in leading strategy and more focus on sustaining and growing First Nations arts industries across Queensland
- Foster partnerships with other sector: Support and access to cross-sector partnerships that leverage the arts to address issues in other sectors including health, mental health, tourism, communities and ageing
- More creative opportunities: Access to more creative opportunities for Queensland children and young people including arts in education
- Share our stories: Invest and present stories and cultural product that reflect all Queenslanders and their experiences
- Preserve heritage assets: Greater support to Queensland’s heritage assets and the role they play in creating community identity and attracting visitors
- More opportunities in regions: Increase opportunities in regional communities to engage in the arts as audience members and participants
- Strengthen capability: Strengthen the capability of Queensland’s sector to adapt and change, develop career opportunities and pathways in the state, access affordable spaces and build resilient sustainable businesses
- Advocate: Promote and advocate the value of arts, culture and creativity more broadly.
What people said in their own words
Position Queensland as the leading Australian state in the development of new Australian work, especially of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories (Written Submission).
I think the arts are the thing that create our community. It gives us our identity, reflecting our unique and diverse culture and drawing us together and connecting us to one another. (Sector survey respondent)
Arts companies need to be encouraged to be responsive to audience tastes and interests. (Public survey response)
Promote the importance of arts and culture as a positive asset with which one can measure Queensland's overall value - alongside our rich mineral and ecological resources, and tourism assets. A community which embraces and engages with its arts and culture is a rich, innovative, and productive community. (Sector survey respondent)
You have a dynamic, flexible and creative workforce when focused creativity is taught in school when young. Arts education is extremely important for increasing the capacity of workforce. (Sector survey respondent)
We need to be able to articulate our impact to get the corporate sector rallied behind arts more broadly. It is our belief that once they really understand our impact, they will see the opportunity to align with us. (Written submission)
As communities seek to find ways to keep regional centres vibrant and attractive for both visitors and locals – the role and value of arts in these micro economies comes to the fore. (Written Submission)
More thoughtful and energetic use of the assets that we have – innovative repurposing of spaces to allow for production of arts, the clash of ideas in spaces such as libraries or civic centres. (Written submission)
We need to develop better ways of reaching every Queenslander and taking the arts to every corner of Queensland to ensure that those living in regional and rural areas have access to the arts and all they have to offer. (Written submission)
More professional development opportunities in the sector to build capability in the business of the arts in areas including marketing/audience/brand development, sponsorship and philanthropy. (Written submission)
….think more about the sector as an interconnected web, of which the government is but one part, and private sector is another, and other industries such as technology, science, social services and sport are others. (Written submission)
The sector has a uniquely Queensland voice and First Nations stories and people have a leading role within it. (Written submission)