HUME CITY COUNCIL ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY … · for creative use • Harness the opportunities presented in a rapidly changing cultural, social, economic and environmental landscape

HUME CITY COUNCIL ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY DISCUSSION PAPER 2019 www.hume.vic.gov.au

I am some Chlorine2, 2016Bonnie Hanlon

2 HUME CITY COUNCIL Arts and Culture Strategy - Discussion Paper 2019

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF TRADITIONAL OWNERS

Get a Grip, 2016Shay Downer

Hume City Council recognises the rich Aboriginal heritage within the municipality and acknowledges the Gunung-Willam-Balluk of the Wurundjeri as the Traditional Custodians of this land.

Council embraces Aboriginal living culture as a vital part of Australia’s identity and recognises, celebrates and pays respect to the existing family members of the Gunung-Willam-Balluk and to Elders past, present and future.

HUME CITY COUNCIL Arts and Culture Strategy - Discussion Paper 2019 3

HUME CITY COUNCIL ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY DISCUSSION PAPER 2019CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION 4

2 ARTS AND CULTURE TERMS AND DEFINITIONS 4

3 CONTEXT 5

ABOUT HUME CITY 5

WHAT IS COUNCIL’S ROLE IN ARTS AND CULTURE? 5

ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR 6

ARTS AND CULTURE IN HUME CITY 6-7

TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR 8

COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021 9

THEME 1 - A WELL-EDUCATED AND EMPLOYED COMMUNITY 10

THEME 2 - A HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITY 11

THEME 3 - A CULTURALLY VIBRANT AND CONNECTED COMMUNITY 12

FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS - ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY DISCUSSION 13

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS 13

NEXT STEPS 13

1. INTRODUCTION


Hume City Council is developing a new Arts and Culture Strategy. Council is seeking input from the community and the arts and culture sector to guide the creation of this document.

The Strategy will build on Hume’s unique cultural assets and identify strategic opportunities for Council to strengthen and support the arts and culture sector into the future.

In line with the visions and aspirations outlined in Hume Horizons 2040 and the Council Plan 2017-2021, the Arts and Culture Strategy will continue to:

• Foster creativity by supporting both established and emerging local artists

• Build capacity and participation in cultural activities for Hume’s diverse community

• Provide infrastructure that is appropriate for creative use

• Harness the opportunities presented in a rapidly changing cultural, social, economic and environmental landscape.

To help shape the development of the Strategy, this Discussion Paper has been prepared to start the conversation. This will help to gain initial feedback and identify what’s important for arts and culture in Hume City, both now and into the future.

2. ARTS AND CULTURE TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

There is no simple way of defining arts and culture, for the purpose of this discussion paper the following definitions are provided.

The Arts embraces all forms of creative expression and enjoyment. This includes activities such as festivals and events, heritage programs, literature, multimedia, music, performing and visual arts and textiles/craft.

Creative industries refers to practices that are both creative and commercial in nature. For example, crafts, fashion, photography, film, television and radio; publishing, gaming and software design are the most common forms of creative industry. Museums, galleries, libraries are also considered as creative industries.

Cultural assets are things of value because of their contribution to a community’s creativity, knowledge, traditions, culture, meaning, and vitality. They can be the places you visit to express your cultural identity, and/or the resources one uses to pursue a creative practice. They can be material, immaterial, emotional, or spiritual.

Cultural development addresses the relationship between culture and community development through the progression of the cultural sector, ensuring that culture is fostering connection through and participation in education, the economy, communication and environment.

Culture can be defined as human interaction that represents the shared values, beliefs and characteristics that define who we are as individuals and as a community, recognising multicultural and contemporary diversity.

Heritage refers to the legacy of a group or society that is inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. This includes Aboriginal and multicultural knowledge and artefacts.

Public art refers to art specifically created to be experienced in the public realm, outside of the gallery and museum context.

Sunbury Pop Festival,1972 Soc Hedditch


The Laboratory of Alchemist, 2017Yelena Ashlapova

3. CONTEXT

ABOUT HUME CITYLocated 15 kilometres north of the centre of Melbourne, today Hume City is one of the fastest-growing and most culturally-diverse communities in Australia.

