A Strategy for the Arts in Western Sydney New South Wales Ministry for the Arts and The New South Wales Government’s Office of Western Sydney November 1999 [logo} NSW MINISTRY FOR THE ARTS Level 23, Governor Macquarie Tower Tel: (02) 92285533 1 Farrer Place Fax: (02) 92284722 SYDNEY NSW 2000 TTY: (02) 92284869 Freecall: 1800 358 594 (NSW) Postal address GPO Box 5341 Email:
[email protected] SYDNEY NSW 2001 Website: www.arts.nsw.gov.au [logo} OFFICE OF WESTERN SYDNEY St Vincents Building Tel: (02) 96878499 University of Western Sydney Fax: (02) 96878522 Hawkesbury Road WESTMEAD NSW 2145 Email:
[email protected] Postal address Website: www.westernsydney.nsw.gov.au PO Box 207 WESTMEAD NSW 2145 The Office of Western Sydney forms part of the NSW Department of Information Technology and Management ISBN 0 7240 8875 X Cover designed by Hoy Cover photograph – Effi Alexakis FOREWORD Western Sydney is one of the great cosmopolitan regions in Australia. Around 30 per cent of its people speak a language other than English at home; 60 per cent of Sydney’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people reside there. It has a proud migrant and indigenous heritage. The wealth of arts and cultural activity in Western Sydney should not be underestimated. The region is home to numerous galleries, museums, festivals, professional and amateur performance companies, highly-regarded community based arts organisations and a diversity of traditional multicultural arts. The community- based arts networks are energetic and productive. More than a quarter of Sydney’s cultural and recreational workforce lives in Western Sydney - an important foundation for jobs, entertainment and tourism.