THESE POLICIES WERE IN PLACE PRIOR TO ELECTIONS ON 9 OCTOBER 2004
Introduction
This Council Art Strategy aims to build on the existing level of arts activity within the City, to maintain the diversity that has developed and provide a framework for the future by identifying priorities. It recognises the comments made by many key organisations that are involved in the arts sector relating to growth that has occurred to date and the impact on resourcing to meet both the increased and future demand. This strategy recognises the role of Tangata Whenua, the City's increasing ethnic diversity and the valuable role that the arts can play in encouraging understanding and integration. It acknowledges the future importance of harnessing the multidimensional aspects of creativity for economic ends and encouraging excellence in all areas of the arts.
The strategy approach being promoted is one of consolidation of the art facilities and networks that now exist while retaining a primary focus on community access and involvement in the arts. It seeks to encourage choice and variety of programmes and initiatives, avoid duplication and promote sustainability.
The keys to the strategy are its scope, definitions and vision statement.
Scope
It is recognised that there is a strong inter-relationship between arts and culture and that culture is a much broader concept than art. Art is regarded as an expression and to some extent a shaper of culture. It is considered that art is only one way culture is expressed. For this reason the current policy focussed on art as an expression and shaper of culture and did not assume the role of defining how Council could address cultural issues as a whole.
Definitions
Art involves the expression of individual and collective culture, identity and ideas. It uses a variety of mediums in a creative manner to express this including visual and performing mediums.
Community Arts is art aimed at involving or being accessible to as many North Shore residents as possible.
Culture is the sum total of languages, behaviours, habits and social mores of groups and individuals that allows them to know who they are.
Arts Continuum
This draft strategy seeks to recognise that when focussing on the arts within the City there exists a continuum: Individual - Group Community arts - Professional arts Traditional arts - Ethnic arts
Vision Statement
A diverse and vibrant arts and cultural sector exists within the City for residents to participate in and enjoy. The arts contribute to the development of a strong and confident cultural identity for the City.
Strategy Goals
1 To encourage participation in the arts and support a range of art opportunities within the City.
2 To support strong City art networks and develop strong art organisations.
3 To encourage excellence within the arts.
4 To support the economic contribution of the arts within the City.
5 To encourage the display of public art within the City.
Council Roles
Funder Through use of the Council discretionary grants programme and Creative Communities Funding (funds received and administered on behalf of Creative NZ) to support and encourage arts within the City. Through the Auckland Regional Services Trust funds received to support regional arts initiatives in line with the legislation.
Supporter To enable this by providing assistance and access to Council facilities, support for the development of venues and the provision of advice and support when organisations are being established or changing.
Coordinator/ Promoter Through the use of Council information systems to ensure that residents and visitors have access to accurate and relevant information regarding the arts of the City.
Advocate To use Council influence where appropriate to promote issues affecting art and artists within the City.
Partner In this role Council actively seeks opportunities to develop partnerships which further the interests of the arts within the City. Significant funding relationships will be developed on this basis.
Goal 1 Community Participation
Strategy aims
The strategy focus is to maintain or increase the level of community participation in the arts and culture of the City primarily through continued support of key art facilities and provision of funding opportunities. It seeks to maintain support for facilities and programmes with a diversity of focus. The Strategy recognises the unique nature of arts in Aotearoa/ New Zealand and the role of Tangata Whenua in realising this uniqueness. It recognises the increasing ethnic diversity of the City and the significant role the arts can play in helping ethnic communities maintain their ethnic identity, promote understanding and help their integration into the City.
Key organisations and projects for Council are,
Mairangi Arts Centre All these organisations seek to provide The Depot Artspace opportunities for community The Lake House Art Centre participation and involvement in a The PumpHouse Theatre and Gallery variety of arts areas that are accessible The Rose Centre Theatre. and affordable. The Bruce Mason Centre NorthArt Centre
Shore Arts festival This Festival has developed a look and learn focus that encourages community involvement and participation. It also seeks to provide further education opportunities for those already involved.
Creative Communities Scheme Through a partnership with Creative New Zealand and administration of funding available participation in the arts is encouraged and supported.
Funding
Creative Communities Funding is seen as the major means of supporting the arts and increasing participation at a community level within the City. It is also an important means of supporting a variety of ethnic groups providing support and creating wider understanding and acceptance. Council funding support for the key facilities is also important in providing a base for the development of services and programmes that encourage community participation.
In recognition of the population growth taking place within the City there will be a need for increased resources to enable the demands to be met and further increases of community participation could be encouraged if Council supplemented funding received from Creative NZ for the Creative Communities Programme. (Currently $115k).
