Transcript Slide 1

Evaluation Report
Queensland Arts Industry Sector Development Plan
Scott Redford, The High/Perpetual Xmas, No Abstractions at the Queensland Arts Gallery, 2008.
What is the
Queensland Arts Industry
Sector Development Plan?
The 2007-2009 Plan
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First Queensland Arts Industry Sector Development Plan signalled a new,
collaborative approach to Government and the arts industry working
together
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Developed through extensive state wide consultation with arts industry
partners
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A three year plan to develop arts and culture in Queensland from 2007
to 2009
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Outlined an industry development framework and set a clear direction for
Government and the sector
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Released by Arts Queensland in February 2007
The Strategic Priorities for 2007-2009
Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre Sub-Con Warrior 2.0 Photo: Morgan Roberts
6 Strategic Priorities 2007-2009
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Funding reform – Developing flexible funding models to support emerging
policies and priorities
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Regional – Increasing infrastructure and support for regionally based artists
and art organisations
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Audiences – Enhancing audience development and focus on the arts
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International – Increasing international touring and exhibitions of
Queensland artists and companies and export of Queensland product
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Indigenous arts and culture – Promoting stronger Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander arts and culture
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Strengthening the sector – Strengthening the viability and growth of the
arts sector
What does this
presentation cover?
The Boat People. Photo: Sylvana Macarone
Presentation outline
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Why review the Plan?
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How did we review the Plan?
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What has the Plan achieved so far?
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What did our stakeholders tell us needs to change?
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What are the key issues and opportunities from 2010 to 2012?
Why review the Plan?
Jill Chism, Chi for Goia, mangroves at Cape Tribulation Beach. Photo: Jill Chism
Reasons for reviewing the Plan
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Public commitment made by Arts Queensland in the Plan to:
– Provide progress report after 12 months
(released September 2008); and
– Conduct evaluation after two years of implementation
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Consider how to consolidate and maximise the outcomes of early
successes from the implementation of the Plan including:
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Backing Indigenous Arts initiative
Press Play: Contemporary Music Strategy
Coming to a Place near You: Touring Strategy
arts culture + me: Children and Young People Strategy.
Need to remain relevant and responsive to the current challenges:
– global financial picture
– shifting audience demographics and consumption patterns
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Arts Queensland’s commitment to working collegiately
How did we review the Plan?
Jill Chism, Gaia #2, former mangrove swamp Cockle Bay, Magnetic Island. Photo: Jill Chism
What we looked at in the evaluation
Arts Queensland examined:
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The arts and cultural sector’s understanding/engagement with strategic
priorities and direction outlined in the Plan
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Sector feedback on implementation of key initiatives and programs
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Identifying key issues and opportunities for the sector in the next three to
five years
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The progress made under the Plan’s six strategic priorities.
Our approach to evaluating the Plan
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Conducted over 4 months from mid-August to mid-December 2008
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Key evaluation activities included:
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An online survey of 570 stakeholders
A progress report and consultation questions
Face-to-face interviews with key stakeholders in the broader arts portfolio
Phone interviews with key partners in local, state and federal government
The evaluation team also analysed:
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Arts Queensland data sets
grant acquittals
project reports
annual reports of the organisations across the arts portfolio
Survey Frame
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Rating the implementation of the Plan
What has the Plan achieved?
Koiki, The Dreaming Festival 2007. Photo: Jason Henry
Strategic priority 1 – Funding reform
RRRR
Significant progress made
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Arts Queensland completed the redesign of all grant funding programs
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The s2m Program and Industry Development Initiatives have reduced
funding ‘lock-up’ and seen successful new entrants.
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Over the last three years, Arts Queensland has provided double-digit
funding growth to the arts sector (overall funding growth of $29 million)
Strategic priority 2 - Regional
RR
Some progress made
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Local council amalgamations brought some uncertainty to regional
communities - redeveloping local cultural plans presents opportunities to
reinvigorate arts and cultural support, programming and infrastructure.
