ara toi Ōtepoti – our creative future...dunedin, the ‘coolest city in the south island’...

ArA Toi ŌTepoTi – our CreATive FuTureDraft Dunedin Arts and Culture Strategy 2014 www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi

Toitū te Kawa, Toitū te Rangatiratanga,

Toitū te Ao Turoa, Toitū te Kaikokiri,

Toitū te iwi.

Strengthening cultural excellence through sustainability, innovation and tenacity.

Tēnā koutou katoa,

He mihi tēnei i kā huamokopuna o tēnei whenua, kā uri o Tahupōtiki, o Hotu Māmoe, o Waitaha hoki.

Ka rere atu kā mihi i kā hapū o Kāi Te Ruahikihiki me Kāti Huirapa, mai i kā mauka tapu o Pukekura, a Hikaroroa hoki ki a koutou e noho karapotia nei i tō tātou awa o Ōtākou tae atu ki kā kete kai o Waikouaiti. Kai te mihi, kai te mihi.

Karaka atu, karaka atu, karaka atu ki ka karakataka maha e noho ana i te rohe nei. E hāpai ana i kā Toi tā tēnā ahurea tā tēnā ahurea. Kia mau, kia ita, kia Toitu!

Greetings to all,

This is an acknowledgement from the grandchildren of this land, the descendants of Tahupōtiki, Hotu Māmoe and Waitaha.

The acknowledgement is extended from the sub tribes of Te Ruahikihiku and Huirapa, from the sacred mountains of Pukekura and Hikaroroa to all who live around our waterway, Ōtākou and Puketeraki. Salutations.

We call to the many people of all cultures who live in this area to hold on to and uplift their cultural practices.

03 Introduction

05 The Dunedin Scene Today

06 Arts, Culture and City Prosperity

08 Purpose of the Strategy

11 What do we mean by 'Arts and Culture'?

12 How was this strategy developed?

13 How does it link to other Strategies?

14 How is this strategy set out?

16 Overview of the Arts and Culture Strategy

19 Strategic Theme 1: Arts and culture at the core

23 Strategic Theme 2: Identity pride

27 Strategic Theme 3: Expanding hearts and minds

31 Strategic Theme 4: Making money, making history

37 Strategic Theme 5: Connected through creativity

41 Strategic Theme 6: Places and spaces to skite about

44 APPENDIX A: Bibliography

45 APPENDIX B: What are the principles that guided this work

46 APPENDIX C: What is the Council's role in arts and culture?

CONTENTSWELCOME FROM THE MAYOR OF DUNEDIN

Dunedin’s creative sector makes this a great place in which to live, work and play; it also contributes more than $55 million a year to the city’s GDP.

Our city enjoys a wealth of arts and culture and has a strong history of nurturing and celebrating artistic endeavour, such as providing some of the country’s top fellowships. We have exceptional networks of artists and performers, affordable studios and workspaces, access to the world through our first class cultural and academic institutions, and the opportunity to enjoy splendid isolation. From the outstanding paintings in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery’s collections to the fascinating television coming out of Natural History NZ, Dunedin is full of beautiful things and amazingly creative people. The city pulses with life and innovation, full to bursting with students at our highly regarded tertiary institutions. We want to protect this and build on it.

Given that arts and culture is so critical for the city’s vibrancy, the Dunedin City Council has been working with the arts collective Transforming Dunedin to put together Ara Toi Ōtepoti – Our Creative Future, the draft Dunedin Arts and Culture Strategy, for public consultation.

This draft strategy: • outlineswhatisdrivingthe

development of Ara Toi Ōtepoti• identifiesthekeychallengesthe

city faces in the cultural sphere • proposessixthemestosetthe

direction for arts and culture• sharessomeideasofwhatactions

we should concentrate on in the future

Implementing an arts and culture strategy and delivering on its outcomes will take effort and energy from a wide range of stakeholders and community members. Consultation runs from 29 August to 3 October 2014. Your thoughts and suggestions will help us develop a vibrant and relevant document.

