Help shape the Fraser Coast Arts and Culture Strategy
Fraser Coast residents are being asked to help shape a new Fraser Coast Arts and Culture Strategy.
“Council is developing this strategy to set out the Fraser Coast vision for arts, heritage and culture for the next five years,” Mayor George Seymour said.
“We all engage in culture and the arts in some shape or form, and the arts and culture are at the heart of our personal and regional identity.
“To help create a strategy that reflects the aspirations, concerns and ideas from our community, we want to hear from as many people as possible from across our community, not just artists.”
To help spread the word that the new strategy is being developed, Council has also enlisted the help of volunteer Arts and Culture Ambassadors.
“The ambassadors will help spread the word and conduct conversations in the community to ensure as many people as possible know we are looking for feedback on a new Fraser Coast Arts and Culture Strategy,” Cr Seymour said.
The community engagement opens this week and closes on 7 July 2021.
Feedback can be provided by:
- Completing an online survey on the Council’s Engagement Hub page at https://frasercoast.engagementhub.com.au/arts-culture
- Filling in an ideas post card which can be obtained from libraries and other cultural venues;
- Hold your own community conversation by downloading a conversation kit from the Engagement Hub page.
Residents are also advised to stay tuned for opportunities to attend community conversations including an Arts Breakfast in July.
Council has engaged consultant Dr Sue Davis to develop a draft of the strategy and lead the engagement with the region’s creative community.
Dr Davis helped establish the Central Queensland Regional Arts Services Network and recently worked with the Sunshine Coast and Bundaberg councils to develop their Arts and Culture Strategies.
The project team is keen to foster consultation and engagement with the Butchulla Traditional Owners and Elders, and the wider Indigenous community.
Initial meetings have begun with Traditional Owner groups, Aunty Karen Hall is working with the consultant, and several Indigenous Ambassadors have come on board.
“Through our Arts and Cultural Strategy we want to recognise and support what is already happening, build capacity and resilience, make innovation easier and attract new creative businesses to the region,” Cr Seymour said.
“This will enhance the experience of living and visiting the region, continuing to strengthen Fraser Coast’s profile and reputation.
“The focus for our strategy is to encourage participation in the creative expression of culture, celebrate and honour our culture, contribute to community cohesion and resilience through culture, promote and innovate through culture.
“The Fraser Coast has a strong tradition of performing arts, visual arts, heritage and cultural experiences,” Cr Seymour said.
“Under our last strategy we were able to realise some excellent outcomes and projects, these included opening the Story Bank, an innovative heritage attraction that features the power of storytelling as well as the town’s connection to P.L. Travers, inception of ‘Lines in the Sand’ Literary Festival, making art activity packages available through the libraries, creative activities like ‘paint the skate bowl’ incorporated into key events such as Youth Week, the presentation of small community programming through ‘The Brolga Theatre Live @...’ and on-line Butchulla Language classes.
“People of all ages are drawn to these activities, so it is important that our cultural facilities are maintained and well used.
“Cultural activities are critical to help create a local identity and a sense of belonging, so we want to ensure the community has access to diverse culture experiences.
“Creative industries also contribute to the growth and diversity of our regional economy as our unique cultural events and character brings people to the region.”
For more information go to Council’s Engagement Hub https://frasercoast.engagementhub.com.au/arts-culture
CAPTION: Spreading the word … Arts and Culture ambassador Wendy Bennett (centre) with Councillor Jade Wellings and Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour is helping to gain feedback to create a new regional arts and culture strategy.