Hume’s rich and diverse history stretches back over 40,000 years, the Traditional Owners of this land, the Gunung-Willam-Balluk of the Wurundjeri are the first people of the region.

Home to 232,700 residents in 2019, Hume City’s population is expected to grow to 372,600 by the year 20411. Hume residents come from 156 different countries and speak over 150 languages. Each week, 62 new migrants move into Hume City2. People born overseas make up 36 per cent of residents, with Iraq, India, Turkey, United Kingdom and Lebanon being the main countries of origin. Forty-five per cent of Hume residents speak a language other than English at home.

Spanning a total area of 504 square kilometres, Hume City is built around the established suburbs of Broadmeadows, Tullamarine and Gladstone Park in the south, Roxburgh Park, Craigieburn, Greenvale, Mickleham, Kalkallo and Merrifield in the north-east and Sunbury in the north-west.

The municipality is made up of a vibrant mix of new and established residential areas, major industrial and commercial precincts and vast expanses of rural areas and parkland. The Melbourne International Airport accounts for 10 per cent of the total area of Hume City.

Hume is bound by the local government areas of Moreland, Whittlesea, Brimbank, Macedon Ranges, Melton and Mitchell. It is an interface Council, lying on the boundary of metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, sharing aspects of both urban and rural communities.

1 id, Population Forecasts, 2016 to 2041, January 2019 2 ABS, 2016 Census of Population and Housing

WHAT IS COUNCIL’S ROLE IN ARTS AND CULTURE?Hume City Council’s primary role is to act as a representative and an informed, responsible decision-maker in the interests of community members. Council provides and coordinates a range of arts and culture services and infrastructure while actively advocating for increased participation opportunities for community and the sector.

SERVICE PROVIDER FACILITATOR ADVOCATE

Council provides a range of programs and facilities for community members to participate in arts and culture. Service and infrastructure provision is often shared with other government agencies, not-for-profit, non-government organisations and private industry.

Council facilitates and partners with a range of stakeholders to deliver arts and culture services and infrastructure. Where service provision is a shared responsibility between Council, government agencies, service providers or private industry, Council plays a civic leadership role in the facilitation and planning of services.

Council plays an important role in advocating on behalf of community to other levels of government and service providers to enhance the opportunities for participation in arts and culture relevant to diverse communities.


ARTS AND CULTURE SECTOR Arts and culture holds an important role in contributing to liveability and local identity, social connectivity, health and well-being, as well as to the economy of the region through employment, increased practice knowledge and cultural tourism. There is a great variety of scale in the creative sector as a whole. Individual practitioners, micro businesses, cultural workers, artist cooperatives, service providers and not-for-profits, make up the majority of the sector. Support for the sector comes from federal, state and local governments, self-funding, philanthropy, sponsorship and hybrid business models.

The sector encompasses a wide range of practice and disciplines such as, visual arts, craft, dance, music, performing arts, photography, design, creative writing, mixed media arts, public art, community and cultural development, heritage arts through museums, galleries and libraries.

The creative sector contributes to 8% of the Victorian economy providing over 220,000 jobs3. Despite the increasing population growth through migration and refugee intake, a recent Australia Council funded study, tracked the trends in the lives and working conditions of Australian artists, found that artists from non-English speaking backgrounds represent only 10 per cent of Australia’s total professional artists4. The increase of those employed in creative occupations, grew at around double the rate of other occupations between 2011 and 20165. As this trend continues, new employment opportunities are more likely to demand creative skills, requiring original thought and innovation.

3 Creative State, Creative Victoria, 20164 Making Art Work: An Economic Study of Professional Artists in Australia, Australia Council for the Arts, 2017 5 Creative skills for the future economy working paper, Bureau of Communications and Arts Research, Department of Communication and the Arts, January 2019

ARTS AND CULTURE IN HUME CITYCurrent data and information shows that Hume’s local arts and cultural community is reflective of Hume City’s diversity and physical geography.