As part of consultation there will be a number of sector-focused meetings for our artists and performers, as well as several public meetings to discuss the draft strategy. For more details, or to make a submission, go to www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi , or use the Twitter hashtag #aratoi or visit www.facebook.com/transformingdunedin to join the conversation.

This is a huge opportunity to shape the future of our city. I hope you are able to work with us and I look forward to your feedback. Dunedin is well on its way to being not just ‘the coolest city in the South Island’ (Lonely Planet), but one of the world’s great small cities for arts and culture.

Dave CullMayor of Dunedin

DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 01

INTRODUCTION

Small cities are wonderfully free from big-city headaches and offer many of the right characteristics for arts and culture to flourish. Artists and writers are attracted to small cities because they are easier to network in, provide a vibrant community in which artists can develop and share their ideas, and offer a good quality of life. Dunedin presents just these opportunities. It has exceptional networks that come from both the city’s small size and strong sense of community. There is affordable space for studios and workspaces – a relative luxury compared to other parts of the country. Dunedin also offers the rare possibility to exist both in superb and splendid isolation and be connected to the world through the city’s great networks and world-class cultural and academic institutions.

Dunedin, the ‘coolest city in the South Island’ according to the Lonely Planet, is well on its way to being one of the world’s great small cities for arts and culture.

CHRISTCHURCH

QUEENSTOWN

DuneDin

AUCkLAND

WELLINGTON

2013 Fringe Festival opening. Whiskey and the Wench. Photograph by Kate van der Drift DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 03

THE DUNEDIN SCENE TODAY

Today Dunedin, with its population of 120,000, offers the cultural life of a much larger city. The Kāi Tahu settlements of Ōtākou and Puketeraki have vibrant marae where artists thrive and this is also the case at the urban Araiteuru Marae that provides for iwi Māori in Dunedin. The city boasts a unique Victorian and Edwardian centre with a distinctive boutique shopping focus with many galleries, craft art shops and a focused fashion area. Across the broad geographic area that is Dunedin, there are active theatres and local arts centres.

Dunedin is home to the University of Otago and the Otago Polytechnic and these highly regarded educational institutions continue to deliver on the city’s reputation as a centre of learning and research excellence, while the students inject the city with a youthful and dynamic outlook and atmosphere. There is an art school, theatre studies, music, film and media departments, design schools, a dance department and a growing science communication school.

A raft of creative internationally-active and innovative media, architectural and design business companies, including Natural History NZ, Animation Research Ltd, and Architecture Van Brandenburg, are located in Dunedin. The city has a thriving and internationally-renowned music sector, ranging from counterculture “Dunedin Sound” pop to the city’s highly regarded Sinfonia.

The city’s excellent arts and cultural institutions are just the beginning. Dunedin has a strong annual programme of festivals from iconic community events such as the Midwinter Carnival to the internationally-renowned ID Fashion Show. Informal spontaneous arts and culture also abound, from impromptu noise gigs at the Anteroom in Port Chalmers and torch jugglers outside the Otago Museum, to a giant wheat-pasted image of Queen Victoria regally surveying Queens Gardens from the side of a building.

This distinctive blend of the historic and contemporary, tradition and exuberance, makes Dunedin a city of surprising contrasts that drive innovation in arts and culture.

The city is built around a harbour and coastline where people have been culturally active for many centuries. A strong Māori heritage, Scottish settlers, a long Chinese history and continuous inflows of other cultures have all played a role in shaping the Dunedin of today and many of its defining characteristics. The Victorian heyday and the gold rush of the late 1800s briefly transformed the city into the most prosperous commercial centre in New Zealand. This economic boom gifted the city some of the southern hemisphere’s most iconic and noteworthy architecture and a remarkable cultural legacy of theatres, libraries, museums, art collections, and renowned historic houses.

Harbour Mouth Molars by artist Regan Gentry. Photograph courtesy of the Otago Daily Times DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 05

ARTS, CULTURE AND CITY PROSPERITY

Arts and culture have been an important part of Dunedin since its founding and, with creativity now widely recognised as a key driver for a successful modern city, must be a key part of its future.

