5 tips for regional towns unsuccessful in arts grant applications
Preparing an application for a grant takes time and effort, even for the highly experienced. It is a task that requires considerable creative thinking, networking, research, well honed writing skills, sound financial management, teamwork and time management. It can be particularly challenging when you are a small town applying for an arts grant. If you […]
Read more5 small towns thinking big with the arts
Can the arts transform small towns? And what does transformation really mean? Five towns of less than 1500 people in regional Victoria have been selected through a competitive tender process to be part of a pilot project called Small Towns Transformations that involves using the creative power of the arts to contribute to place making. […]
Read moreCreative Capricorn – Peering into Rockhampton’s creative future
In 2012, Rockhampton was chosen as one of two regions in Australia (the other being Goolwa, South Australia) to trial a new model of cultural development. The model is a partnership between the three tiers of government and local communities, aimed to demonstrate that arts and cultural projects can increase social cohesion and improve quality […]
Read moreBushfire recovery – 6 success factors from the Black Saturday recovery process
New South Wales is currently in the grip of its worst natural disaster in nearly half a century. A state of emergency is in effect across the state. There are currently 56 fires burning around the state; 12 of which are not contained and three in the Blue Mountains are in danger of merging into […]
Read moreOne common myth about the role of the arts in disaster recovery
In recent years Australia has experienced some its worst natural disasters on public record. These included the Black Saturday Bushfires in Victoria in 2009, Cyclone Yasi and floods in Queensland in early 2011. Following these natural disasters, new models of support were trialled to help rebuild disaster-affected communities by using arts-led and creative activities. I […]
Read moreBellingen Arts Week – 3 key success factors
About a year ago, the Bellingen Arts and Cultural Committee – comprising a team of enthusiastic local volunteers – thought it would be a good idea to have a week dedicated to the arts in Bellingen. But Bellingen is already a creative place; why the need for an arts week? The aim was to help […]
Read moreMeasuring arts and culture – does it have to be all or nothing?
Many years ago it was common to think it impossible, misleading and wrong to measure broad intangible concepts like, arts, culture and the environment. It just didn’t feel right to put a value on these things. Now it is well accepted to measure the value of the environment, as well as arts, culture and wellbeing. […]
Read moreFrom moo to mime- Rockhampton’s artistic transition
Have you been to Rockhampton lately? The beef capital of Australia is going through a period of artistic and cultural change. And that’s no bull. But don’t get me wrong. When you arrive at the airport don’t expect to have your portrait painted as you wait at the luggage carousel. You are unlikely to be […]
Read more6 lessons from the choir
I have been a chorister in Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for 17 years – about as long as I have been working in social and market research. It recently occurred to me that the way I operate my consulting business has been heavily influenced by my experience in this choir. The important thing here is that […]
Read moreWhen project assumptions can be wrong
As an experienced consultant, it is important to be able to make reasonable assumptions within the parameters of a project. For example, what research method is most likely to work best with a given audience, stakeholder group or other cohort, how much time respondents will be willing to give in in-depth interviews or focus groups, […]
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