Within Hume, it is estimated that more than 2,500 people were employed in the Creative Industry sector in 2018, with Hume City accounting for almost one in five creative sector jobs in the Northern Metropolitan region of Melbourne. This sector collectively contributes just under $610 million to Hume’s economy, and includes people working in a broad range of occupations, including marketing, visual design and photography, software and gaming development, and more traditional arts sectors such as drawing, painting, music and dance.

New populations moving into the area brings arts practitioners who may have left previously established practices or cultural traditions in their homelands. In this case, opportunities to continue their arts practice in Australia also becomes an important means to connecting with their new communities, building social cohesion and capacity for economic participation.

Individual practitioners working and residing throughout the municipality are engaging in Council led activities such as gallery exhibitions, community workshops, professional development and funding opportunities. In recent years the Arts and Culture unit of Council has seen an increase in the number of applications for gallery exhibits, arts awards and professional development programs. The number of applications for the Biennial Hume Arts Awards increased by 75% from 2016 to 2018. Expressions of interest to exhibit in Hume City Galleries for 2019, increased by 60% from the previous year.


The Forgotten Past, 2015Clare Walton

4 out of 5 (80%) respondents to the Community Indicators Survey report had attended at least 1 arts or cultural venue or activity in the last 12 months, a slight increase (1.9%) on 2016-17. Reported attendance was highest from residents of the Sunbury area. 50+5080%

50+5064.6%Cinema accounted for the most visited type of venue (64.6%), then public libraries (40.8%), with 12.9% of respondents attending the library once a week or more.

30.5% of Hume residents attended a concert, theatre and other performing arts events. 22.8% of residents attended a museum or art gallery.50+5030.5%

38.2% of respondents visited concert or theatre venues once every 6 months, and 31.7% a museum or art gallery every 6 months. 50+5038.2%

35.1% of respondents had actively participated in making or creating arts and crafts during the year, including visual arts and crafts and performing arts. Respondents from the Craigieburn area were most likely to have participated representing a 5.7% increase on 2016-17 survey.

59.7% of respondents agreed, or strongly agreed, that there are enough opportunities to engage in arts and related activities in Hume City. Agreement was highest in the Broadmeadows area at 68.6%. Compared to previous surveys, this represents an increase of 7.9%.

50+5035.1%

50+5059.7%

Community participation in various forms of arts practice has also increased in Hume with the Gallery located in Craigieburn registering an increase in the number of workshops offered to community groups over the past three years. Participation in festivals and events over the past 5 years has recorded consequently high satisfaction, with an average rating between 80 - 95% of participants scoring satisfied or highly satisfied.

The provision of community facilities and infrastructure in recent years has supported community participation in performing arts including music, theatre and dance (prominent via youth programs). The majority of community-based arts and culture activity in Hume takes place in Community Hubs, Global Learning Centres (including Libraries) and related Hume facilities. Whilst an expansion of new facilities has provided opportunities, the demand for these facilities from a range of community groups and service providers often compete with performing arts groups. This limits the opportunities for sector growth.

As a provider and facilitator of performing arts, Council are not the sole provider of services and infrastructure. Schools, private dance/music schools and practices by specific cultural groups also offer opportunities for community members to engage in the arts and culture practice. These activities have built on an established identity and practice such as the arts community occupying The Boilerhouse Arts Centre at Jackson’s Hill Sunbury.

While there is a limited number of established arts organisations and purpose-built facilities located across the City, the municipality’s dynamic cultural mix has drawn external organisations to partner with local schools, community organisations and Council to deliver a range of innovative activities.

Increased participation in arts and culture over recent years is evident in the data collated from the Community Indicators Survey 2018-19, Community Survey 2017-18 and data compiled for the Council Plan 2017 -2021 and Hume Horizons 2040. Data shows:

While the above data indicates an increase in participation, information relating to participation in arts and culture by diverse community groups, particularly new and emerging groups will be explored as part of the community consultation phase of the strategy development. Promoting diversity in the arts in order to increase access and participation is supported by initiatives like Creative Victoria’s ‘Creative Suburbs’ grants program and Multicultural Arts Victoria.

