The community is invited to get involved in a review of the Greater CREATIVE Bendigo Strategy which was adopted in 2019.
The review will assess how the strategy has delivered its actions so far. There’s also an opportunity for the community to explore what should be considered as arts and culture priorities for the City moving forward.
Feedback from the community will assist the City to identify strengths, trends, gaps, and future priorities. This engagement is open to anyone who has an interest in arts, culture, and creative activity in the region.
The strategy includes 33 actions relating to the following five pillars.
- Inspire a culture of creativity
- Create more activated spaces
- Nurture and support talent
- Champion inclusion and access
- Show the world
The City’s Creative Industries Officer Mandy Field said the majority of the 33 actions within the Greater Creative Strategy had been delivered, which was a fantastic effort.
“It is a bold and ambitious strategy that has delivered meaningful outcomes, including establishing Djaa Djuwima, Bendigo’s First Nations gallery, developing a Public Art Policy, and attaining the UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation,” Ms Field said.
“We are now gathering data in order to identify strengths, trends, gaps and priorities, consulting with industry and local stakeholders, and inviting input from the broader community.”
The Greater Creative Strategy reflects Outcome 6 within the City of Greater Bendigo Council Plan (Mir wimbul) 2021-2025 for a community that ‘inspires a culture of creativity, activates its spaces, nurtures, and supports talent, champions inclusion and access, and shows the world’.
As part of the review process, the City is inviting community members to register their interest if they would like to participate in a 90 minute consultation workshop.
There is also the option to complete a short survey for the community to reflect on the local arts and creative industries, and their experience of arts and culture in Greater Bendigo.