Our Arts Review Needs your Input

The City Council has begun the initial stages of reviewing its Arts Strategy and needs your help.

Peter Ridge, the Policy Analyst who's leading the review, says artistic expression plays a significant role in any community and he wants to find out from people what’s important to them.

"Before we write a single word of the review we want to know about people’s individual commitment to the arts. We want lots of views and suggestions from the community," Peter says.
Peter would like people to send in their ideas, write them down, email them, or even phone him up for a chat. A double pass is on offer to someone who contacts the Council with an idea or suggestion. To ensure he receives a positive and comprehensive response Peter has extended the deadline for feedback until the end of the month, April 30.

"We’ll take note of all your ideas and consider them when the draft is being prepared. And once the draft is written there’ll be an opportunity for formal consultation so make sure you leave your name and address and we’ll send you a copy," he says.
To make use of the depth of specialist arts knowledge in the community, the Council is also compiling a list of arts-related stakeholders to be involved in a series of focus groups.

"We know many of them but there are others in the city we don’t know about who could make an important contribution that could challenge our perspective and shape our thinking. I particularly encourage those people to contact me on 356-8199,” Peter says.
The Arts Strategy was first adopted five years ago and is now ready for review. Peter emphasises that its early days, and nothing has been settled so it’s the ideal opportunity to ensure that people’s ideas are included.