Aston, 2012Mia Schoen


TRENDS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTORAnalysis of strategic plans and related documents from key creative local governments in Victoria, interstate and internationally indicates that local government is broadening priorities in the sector. Some of these trends and challenges have direct relevance to Hume City’s arts and cultural environment, these include:

� Valuing and sustaining Aboriginal arts and cultural practice

� Increasing community access and participation, with a focus on newly arrived and diverse communities

� The pursuit of excellence, originality and innovation in all art forms

� Maintaining and enhancing access to cultural collections

� Increasing and improving cultural places and spaces for the community

� Impact of technological innovation in culture and the arts

� Increasing and improving arts and cultural education

� Arts funding, philanthropy and support for a sustainable sector

� Growing creative industries

Whilst the implementation approaches varied, several common strategic directions emerged:

� Fostering inclusion by promoting cultural diversity as an asset to creative expression and social cohesion, and respecting Indigenous cultures

� Strengthening communities by fostering sense of place, enhancing tourism, and building capacity for sustainable development

� Enhancing the economic benefits of arts and culture by accessing available or new markets and strengthening financial capacity

� Leveraging digital technologies by establishing new organisations and adopting digital strategies

� Investing in the arts culture sector workforce by promoting skills development and workforce sustainability

� Encouraging collaboration and partnerships across sectors (e.g., with business, health, technology, environment) and between levels of government or government departments

From Nature Extracted,2013 Jacqie Blight


Detail of Xosphere, 2018Anthony Bertucci

Meet+Eat Still Image, 2015Curious Works

For the purpose of this discussion paper current services and infrastructure provision in arts and culture has been captured under Council Plan 2017-2021 themes.

COUNCIL PLAN 2017-2021The Hume City Council Plan 2017-2021 outlines how Council delivers the services that the Hume community needs. It also provides tangible information to other levels of government and service providers of or regarding the community’s priorities and aspirations.

The priority themes in Council Plan 2017-2021 are:

� A well-educated and employed community

� A healthy and safe community

� A culturally vibrant and connected community

� A sustainably built and well-maintained City with an environmentally engaged community

� A well-governed and engaged community.

The Arts and Culture strategy will align directly to the Council Plan. Within the Plan, arts and culture activities predominantly sit within the first three themes. Council undertakes a number of actions within each theme area, and each also provides opportunities for the future.


A WELL-EDUCATED AND EMPLOYED COMMUNITYTHEME 1

ITEMS ACTIONS EXISTING PROGRAMS/RECENT ARTS & CULTURE ACTIONS FURTHER CONSIDERATIONS

1.1

1.2

Support and enhance skill development and educational opportunities to reduce disadvantage. Improve employment prospects and quality of life

Create conditions which support business growth and create local jobs for Hume residents.

Broadmeadows Street Festival grants Hume community groups and individuals are given the opportunity to apply for a share in an annual round of $25,000 funding. Groups and individuals can showcase their talents through a range of activities.

Community grants distributes funding to a range of community groups including choirs and artists’ guilds through to substantial funding of up to $10,000 per year for three years. In 2019 Grant categories have expanded from 4 to 9 with a year-round program of funding options, including quick response grants.

Community liaison and support provides referrals, linkages and advice to individual artists and projects as well as maintaining a register of artists. Programs are also promoted via face-to-face information sessions (led by Council Officers), and targeted social media campaigns.

Hume Arts Awards is a biennial program to support artistic practice, with a total of $20,000 distributed to a range of local artists in recognition of their achievements and to assist their professional development. Increased personal and online engagement with community has seen application numbers for the Awards increased by 75% between 2016 to 2018.

Library programs such as bilingual story time and cultural events that include sharing of stories and song from diverse populations provide a range of education opportunities.

Sponsorship policy guides Council decision making in receiving or contributing to financial and/or in-kind support for staging an event or activity.

Sunbury Cultural Commissions project provides an opportunity for ten artists/creators from the Hume to participate in a series of professional development masterclasses with a qualified Public Art Mentor. This is a flagship community project, deepening the engagement of local residents in major public art projects.