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New approaches to service delivery currently being piloted via Industry
Development Initiatives with Arts Queensland in partnership with the
Australia Council.
Strategic priority 3 - Audiences
RR
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Sound progress made
Audiences for organisations funded under the previous Cultural
Infrastructure Program, the major performing arts organisations and at the
Cultural Centre have increased over the last 3 years.
Strategic priority 4 - Indigenous arts and culture
RRRR
Significant progress made
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Focus on increasing support and infrastructure for Indigenous arts and
culture under Backing Indigenous Arts in Far North Queensland.
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Need to leverage additional funding to expand the building skills and
opportunities program to other parts of the state.
Strategic priority 5 - International
RRR
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Good progress made
Progress in artform areas of:
– Contemporary music
– Design
– Indigenous visual arts and crafts
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Since the Plan’s release, Arts Queensland has invested over $1 million in
international activities and almost $630 000 in national activities
Strategic priority 6 - Strengthening the sector
RR
Some progress made
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New initiatives to build skills in securing philanthropy and to strengthen
governance in place
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Evidence of strong partnering within and between stakeholders in the arts
and cultural sector
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In the context of the economic downturn, there is an ongoing need to
enhance support programs to ensure effective arts business models
More detail online
For more detail from the complete evaluation report including vignettes from
funded arts organisations visit:
www.artsqld.gov.au/policy/sectordevplans.html
What did stakeholders
Say needs to change?
Julie Eckersley in The Window. Photo: Fiona Cullen
Key feedback themes
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Artistic quality and vibrancy is a foundation stone for sustainability
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Built infrastructure is a key element of a vital arts and cultural sector
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The redesign of funding programs and streamlining grants administration
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Support for arts and culture in regional Queensland
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Local government – impact of amalgamations and potential partnerships
for arts and cultural development
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Positioning Queensland in national and international contexts
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Increasing participation in arts and culture
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Clarifying Arts Queensland’s role
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Build shared understanding and leadership in the rollout of the Plan
What the feedback said
Indigenous Music Workshop and Showcase. Photo: david Campbell
Sector feedback
On artistic quality and vibrancy “Stakeholders said:”
• Current Plan does not articulate the importance of artistic quality and
vibrancy for sustainability
• Building the sustainability of the arts and cultural sector needs inter-related
drivers of:
– supporting quality and innovation in artistic work and services
– growing audiences and community participation
– enhancing organisation’s operational efficiency
– strengthening financial viability
• Need for artistic quality and excellence to be defined for different
contexts/artforms
• ‘Quality’ should not exclude new artists, creative processes, and audiences
Sector feedback
On built infrastructure
“Stakeholders said:”
• Plan needs to better articulate the role of state-owned arts and cultural
infrastructure in delivering the Plan
• Role of arts statutory authorities, major performing arts organisations,
signature festivals as sector leaders and key partners is not articulated
• Significant unrealized capacity to be leveraged from the broader arts
portfolio to deliver strategic priorities
• Advocacy for capital infrastructure funding to maintain, upgrade or build
regional cultural infrastructure essential for vibrant and healthy sector
Sector feedback
On grants and funding “Stakeholders said:”
• Enhanced grant amounts and rolling cycle for Career Development Grants
provided timely funds for emerging opportunities
• New Industry Development Initiatives Program was seen as offering
flexibility and a responsiveness to meet emerging priorities
• Renewal of the small to medium sector was necessary and welcomed new
entrants
• The reform process was hampered by its cost-neutral implementation
• AQ to advocate for increased funding underpinned by robust evidence
• Need to simplify grant application and acquittal processes