Goal 2 Arts Infrastructure
Strategy Aims
Ensure that a flourishing environment for artists and art organisations exists by providing a strong and supportive arts infrastructure. To ensure that Council receives regular advice about the needs and issues affecting artists and art organisations within the City.
Key organisations and programmes
Shore Arts Forum
The Shore Arts Forum is the major advocate and networking body for the Arts within the City. The continued funding support of this organisation by Council will ensure that the arts are well represented and informed.
North Shore Arts database
This database of artists and art organisations provides accessible information to City residents and visitors. The database is located on the NSCC website.
Creative Cities Programme
This programme is a joint project involving Creative NZ, Community Employment Group, ART Trust and Auckland, Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore City Councils. It grew out of the Regional Strengths Strategy initiated by Creative NZ and has a primary focus is on strengthening the arts infrastructure of the region. A secondary project is focussed on the development of Maori arts within the region.
Funding
Funding will come from Councils community grants programme and from operational budgets in the Community Liaison Department. Funding for future involvement in the Creative Cities Programme will come from the Auckland Regional Services Trust Funds held by Council.
Goal 3 Excellence
Strategy Aims
To ensure that City residents have opportunities to experience excellence in a variety of areas of art and culture. To encourage individuals to aspire to excellence in the arts.
Key organisations and projects
City Art Gallery Development In partnership with NorthArt to investigate options for a City Art Gallery to enable the City to be part of a touring art network and to be able to host significant exhibitions. A City gallery would provide residents with an opportunity to experience a diversity of visual arts presented in a professional manner. Initially this resource would be developed through a partnership with NorthArt and in the long term by development of a specific city art gallery.
Professional theatre development In partnership with The PumpHouse to develop a professional theatre company to enable City residents to have access to quality theatre within the City and provide career development opportunities for aspiring and professional actors.
North Shore Performing Arts This organisation provides aspiring artists with Competitions Society opportunities to measure their progress as performing artists against their peers. It promotes excellence in the arts and has a long history of providing recognition for emerging talent.
City Visual Art Award Support and sponsorship of awards in City Performing Art Award these areas provides opportunities for Youth Art Award artists to receive recognition and encourages excellence. Council currently supports awards in the visual and youth arts areas but there is no performing arts award. Involvement by Council in this area reinforces the City's role as a supporter of the arts.
Bruce Mason Centre Acknowledgment of the Bruce Mason Centre as a flagship facility for the City. Funding to develop programmes and partnerships with organisations such as the Auckland Philharmonia, NBR Opera to increase the access of North Shore residents to quality entertainment opportunities.
The Philharmonia sees itself as a regional arts asset and is keen to ensure that North Shore residents are able to experience performances by a recognised orchestra.
Funding
Funding will come from Councils grants programmes and through operational budgets which target community involvement and promote City image.
Goal 4 Economic Development
Strategy aims
To support arts initiatives that contribute to the economy of the City. To maintain the contribution of the arts to residents 'Quality of Life' and the positive image of the North Shore as a good place to live.
Focus is on the economic benefits of the arts to the City but also arts role in contributing to residents 'Quality of Life'. It recognises the shift from the old economy where the keys to wealth creation were raw materials and physical labour to the new economy of ideas and intelligence. "The key is that wealth and prosperity and success of regions is shaped much more by the distribution of talent than the distribution of industries and firms. And what is the critical factor in the distribution of talent and where people want to live and work is the quality of place". Richard Florida Professor of Regional Economic Development Carnegie Mellon University.
Artist Support Programme Ongoing support for The Depot to continue their arts incubator and mentoring programmes along with the seminar series that provides individual artists with relevant employment support and advice.
Bruce Mason Centre Recognise and support the economic contribution to the City that a major facility such as this provides and its role in supporting the development of professional artists within the City.
City Tourism Strategy To ensure that the potential arts contribution to tourism within the City is encouraged and integrated into planning undertaken.
Arts Marketing To ensure that residents are aware of the opportunities presented through the arts within the City. This will encourage support and greater involvement that will contribute to the viability of individual artists and art organisations. There are also opportunities to support regional arts marketing initiatives being undertaken.
Funding
Funding will come from Councils Grants Programme as well as operational budgets.
Goal 5 Public Art
Strategy aims
To enhance the character of the City and make it more visually dynamic through greater use of public art. To promote local artists and artisans incorporating their work in our public spaces.
Public art policy To develop a public art policy that will enable art to be integrated into the urban design fabric and environment of the City to create greater public appreciation and enjoyment. The policy would provide a coordinated approach to the acquisition, maintenance and promotion of public art works.
Arts acquisition policy Through establishment of a policy to rationalise the collection and display of art works by Council. Continue support for the acquisition of art works by Council.
Funding
Development of a public art policy would be progressed from existing policy development budgets. Funding would then need to be established to enable policy aims to be achieved.
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