� How to support creative industry development through professional development and business development opportunities

� New skill and career development programs for creative community members

� Appropriate facilities that support skill-share / learning and creative development

� Potential to incorporate advancing technology innovation in arts and culture

PROMPT QUESTIONS:

� What do you think Council is doing well for arts / cultural industries in Hume? What could Council do better?

� What role do you think Council should play in supporting creative education and development in Hume?

� If you are an arts practitioner, operate a creative business, or aspire to operating a creative business in Hume, what support do you need to continue to undertake your practice in Hume?

Feel free to answer these questions, or provide your own feedback telling us what is important to you in relation to arts and culture and employment / education in Hume

Butterflies Caught at Olrig,1881 HJ Graham


A HEALTHY AND SAFE COMMUNITYTHEME 2


2.1

2.2

Foster a community which is active and healthy.

Strengthen Community safety and respectful behaviour.

FReeZA program funded by the Victorian Government. FReeZA is a youth development program for young people aged 12 – 25 years, to enjoy live bands, dance parties and artistic events that are drug, alcohol and smoke free. The events are held in youth friendly venues under the supervision of Youth Services staff.

Hume Studios funded by Creative Victoria’s ‘Creative Suburbs’ grant program, is delivered by Outer Urban Projects and Council to engage ‘hard to reach’ young people. The 2 year program of workshops develops skills and advances opportunities to participate in dance and spoken word performances.

Performing arts program offers performing arts activities for young people in several locations in Hume via Hume’s Leisure Services, primarily offering dance lessons.

Public Art program supports the commissioning of major works, coinciding with the development of new Council facilities. Public art projects in Hume seek strong engagement with community with the aim of advancing a strong sense of community ownership, wellbeing and safety.

The Sunbury music rehearsal space is available for young people in Hume between the ages of 12 and 19 years old. This space is offered to local young people who have a passion for music and need a safe relaxed space to have band practice at a low affordable price.

� Further developing public art programs that support safe and inclusive placemaking

� Relevant visual / performing arts programs that support community interest

� How to improve access to facilities and programs that supports community participation in arts and culture practice

� Appropriate facilities for visual / performing arts activities and development

PROMPT QUESTIONS:

� Does arts and culture contribute to you feeling safe in your community? How?

� How do you think arts and culture contributes to place-making/your sense of community in Hume?

� What arts and cultural activities would you like to see Council provide into the future?

� What sorts of barriers do you think stop people from participating in arts and culture activities? What could Council do to address some of these barriers?

Feel free to answer these questions, or provide your own feedback telling us what is important to you in relation to arts and culture and advancing a healthy and safe community in Hume

Ford Motors Broadmeadows,1971 Wolfgang Sievers


A CULTURALLY VIBRANT AND CONNECTED COMMUNITYTHEME 3


3.1

3.2

Foster socially connected and supported community.

Strengthen community connections through local community events and the arts.

Cultural development programs support community projects in partnership with external arts organisations involved with the Hume community including Boilover Theatre and CuriousWorks. Recent collaboration with Multicultural Arts Victoria has established new creative networks across Melbourne’s metropolitan north.

Festivals and events is an annual calendar of events including the Craigieburn Festival, the Broadmeadows Festival, Christmas Carols as well as Summer Sessions of movies and music.

Gallery workshops deliver events and activities with each exhibition offering community engagement with the artist and/or content via specialised workshops, classes and celebrations. Activities like printmaking workshops, meditation classes and celebrations of International Women’s Day have seen strong participation from community.

Hume galleries deliver a year-round program of exhibitions showcasing work by Hume-based artists and complemented by content directly relevant to Hume community. Gee Lee-Wik Doleen runs a year-round program of 6 exhibitions, providing local artists with opportunities to professionally exhibit.

The Hume Civic Collection embodies Council’s art / public art collection as well as the George Evans Museum heritage collection. The Civic Collection is governed by the Hume Civic Collection Policy 2018. The collection is being developed through innovative public art programs, one-off commissions and is also eligible to receive Cultural Gifts. New programs like Sunbury Cultural Commissions have engaged Hume’s heritage collection in the development of new acquisitive works.

