$1.2 million plan to develop Gold Coast culture

Gold Coast City Council has adopted a six-point action plan which aims to develop cultural activity in the lead-up to the 2018 Commonwealth Games, including the development of a $280 million arts precinct and new funding for circus arts.   

Explaining that the next four years would set the future cultural course for the city, Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate stated "we are on a trajectory that needs to take off and skyrocket before the 2018 Commonwealth Games (and) it’s a trajectory that must take us beyond 2018 to the real prize – a re-imagined creative city.

"We don’t want to borrow what others have done before us. We want to capitalise on what’s fresh about the Gold Coast to create something that says who we are and where we’ve come from as a city.”

The new action plan features six key initiatives designed to develop the region’s reputation as a focus of cultural activity, including providing triennial funding for the existing Bleach* Festival and other local arts organisations, attracting new partners and events, and establishing a professional arts company to be based permanently on the Gold Coast.

The action plan has been welcomed by Robyn Archer, Gold Coast Strategic Advisor, Arts and Culture who adds "the Gold Coast is making all the right moves, starting with genuine ambition, to ensure that within a few years, the region will be able to confidently promote a rich cultural landscape to complement the historic appeal of sun and surf.  

"These moves begin now, with the approval of funding to nurture and support those local arts, artists and institutions which are currently best placed, and reveal the best potential, to achieve this ambition.”

According to Archer, the Gold Coast’s existing cultural endeavours were currently eclipsed by the city’s current focus on existing attractions – sun, surf and theme parks.

She added "the funding and plan of action approved today will allow nationally and internationally recognised expertise to be brought in to mentor, advise and train local talent.

"Exciting collaborative projects will be a part of that, but we’ll always have in mind our long-flowering future – one which stretches way beyond the delightful peaks of 2018. We are planting the seeds for that future now.”

The six key points of the action plan are:

1: Develop a flagship arts festival
The existing Bleach* Festival is to developed into a signature festival for the Gold Coast. This will include a triennial funding partnership of over $1.5 million and establishing Bleach* as an independent not-for-profit company owned by City of Gold Coast.

2: Establish a fully professional performing arts company on the Gold Coast 
Attracting contemporary dance company, The Farm, created by Gavin Webber with co-creator Grayson Millwood, will confer international status to the Gold Coast and provide outstanding professional development pathways for local dancers.

3: Attract partners and cultural events
It is proposed to bring two major cultural events to the Gold Coast, the Queensland Music Festival (QMF) in 2017 and World of Women Festival (WOW) in 2018.

Partnering with QMF in 2017 to deliver a large-scale community music event will draw talent from across the Gold Coast and is expected to attract an audience in excess of 10,000.

WOW, an inspirational event that promotes the advancement of women, is produced internationally by Southbank, London’s most prestigious cultural precinct. It attracts women in leadership from around the world and includes addresses, forums, workshops, exhibitions and performances. 

4: Invest in the professional development of local artists and cultural practitioners
Investing in the professional development of local talent has been identified as one of the single most important steps the City can make. To support the professional development, some of the nation’s most outstanding creative leaders will be invited to the Gold Coast to provide training and mentoring to local artists and work in collaboration on long-term projects. 

5: Support established and emerging local festivals events and projects to reach their full potential
One of the major barriers to sector development is the inability to make long-term plans due to funding uncertainty. To this end, Council will develop a competitive triennial funding pool with an initial budget of $510,000 ($170,000 per year) in order to secure and support established and emerging Gold Coast festivals, events and projects. 

6: Support innovation, development and ideas that are distinctly Gold Coast
Building leading-edge arts practice, nurturing innovation models, focusing on contemporary music, and investing in circus and physical theatre builds on arts practices and opportunities that are ideal cultural matches for the city.

For more information go to www.goldcoast.qld.gov.au

For more information on the Bleach* Festival go to www.bleachfestival.com.au

Image shows the new Gold Coast Cultural Centre.

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