Creative City Cultural Policy and Action Plan 2014 - 2024
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Cultural Policy Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Creative City Cultural Policy and Action Plan 2014 - 2024 August 2014 Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Section Contents 01 Lord Mayor’s Message 06 Priority 3: Sector sustainability: 54 02 Executive summary 08 surviving and thriving Vision What you said Summary of policy principles Critical success factors Summary of strategic priorities Actions Previously announced commitments 03 Background 14 Measurement approach and tools Sustainable Sydney 2030 Creative City 2013 Priority 4: Improving access, 72 Consultation process and engagement objectives creating markets What you said 04 Cultural Policy 16 Critical success factors Actions 05 2014 – 2024 Strategic Priorities 20 Previously announced commitments Foreword Measurement approach and tools Our approach Strategic Framework Priority 5: Sharing knowledge 86 Priority 1: Precinct distinctiveness 30 What you said and creativity in the public domain Critical success factors What you said Actions Critical success factors Previously announced commitments Actions Measurement approach and tools Previously announced commitments Priority 6: Global engagement 94 Measurement approach and tools What you said Critical success factors Priority 2: New avenues for creative 46 Actions participation Previously announced commitments What you said Measurement approach and tools Critical success factors Actions Previously announced commitments 06 Big Ideas 102 Measurement approach and tools 07 Appendix 103 08 References 115 Cover image: Art & About Sydney 2015, Golden Age Cinema & Bar More Human Than Human: Blade Runner / Image: Daniel Boud. Left: Sydney Festival 2014 / Image: Jamie Williams Creative City CulturalCreative Policy City Lord Mayor’s Message The City already fosters Sydney’s creative life through This is why we have developed our Creative City While money matters, ideas our support for major events and festivals, our grants policy. To help us do this we embarked on extensive can be more important. programs, our commitment to public art and our work consultation to find out how we could meet these to encourage small-scale activity. This commitment is responsibilities. We talked to residents, artists, Opportunities can sometimes backed by a financial contribution of more than $34 performers, arts administrators and the many people million each year to support the arts, culture and creative in our community engaged in creative and cultural be created out of little more activity. The nurturing of imagination and creativity is vital pursuits. This conversation was just as important as the than a fertile imagination and for great cities to thrive. Artists of all kinds bring our city policy itself. It has helped us better understand Sydney’s to life, help shape its identity and spirit, and give it depth cultural and creative character: what people value, where a determination to achieve. As and resonance. more should be done, what changes are needed, and what our priorities should be. It also uncovered some a city government, we have wonderful ideas and initiatives, which are included a responsibility to maximise in the action plan to implement the policy. This work complements the City’s Live Music and Performance these opportunities, and create Action Plan, a series of initiatives to reinvigorate the live-music scene in Sydney and support the musicians, an environment where ideas, audiences and community that value live music and imagination and creativity performance. I am confident that the Creative City policy will ensure a robust future for Sydney’s cultural life, and can flourish. We also have an maintain Sydney’s position as one of the world’s leading obligation to ensure that we creative cities. Clover Moore use our resources to effectively Lord Mayor encourage and support cultural and creative activity. Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Creative City Cultural Policy Executive Summary City Art, Allan Giddy Earth V Sky 2012 / Image: Jamie Williams Introduction Vision Sydney welcomes bold ideas, new visions and “Cities have a key role in unexpected connections The City’s strategic priorities emerge from the current Creativity in Sydney is visible fostering opportunities cultural landscape. In addition to the ideas, trends and The city is open to transformation and big ideas. Creativity is not measured only by the number and demographic information that informed the Creative City It harnesses the potential of new technologies and for poetic and sensory quality of our cultural venues and infrastructure. It is Discussion Paper, more than 2,000 voices have now recognises the importance of wit, surprise and the evident in the city’s street life, in expressions of creativity shared their perspective on what is working well, what unexpected in an urban environment. interventions throughout the in the public domain (and its virtual equivalents), and needs greater focus, and how the City of Sydney can in memorable precincts that offer a range of large- and Curiosity is encouraged and opportunities for urban environment. The key unlock the creative potential of its city and its creative small-scale activity, interaction and experiences. discovery are everywhere words here are participatory, community. Innovation is central to Sydney’s creative community Opportunities for discovery and learning are wholly multi-generational, unexpected The consultation process affirmed a number of the assimilated into the experience of the city and City’s existing commitments, particularly commitments Creativity is a prerequisite for innovation and critical to freely available. and often site-specific. The to Sydney’s major festivals and large-scale events, community wellbeing, economic strength and prosperity. its public-art program, its commitment to Aboriginal Sydney is a city that supports creative experimentation more people are part of the and Torres Strait Islander history and contemporary and innovation, and makes space for trial and error. expression through the Eora Journey project, its Sydney takes pride in its Aboriginal history, culture process – the more they will renewed focus on cultural infrastructure and workspaces and its contemporary expression be motivated to drive, lead and for artists, and the targeted initiatives like small bars and food trucks. Along with expressions of support for these The city’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories maintain cultural initiatives.” projects, we received a range of suggestions about how and contemporary cultures are unique, visible and a Submission, Powerhouse Museum to enhance their impact and provide opportunities to central source of cultural riches innovate or to increase their accessibility. Cultural experiences and creative opportunities are This document is in two parts: the policy itself which valued and accessible contains foundation principles, and a 10-year action plan Culture and creativity is evident in the habits, practices, which proposes a series of initiatives and investment leisure and recreation patterns of the community as part of across six priority areas. Included in the actions are everyday city life. Creativity helps our community express proposals that will support artists and cultural workers our shared values and negotiate our diverse beliefs. to live and work in Sydney: ideas that better connect the public to the city’s cultural life, and ideas that will Sydney’s diversity is prized and promoted assist everyone in the community to explore their own The Sydney community is proud of its rich immigrant creativity. Taken together, these individual actions are history and heritage, and the contribution of many intended to build the city’s cultural capability. Culture is communities to cultural diversity, openness and widely recognised as a major part of Sydney’s success tolerance. The city’s diversity brings rich cultural and global city status. We are geared to finding new expression and opportunities for social connection. ways for Sydney to build its ‘creative muscle’ so that creativity and cultural connections can help meet the challenges of urban living. Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Sydney2030/Green/Global/Connected Creative City Cultural Policy “We will dedicate specific funds within the Cultural Grants Program for creative activity that amplifies each precinct’s distinctive character and history or that animates the public realm with The Sydney Fringe, Circaholics Forum / Image: Diabolique Photography temporary creative projects” Summary of policy principles Summary of the strategic priorities • Extend the outdoor ‘lawn library’ initiative – taking • Investigate opportunities for the creation of a dedicated library and other community services into parks and large-scale workshop space to foster active community The City will: The actions below represent a sample from the public spaces, first trialled in Hyde Park during the 2014 participation in major cultural events such as Chinese proposed plan. A complete list of actions is included • Identify priorities and actions for the next ten years Sydney Festival New Year and Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and within each of the six priorities. through a strategic priorities plan. The plan will detail • Help cultural organisations and workers produce support access to small-scale industrial equipment for how all the City’s powers can support our vision, Precinct distinctiveness and creativity activities and events by streamlining event-approval start-up creative enterprise