� How to design and deliver innovative and inclusive activities that foster understanding and appreciation of different cultures

� Explore opportunities for the festivals and events programs to further incorporate Hume’s creative community

� How to continue to grow and develop Hume’s Civic Collection, while making it accessible to community

PROMPT QUESTIONS:

� How does participating in arts and culture activity contribute to your well-being and sense of connection to your community? Do you think Council could do anything else to support this?

� How can local community events and the arts better involve and celebrate the cultural expression of Hume community? What would you like to see more of/less of?

� Do you think Hume effectively celebrates its creative arts and cultural community (e.g. performances/displays at festivals and events)? What do you think we could do more of/less of?

� What do you think Council should keep in mind when developing public art across the city?

Feel free to answer these questions, or provide your own feedback telling us what is important to you in relation to arts and culture and promoting a culturally vibrant and connected community in Hume

Emotional Dislocation, 2015Jessica Jia

Hummus Falafel Refugees Exhibition,2014 Ahmad Sabra and Zahrah Habibullah


From your knowledge of Hume’s arts and cultural sector, as well as the trends, opportunities and growth that will take place in our community over the next 20 years:

� What is one word would you use to describe Hume’s art and cultural sector today?

� What do you think are the top 3 issues that could impact on Hume’s community arts and cultural sector over the next 5 years?

� What do you think are the top 3 opportunities for arts and culture in Hume over the next 5 years?

� What do you see as the priorities for arts and culture?

� What would you like to see Council focus on over the next 10 years?

� In one sentence, how would you describe your vision for Hume’s art and cultural sector in the future?

Feel free to answer these questions, or provide your own feedback telling us what is important to you in relation to arts and culture, cultural connection and how Hume can maintain its cultural vibrancy

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTSTo make sure we understand your needs, thoughts and aspirations regarding arts and culture, and Council’s role both now and into the future, we need your feedback.

Feedback on the discussion paper is open from 23rd July until 2nd September 2019.Provide your answers to the discussion questions email [email protected]

Written responses can be addressed to:Community Strengthening, Hume City Council, PO Box 119, Dallas 3047

Complete the online survey:https://www.hume.vic.gov.au/What39s_On_amp_Things_To_Do/Your_Say

Attend one of the focus groups (dates below). Register via EventBrite:https://artsandculturestrategydiscussionpaper2019.eventbrite.com.au

CRAIGIEBURN CRAIGIEBURN SUNBURY SUNBURY BROADMEADOWS BROADMEADOWS

31 July 2019 31 July 2019 7 August 2019 7 August 2019 14 August 2019 14 August 2019

10am - 12pm 6.30pm - 8pm 10am - 12pm 6.30pm - 8pm 11am - 12.30pm 6.30pm - 8pm

Newbury Child & Community Centre440 Grand BoulevardCragieburn

Gee Lee-Wik Doleen Gallery75-95 Central Park AvenueCragieburn

Sunbury Neighbourhood House531 Elizabeth DriveSunbury

Sunbury Neighbourhood House531 Elizabeth DriveSunbury

HGLC - Broadmeadows1079 Pascoe Vale RoadBroadmeadows

HGLC - Broadmeadows1079 Pascoe Vale RoadBroadmeadows

NEXT STEPSDate Action

September 2019 Feedback collated and draft strategy developed

February 2020 Draft strategy presented to Council and opened for public feedback

May 2020 Final strategy presented to Council for adoption

Thank you for taking the time to share your views on arts and culture in Hume. If you would like more information, please contact:Tobias Hengeveld, Curator/Community Development (Arts and Culture) [email protected] or telephone 9205 2200

mailto:contactus%40hume.vic.gov.au?subject=

https://www.hume.vic.gov.au/What39s_On_amp_Things_To_Do/Your_Say

https://artsandculturestrategydiscussionpaper2019.eventbrite.com.au


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HUME CITY COUNCIL ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY … · for creative use • Harness the opportunities presented in a rapidly changing cultural, social, economic and environmental landscape