• Greater transparency in the assessment process and role of industry experts
with more feedback on unsuccessful applications
Satisfaction with service - s2m program
Sector feedback
On arts and culture in regional Queensland “Stakeholders said:”
• There is a need for strong partnerships to enhance support and service
delivery in regional, rural and remote Queensland
• Issues and opportunities identified included:
– need for improved information sharing on funding opportunities and
services
– improving artists’ access to professional development and
networking
– need to build local community capacity to support arts and cultural
development
– support for and skilling of volunteers
Sector feedback
On local government amalgamations/partnerships “Stakeholders said:”
• Local council amalgamations had impacted the awareness and rollout of
the Plan and created differing degrees of traction in different regions
• Opportunity to refresh and better align local cultural plans following council
amalgamations
• Opportunity for Arts Queensland to forge partnerships with councils to
focus on outcomes and engage local government in implementation of the
Plan
Sector feedback
On positioning Qld nationally and internationally “Stakeholders said:”
• The key theme of ‘Queensland stories’ in the current Plan is too narrow,
prescriptive and parochial
• Shift focus to ‘stories from and by artists and communities in Queensland’ to
include diversity and migrant histories
• Emphasis on ‘Queenslander-ness’ undercuts more important tasks of
national/international market development and profiling of Queensland
artists
• Advocacy for programs to facilitate exchanges and residencies between
Queensland and international artists and arts organisations
Sector feedback
On increasing participation in arts and culture “Stakeholders said:”
• Plan needs to reflect/strategize cultural heritage and collections role
• A more comprehensive articulation of ‘creative communities’ is needed
• Emphasised importance of investing in more rigorous models of community
engagement
• Called for increased recognition of and funding for pro-amateur arts and
cultural activities
• Enhanced support for festivals
• Stronger links between artists and education institutions to increase
participation
Sector feedback
On clarifying Arts Queensland’s role “Stakeholders said:”
•Need for Arts Queensland to clearly explain its role as:
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funder
partner
advocate
government interpreter for the arts and cultural sector
Clarify Arts Queensland’s capacity to undertake and share findings of:
– strategic research
– data analysis
– evaluation
Sector feedback
On the rollout of current plan
“Stakeholders said:”
The implementation of the Plan would be significantly improved by:
– a feedback loop as part of AQ’s consultation with the sector
– improved ongoing communications with the sector
– inviting representatives from the sector to share the leadership and oversight
for implementing the Plan
What are the issues
and opportunities?
Expressions Dance Company at the Test Drive launch. Photo: Phil Hargreaves
Issue 1 - Impact of the global economic downturn
Economic challenges
– negative impact of the global economic downturn
– discretionary spending slows
– corporate sponsorship, philanthropy and volunteering thins out
– increased competition for new investment from government
– relatively small decreases to revenue streams = big impact on arts
organisations
Creative challenges
– arts and culture can have a key role to play in ‘hard times’
– bring meaning and enjoyment to people’s lives
– facilitate self-expression & encourage people to reflect on the world
– opportunities and demand for high quality, accessible and affordable
community arts and touring productions
Issue 2 - Demographic changes in Queensland
Demographic challenges
– rapid population growth in SEQ
– population decline in parts of rural Queensland
– a range of impacts in mining communities
Infrastructure challenges
– pressures on existing built arts infrastructure
– lack of access/affordability for artists to studio spaces and for arts
and cultural organisations to facilities
Opportunities for the arts and cultural sector
– to profile arts-led policy responses in tackling of social issues
– inform government infrastructure/capital works projects to leverage
outcomes for creative precincts and arts and cultural spaces
Issue 3 - Partnerships and advocacy
The challenge of relevance
• Demonstrating how creativity and the arts and cultural sector can contribute to :
– social inclusion and community well-being
– innovation and building a strong economy
– visioning environmentally sustainable futures
• Building a stronger evidence base to demonstrate instrumental values and outcomes
Opportunities for building stronger partnerships
• Council amalgamations create an opportunity to strengthen positioning of arts and
culture to:
– lead the delivery of local agendas
– enhance the provision of quality arts and cultural experiences
• Need to expand/strengthen partnerships across government and establish partnerships
with the corporate and community sectors