Cities around the world recognise the significant and far-reaching contribution of arts, culture and creativity to both their economy and their reputation as desirable places to live and visit. A wealth of international research shows that, as New Zealand’s Core Cities research puts it, ‘creative industries contribute to the buzz of a city, strengthen brand and identity, and attract talented workers,’ and this is most clearly demonstrated by evidence showing the creative industries are also growing more quickly than traditional industries.

There is no doubt that a vibrant creative environment connects artists, creative entrepreneurs and enterprise to produce a diverse range of goods, services and experiences. Creativity is recognised as important for social and technological innovation, growth and job creation, with the cultural industries stimulating marketing, communication, human resources and product development. In 2011, the New Zealand ‘arts and recreation services’ industries held joint first place with the ‘education and training’ industries for the highest rates of innovation (62%). This put the sector ahead of ‘financial and insurances services,’ ‘wholesale trade,’ and ‘manufacturing.’

Dunedin’s arts and cultural sector already makes a major contribution to the city’s economy and employment. In the year ending March 2013, BERL reported the creative sector contributed around $55 million (1% of GDP) and about 1,300 full time equivalent jobs (2.6% of Dunedin’s full-time equivalent jobs). It is thought that the majority of these jobs are part-time and spread across a large number and range of employers and types of cultural activity.

The evidence suggests the number of people employed in these sectors is continuing to grow, with New Zealand households spending an average of $35 per week on cultural goods and services, as much or more than they spend on clothing and footwear.

In addition to creating opportunities for enterprise and employment, arts and culture enriches the lives of communities. For example, in 2011, research by Creative New Zealand (a national agency that develops, invests in and advocates for the arts) found that participating in the arts makes young people feel good about themselves, with nearly half saying it made them feel ‘brilliant’ and a further third ‘really good.’

The Creative NZ research provided a wealth of powerful information when it comes to looking at the positive impact of arts and culture on New Zealand’s communities. It showed that the majority of the population believe that arts and culture help define who we are as New Zealanders. This is borne out by the majority of adult New Zealanders having engaged with the arts, either by attending or actively participating, and almost all having attended at least one arts and culture

event in the year the research was conducted. This is considerably higher level of participation than that seen in other countries. Dunedin is in line with the national trends. In the 2013 Residents’ Opinion Survey, citizens reported high levels of use/participation and very high levels of satisfaction (over 90%) with a range of Dunedin arts and cultural offerings (including the Otago Museum, Regent Theatre, Toitū and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery) demonstrating the importance of arts and culture to the community.

International research has demonstrated how such participation in arts and culture contributes to improved wellbeing and civic good. Arts and culture are powerful tools for advocacy and allow communities to share and communicate ideas. They provide opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to connect with each other on an equal footing. They are proven to reduce social barriers and feelings of isolation and instead foster more resilient and engaged communities. These wide-ranging benefits have led many of the world’s cities to develop arts and culture strategies that drive activity to maximise that contribution and promote sustainable development. Such strategies allow councils and communities to act with confidence as new initiatives are proposed, focusing a city’s activities and funding and supporting public debate and contribution.

Oddooki, 2008 | Seung Yul Oh | Collection Te Papa Tongarewa Installation at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery as part of MOAMOA: A Decade, Seung Yul Oh

06 | DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY

PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGY

This strategy’s purpose is to set the direction for further strengthening arts and culture in Dunedin over the coming years, with the aim of positioning Dunedin as one of the world’s finest creative small cities. The intention is to embed a creative perspective into the city, and move to a place where arts, culture and creativity are fully integrated into the city’s brand and identity and recognised as critical to Dunedin’s success.

New understandings of the role of the creative arts recognise the importance of creativity in all areas of development rather than being restricted to the arts. Arts and culture are no longer discretionary activities restricted to particular disciplines. Rather, they are central to problem-solving across the full spectrum of human activity. From creating whole new industries to developing more effective ways to engage the community in public decision-making, the city can benefit from including cultural and creative considerations.

Arts and culture allow people to connect with one another, express themselves, experiment, and celebrate what is best in life. The capacity to think, act and produce with creativity and imagination is founded on the cultural life of the community. Culture is a core component of sustainability, and critical to ensuring a sustainable and resilient society.

