It's about time THE EXAMINER shone a brighter light into the dark corners of the goings on in the City of Launceston's Town Hall. This article is something that should have been 'in the paper' yonks ago.
Well the conversation, hopefully, has started albeit that clearly it is being kicked off heavily laced with spin rhetoric from Town Hall's 'MEDIA MACHINE'. If read carefully you'll learn quite a bit. So, be it!
IF you are a Launceston ratepayer, or indeed a Tasmanian taxpayer, or even a donor to the QVMAG over an extended time frame you really do need to pay close attention to what's going on at Town Hall related 'CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT'.
The Examiner is inviting you to have YOUR SAY, so you should. Otherwise the prospect of ongoing 'mushroom treatment' from Town Hall might be something you may need to get used to. You might want to ask the ELECTED 12 why they have seemingly abdicated any role they have relevant to all that is being flagged here?
A reconciliation action plan valuing and respecting Aborignal culture is one possible project in the City of Launceston council's Cultural Strategy.
The council said it was "long overdue" for Aboriginal Tasmanians to be acknowledged and their significance in modern day culture to be valued.
While none of the desired actions have been committed to yet, the strategy outlines possible actions to see the strategic focus areas come to life.
Another focus area aims to realise the potential of cultural place and assets by exploring further income generation opportunities at QVMAG, the Albert Hall redevelopment and a needs assessment on the city's performance infrastructure.
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Fostering creative practise is the third focus area of the strategy. The council said creative practice was an essential element of a culturally vital society. To achieve this, the council will consider developing an arts and culture grants policy and program using cultural outcomes as criteria for assessment. A cultural hub and a central place for artists and people to be creative is also a possible action.
Revealing cultural stories is the fourth focus area and could lead to developing a public art policy and program and investigate opportunities for the development of a multicultural community centre in the city centre.
The final strategy goal is to build and extend partnerships in order to deliver the greatest benefit from the cultural strengths of the Launceston community, with strong links forged between cultural institutions, the council said.
Supporting a cultural working group between the council, the University of Tasmania and the state government is one possible action from the council to implement the fourth focus area.
The five strategic focus areas are fundamental to achieving a "bold vision" for the city, the council said.
It aims to ensure Launceston is a dynamic place where people live meaningful and culturally vital lives, that are filled with stimulating activities, highlighted by aesthetically rich experiences and fuelled by curiosity. It also aims for Launceston to be a welcoming place which builds a better future by celebrating the rich cultural diversity of its people and recognising the stories of the past.
The strategy has been a work-in-progress for about three years, with the draft nearly ready to go to public consultation. The culmination of work originated in 2017 when Robyn Archer introduced the concept of culture to the council.
HAVE YOUR SAY:
EXAMINER editor@examiner.com.au
The four week-public consultation will complete the first stage of the strategy. Step two, within the first year, is to define the actions and the processes. Step three will be the implementation and monitoring of the projects, which will be an ongoing task.
Creative arts and cultural strategy network general manager Tracey Puklowski said it was determined that the council required a strategy to provide a vision and direction for Launceston as a culturally vibrant city and destination and to proactively leverage opportunities from cultural assets and the arts to realise untapped potential for the municipality and the region.
She said the strategy acknowledged the importance of engaging with cultural activity and creates a framework for the city by positioning cultural alongside economic, social and environmental policies.
"It creates a means for the city to maximise Launceston's unique cultural opportunities and aligns the city with national and international initiatives in the cultural space," she said.
The council is expected to vote to release the strategy to the public at its meeting on Thursday. The meeting will be held at 1pm at the Town Hall.
[END]
COMMENT: Clearly this Agenda item has informed THE EXAMINER'S article, so it is worth reading in order to extract a better understanding of THE EXAMINER'S reporting and what the community understands in regard to the issues canvassed here.
City of Launceston COUNCIL AGENDA P/74. Thursday 5 March 2020
CREATIVE ARTS AND CULTURAL SERVICES NETWORK ITEMS
ITEM 17.1 City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy FILE NO: SF3547
GENERAL MANAGER: Tracy Puklowski (Creative Arts and Cultural Strategy Network)
DECISION STATEMENT: To endorse the release of the City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy for public consultation.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: Workshop - 24 October 2019 - Our Place, Our People, Our Stories - City of Launceston Cultural Strategy Introduction and Discussion
Workshop - 20 February 2020 - Draft City of Launceston Cultural Strategy
RECOMMENDATION: That Council endorses the release of the City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy (ECM Document Set ID 4250311) for a four week period of public consultation.
REPORT: The City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy is the culmination of work that originated in 2017, when Robyn Archer AO introduced the Council to the concept of culture as the overall encompassing feeling that visitors and residents associate with their experience from a place. It was determined at that stage that a Cultural Strategy was required to provide a vision and direction for Launceston as a culturally vibrant City and destination and to proactively leverage opportunities from cultural assets and the arts to realise untapped potential for the municipality and the region.
After a review of previous work and extensive community and stakeholder feedback, a final draft document is now ready for community consultation. City of Launceston.
DRAFT STRATEGY: The City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy acknowledges the importance of engaging with cultural activity and creates a framework for the City of Launceston to act consciously in the cultural policy arena by positioning culture alongside economic, social and environmental policy areas. It creates a means for the City to maximise Launceston's unique cultural opportunities and aligns the City with national and international initiatives in the cultural space.
By identifying the City's cultural strengths, cultural opportunities and challenges and understanding the role of culture in building a sustainable future, the City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy clarifies the role of culture in Local Government and sets five strategic focus areas fundamental to achieving the following bold vision:
Launceston is a dynamic place where people live meaningful and culturally vital lives; filled with stimulating activities, highlighted by aesthetically rich experiences and fuelled by curiosity; and
Launceston is a welcoming place which builds a better future by celebrating the rich cultural diversity of its people and recognising the stories of the past.
The final step in the development of the Cultural Strategy is a four-week period of community consultation.
ECONOMIC IMPACT: The City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy asserts that a culturally vibrant community is an attractive place to establish and grow innovative businesses and build Launceston's brand as a place of effortless living and classic culture. Enhancing the City's cultural vitality will make the region a more attractive place to settle and raise a family, increase local engagement in cultural activities, and promote Launceston as a year-round cultural tourism destination.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: While it is not the role of a Cultural Strategy to directly address the impact of environmental change, the City of Launceston Draft Cultural Strategy acknowledges the leading role that Launceston's cultural institutions have to play in terms of raising awareness of environmental change and helping to build community resilience.
SOCIAL IMPACT: The Cultural Strategy will strengthen community pride and a sense of belonging, by leveraging Launceston's rich cultural assets. It also has a key role to play in positioning Launceston as a welcoming place that recognises and celebrates the benefits of cultural diversity. City of Launceston
Strategic Priority 2: We facilitate prosperity by seeking out and responding to opportunities for growth and renewal of our regional economy.
10-Year Goal: To have realised opportunities that grow and sustain our economy, and foster creative and innovative people and industries.
Focus Areas:
1. To actively market the City and Region and pursue investment.
4. To promote tourism, and the development of a quality tourism offering for Launceston.
Strategic Priority 4: We value our City's unique identity by celebrating our special heritage and culture, and building on our competitive advantages to be a place where people choose to live, work and visit.
10 Year Goal: To sustain and promote Launceston as a unique place to live, work, learn and play.
Focus Areas:1. To promote and enhance Launceston’s rich heritage, culture and natural environment.
BUDGET & FINANCIAL ASPECTS: Not considered relevant to this report.????
DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTS: The officer has no conflict of interest in this item.
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