NSW Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy Creative Communities

As the state’s largest independent arts festival, we’re thrilled to see the NSW Government launch the Creative Communities 10-year arts, culture and creative industries policy.Our CEO & Festival Director ensured independent artists were deeply imbedded in the policy via her role on the Ministerial Advisory Panel that helped shape the policy. Here are Kerri Glasscock’s thoughts on the new policy:

“So much expectation sits around the creation of the State’s first Arts, Cultural and Creative Industries Policy. As a sector we have been calling out for change for longer than many of us can remember. Cultural leaders have come and gone, multiple Government Inquiries have taken place, we’ve participated in what has felt like endless consultation, we’ve weathered lockouts, a global pandemic, natural disasters and more disruptions than we thought were possible.

Resilience, flexibility, innovation, compassion, passion, grit our sector has this in swathes and for too long have had to rely mostly on this alone. We’ve called for systematic change that would acknowledge our contribution, value our expertise and enable our growth. Change of that scale needs to start with intention. Creative Communities draws a line in the sand that clearly states for our State, there is now an intention to support, enable and magnify across all of Government. It cannot be overstated how monumental this shift is. This is not just a policy that throws a desperate sector a few token gestures. It is a commitment to value, to treasure and to fundamentally imbed arts, culture and creative industries into our everyday lives. To ensure that every citizen in NSW can participate from cradle to grave.

This is a long view lens that has the potential to see a radically different environment in 5-10 years than the one we have now, opening up opportunities we may never have dared to imagine were possible. It is difficult to lift out of the today, to dream beyond the now after years of neglect, and with many of our organisations, venues and companies at crisis point but I would encourage you to take a moment to sit in the bigger picture on this one.

We have an opportunity to now work hand in hand with all of Government to build a new approach to how we work, create and generate.

Importantly this policy acknowledges that inequities have been prevalent, the sector has been heard, and not just a few members, all of the sector. It says it in the name, Creative Communities acknowledges that community is at the heart of all cultural practice and must be the focus if we are to authentically and properly grow a healthy sector that can deliver the aspirations of the policy. Our artists and our people need to come first, they need safe, stable places to work and they need to be able to participate when and where they want, in the way they want.

This policy is an invitation from Government and for it to truly succeed the sector needs to lean in as an equal partner. Will it take some work? Yes. Will it be worth it? I truly believe so. The NSW sector is nothing if not driven, tenacious and up for a challenge. The power of the collective has been well demonstrated here in NSW and if any State can pull this off it’s going to be us. This policy gives us a chance to once again dream a little and the opportunity to help build the pathways to see those dreams come to fruition. It is a commitment; it is an indication of change and an invitation to transform.”

Read the full policy, click here.

With thanks to:

Bankstown Poetry Slam, Darren Dale, Blackfella Films, Kerri Glasscock, Louise Herron, Sydney Opera House, The Sydney Fringe, Ross Rudesch Harley, Michael Dagostino, Sara Mansour, Kylie Kwong, Jonathan Zawada, KLP, L-Fresh the LION, Nakkiah Lui, Rachel Neeson, Romance Was Born, Liane Rossler, Julianne Schultz, Khaled Sabsabi, Julia Finn, Create NSW, Sound NSW, Screen NSW, Annette Pitman, Mark Crees, Kyas Hepworth, Emily Collins, Powerhouse, State Library of New South Wales, Art Gallery NSW, Australian Museum, University of Sydney, Anna Burns, Heath Aston, Lizzie Butterworth, Angud Chawla, Grace Cramer.