This strategy works to draw together these new perspectives on arts and culture, linking them with other priorities that the community has established for the city and setting out key strategic goals for Dunedin to support a successful future.

The strategy once adopted will be a living document, and the outcomes will be monitored and evaluated to measure its success. This will enable the strategy to be regularly reviewed to ensure it is meaningful, relevant and fresh.

Dunedin City Choir 2014. Photograph by Justin Spiers.08 | DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY

WHAT DO WE MEAN bY ‘ARTS AND CULTURE’?

Definitions of arts and culture are often broad and can mean different things to different people. Words such as arts, culture, cultural, creative, cultural sector, and creative community are often used interchangeably. This strategy recognises that it is appropriate to take a broad view.

Creative NZ research from 2011 defines arts and culture to include: visual arts; performing arts; literature; Māori arts; and Pacific arts. While this is a useful starting point, the definition used in this strategy is more expansive than the Creative NZ definition, encompassing professional and community arts and culture, and creative, technology and knowledge-based industries. So the Dunedin definition includes, in addition to those identified by Creative NZ: cultural lives (of the many ethnic communities that make up our history, our present and our future); galleries, libraries and museums (collectively known as ‘GLAM’); digital and new media; television, film and other screen activities; heritage; creativity in the public realm (e.g. built environment, architecture, public spaces and urban design); spiritual activities; and arts in the health sector.

CreATive nZ reseArCh (2011) DEFINES ARTS AND CULTURE AS…

THE DuneDin DeFiniTion OF ARTS AND CULTURE INCLUDES…

Photograph by Justin Spiers.

Cultural lives (history-forming ethnic communities)

Visual arts e.g. painting, photography, ceramic, textile and printmaking, sculpture, film-making, web-based/digital art

Design

Creativity in the public realm (e.g. built environment, architecture, public spaces and urban design

Performing arts e.g. theatre, dance, music

Galleries, Libraries and Museums (GLAM)

Spiritual activities

Literature

Digital and New Media

Arts in the health sector

Maori arts e.g. kapa haka, carving, weaving, dance or music

Television, Film and Screen

Pacific Arts e.g. traditional dance, carving, musical activities

Heritage


HOW DOES IT LINK TO OTHER STRATEGIES?

Dunedin’s vision is to be one of the world’s great small cities and the Council, working with the community, has developed a strategic framework to deliver on this vision. Ara Toi is one of the eight key strategies that together provide a ‘roadmap’ for how the city’s aspirations will be achieved.

The Arts and Culture Strategy has a critical role in this strategic mix, working in synergy with the other city strategies. The city’s strengths will be best supported by an integrated approach, where arts and culture can be looked to drive economic success and contribute to better social outcomes for the city’s residents, to support improved community participation in decision-making, and to help transform the public realm.

The strategic framework is underpinned by two cross-cutting principles, sustainability and respect for the Treaty of Waitangi. The Arts and Culture Strategy has been developed with these principles (and others unique to this strategy, see Appendix B) in mind. The Māori principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi are central toAra Toi, which specifically acknowledges the relationship with kāi Tahu, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki and seeks to respect and support

current iwi Māori contributions in the arts and culture space. The strategy also supports enhancing the sustainability of arts, culture and creativity in the city, from taking practical steps around work practices to the use of arts and culture to promote economic and social wellbeing and promote resilience.

spATiAL pLAn

pArKs &

reCreATion

sTrATegy*

ArTs

&

CuLT

ure

sTrA

Tegy

*

3 WATers

sTrATegy

soCi

AL

WeL

LBei

ng

sT

rATe

gy

inTegrATeD

TrAnsporT

sTrATegyenvironMenT sTrATegy*

eCon

oM

iC

DeveLopM

enT

sTrATegy

CoMMuniTyouTCoMes

HOW WAS THIS STRATEGY DEVELOPED?

This strategy has been developed jointly by the Council working in partnership with arts and culture collective Transforming Dunedin. It draws on the results of previous community consultation, including the Transforming Dunedin Symposium and follow-on work, ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, other Council work regarding the city’s strategic priorities in the broadest sense, a review of other arts and culture strategies in New Zealand and internationally, and a review of the key relevant academic literature.

