What is going on regionally and locally? The Regional Arts Fund 2015 report, Stats and Stories, argues that “against a background of rural and regional decline, population drift to the cities and Information sheet 05 the closing of major facilities, development through the arts is a means of stimulating regions”. Although different local Across the country, local government and regional governments use different organisations are focusing their attention on the arts definitions – some referring and culture as they plan for future development. to ‘arts and culture’ some to However, the majority of these plans focus on more ‘creative industries’ some to traditional notions of ‘the arts’ and ‘creativity’. ‘heritage’ – they all recognise Thinking more broadly about the creative industries the important contribution of is still relatively new in Australia, and there is a lot creative practices, innovation of potential to lead the way in championing an and expression to our culture inclusive, broad and innovative idea of creativity and development. and harnessing its value for the community and the economy. What’s happening in our region? • The City of Ballarat is currently in the Arts Strategy 2015-2017 Action Plan early stages of preparing a Creative City • In May 2016, Shire of Campaspe Strategy adopted the Arts and Culture Future • Mount Alexander Shire Council will be Directions Paper, which provides working towards a new Arts and Culture a framework for the delivery of Strategy following the completion of the Campaspe’s arts and cultural activities Greater Shepparton City Council Part of Greater Shepparton’s Council Plan The business case showed that the 2017-2021 focuses on the importance of new museum would lead to $58.1M in creativity and participation in arts and economic activity during the building culture for the development of the region. phase, and would create the equivalent of 181 jobs across the region. The Greater Shepparton Council has endorsed development of this important cultural hub the recommendations of the Shepparton Art is seen by the Council as an opportunity to Museum (SAM) Feasibility Study and business diversify the economy of Shepparton and case, committing to the development of lead to a more desirable, more liveable the $34.5M museum. The Feasibility Study set city. Investing in an iconic building also out the social and economic benefits the positions Shepparton as a city that values new art museum would bring to the region, design and a creative built environment. creating an extremely valuable asset which would be ‘more than a museum’. www.bendigo.vic.gov.au Case study: Opera Queensland ABC News reporter Bill Brown recently is a perception of hierarchy in which profiled Opera Queensland artistic director regional is in a junior position to the arts in Lindy Hume, who wants to break the ‘metro- metropolitan centres’. centric’ view of the arts sector, changing the Hume champions the need for creative mindset that regional arts is a poor cousin to equality and thinks regional artists have metropolitan productions. Hume explains in much to add to the national culture, the interview: ‘even the terms regional arts contributing some of the country’s most and regional artists are problematic because inspired producers. subtly implicit in their history and usage Arena Theatre Company moves to Bendigo! The Arena Theatre Company is relocating to Bendigo after operating in Melbourne since 1966. Artistic director Christian Leavesley told the Bendigo Advertiser after looking at other regional locations “Bendigo was by far the most attractive because of the culture that is already here. We felt we could slot in and do terrific work building on the great strengths that already exist here.”. The theatre company focuses on producing original productions with young people, and some of their work is world-renowned. Source: Creative Victoria Bendigo: Regional Centre for Culture 2018 Creative Victoria has announced the inaugural Regional Centre for Culture in 2018 – a cultural program inspired by the European ‘Capital of Culture’ initiative – and City of Greater Bendigo, along with other key cultural hubs in the region (Mount Alexander, Hepburn and Central Goldfields Shires), has been chosen. The program will include newly commissioned works by Victorian artists, new public events, large scale participatory arts projects as well as Artlands – Australia’s biennial regional arts conference and festival. Greater Bendigo has the opportunity to continue to promote its reputation as a cultural hub for regional Australia, bringing creative people and investment from around the country. Source: Creative Victoria www.bendigo.vic.gov.au.