The process to develop the strategy began in 2010/11 when the Council led a community engagement and consultation process called ‘Your City, Our Future’ (YCOF). YCOF provided an opportunity for the community to have their say about what they considered important for the future of the city. A number of leadership groups were established to help the Council identify priorities across a range of areas, including the arts and culture sector.

The YCOF arts and culture leadership group recognised the breadth of the sector and the need for wider consultation. As a result, in 2012 the group facilitated the two-day ‘Transforming Dunedin Arts and Culture Symposium’ that attracted over 200 participants from across the city’s creative sector. During the Symposium, eleven cultural areas were identified and three workshops held with each group to identify priorities for maintaining and further developing Dunedin’s arts and culture. These priorities included: • Arts and culture provides a core

focus for the city• Arts and culture is truly valued• Dunedin is an initiator and

incubator city, and an international arts capital that builds on its reputation for being an ideas factory, where arts and culture is accessible to all

• Our relationship with kāi Tahu is visible and is built into the core of our vision

• Dunedin’s arts and culture environment is characterised by coordination and collaboration

Through the YCOF process and the workshops that followed, it became clear that there was a will to revise the strategy to clearly convey the city’s new vision, and ensure that arts and culture was positioned comfortably and cohesively with the other key strategies that were being developed for Dunedin. The Council decided to begin work on a new Arts and Culture Strategy. To develop this, the priorities identified at the Symposium were built upon and integrated with other thinking.

This strategy is currently in draft form and has been published for public consultation as the next stage of development. It is hoped feedback from the community will lead to a final strategy that inspires Dunedin to push for great things in the arts and culture space going forward.

12 | DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 13

HOW IS THIS STRATEGY SET OUT?

strategic ThemesSix strategic themes encapsulate the main areas of focus for arts and culture in Dunedin. They have been developed based on community consultation through the Transforming Dunedin Symposium (March 2012), a review of arts and culture strategies in New Zealand and internationally, and a review of relevant literature. The themes identify what matters most to Dunedin in terms of arts and culture, and are included to concisely convey the city’s aspirations.

The city’s vision is: “Dunedin is one of the world’s great small cities, where……arts, culture and creativity are valued and celebrated.”

…being a local is better than being a tourist! OR …where everybody wants to be a local!”

…arts, culture and creativity are valued and celebrated, and recognised as an integral part of the city’s prosperity, character and personality.”

…the arts, culture and creativity shape our world!”

…arts, culture and creativity are recognised as an integral part of the city’s identity, landscape and economy.”

…arts, culture and creativity are an integral part of the city’s prosperity, character and personality.”

…arts and culture are everything we do.”

…there is always somewhere to go and something to do.”

…arts, culture and creativity are kick-ass!”

…beauty meets brains.”

…arts and culture sustain and innovate.”

DO ANY OF THESE STAND OUT FOR YOU? WHAT ARE YOUR IDEAS? BE CREATIVE! WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU?

WhAT is our vision For ArTs AnD CuLTure?WhAT Are your iDeAs?TeLL us. HERE'S HOW:>> VISIT: www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi

>> ATTEND: public Meetings

>> CHECK OUT: Facebook.com/transforming dunedin

Photograph courtesy of the Otago Daily Times. Artists Filipa Crofskey (left) and Daniel Mead in Dunedin's Hoyts Lane.

goalsEach of the strategic themes is broken down into a list of goals that identify what the Council and the city will work towards. The goals provide clear direction to the Council, its partners and stakeholders, on the arts and culture priorities for the city. Note: the goals are not ranked according to priority or importance.

Arts and Culture strategy DiagramThe following diagram (refer to Figure 1 overleaf) provides an overview of the vision, strategic themes and goals of the Arts and Culture Strategy. Each of the themes and the supporting goals are discussed in more detail in the following pages.


VISION: DUNEDIN IS ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREAT SMALL CITIESWhat do you think? We’ll be asking people for their vision and ideas as part of the public consultation.Figure 1: overview of the Arts and Culture strategy

GOALS

headlinerMake arts, culture and creativity

a top priority

Creative CreatureEmbed a creative perspective in city

decision-making

A+C infusionInfuse public and private sector

organisations with arts, culture and creative thinking

ideas LabBe a hub of creative learning, research

and technology, that tackles the challenges of the day

STRATEGIC THEME 1: ArTs AnD CuLTure

AT The Core

spotlight the originalProfile Dunedin’s distinctive cultural mix, be confident in what the city has

to offer and respecting what it inspires

Kāi Tahu TaongaTreasure the place of kāi Tahu on the arts and culture landscape and invest

for the future

street CredBuild on the national and international

reputation for exceptional arts and culture, and iconic festivals and events

showcase showponyDemonstrate how a city can be

uniquely shaped by arts and culture

STRATEGIC THEME 2: iDenTiTy

priDe

open DoorsCreate new avenues for community

participation in arts and culture

hunger For The edgeTake risks and bravely champion

artistic experimentation that pushes the envelope

Access All AreasInvest in arts and culture provision across the whole of Dunedin, and

promote diversity

it’s not A CompetitionValue the desire to make and create for

its own sake and support all kinds of expression

STRATEGIC THEME 3: eXpAnDing heArTs

AnD MinDs

Creative economyLeverage arts and culture as a key

driver of local and regional economic growth

Mover and shakerSupport, nurture and develop creative

entrepreneurs

Talent investorInvest in bold, leading-edge ideas as a

hot-house for new talent

Creative MagnetAttractive base for the ‘best and

brightest’ creative individuals and industries

STRATEGIC THEME 4: MAKing Money,

MAKing hisTory

network WinnerCapitalise on the city’s super-

connected and collegial arts, culture and creative communities

promote and profileBuild useful relationships by

highlighting the city’s arts and culture

global CollaboratorPursue international arts and culture

opportunities and collaborations

Ambitious partnerSupport public, private and creative

sector partnerships for ambitious arts and cultural projects

STRATEGIC THEME 5: ConneCTeD Through

CreATiviTy

physical imprintEnsure public art, culture and

creativity is highly visible and valued

Dynamo public spacesInsist on innovative, sustainable,

creative and high-quality public art, urban design and built environment

Animated LifeBoost cultural institutions, festivals

and events to make the city come alive

World Class playerEnsure the best of local, national and international arts and culture can be

experienced

STRATEGIC THEME 6: pLACes AnD spACes To

sKiTe ABouT

GOALSGOALSGOALS


STRATEGIC THEME 1:

ARTS AND CULTURE AT THE CORE

Arts and culture is vital to Dunedin’s success, from delivering a better quality of life to being a key driver of a strong economy. The focus of this theme is putting arts and culture at the very heart of everything that takes place in the city. Creative thinkers add huge value, culture is a game-changer, and Dunedin will reap benefits of supporting arts and culture to play a central role.

Photograph Courtesy of the Otago Daily Times.Artist: Phelgm. Vogel Street. DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 19

How might these goals be achieved? Here are some of the ideas that have come from the community so far: • Establishamulti-disciplinarycreative/artsboard

to advise and support the development of a creative city

•Holdannualforumswithartists/artsorganisations/creative businesses to discuss the Council’s arts and culture programme

•Monitor/evaluateCouncildecisions/projectsandtheir impact on arts and culture in the city

• Involveartists/designers/architectsinurbandesign and community infrastructure projects

• Provideopportunitiesforartsandculture-focusedactivities to occur in Council-owned buildings

• Reducecompliancerequirementsforartsand culture activities and creative businesses (or provide assistance for them to meet requirements)

• ProvidepermanentartsfundingintheCouncil’sLong Term Plan

• Evaluatethecriteriaforfundingandselectingarts and culture projects

THIS STRATEGY IS TO GET YOU THINKING… HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE THIS?

WhAT Are your iDeAs?TeLL us. HERE'S HOW:>> VISIT: www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi



Make arts, culture and creativity a top priorityCulture isn’t a discretionary activity. Cities around the world, and their residents, profit in myriad ways from their cultural and artistic endeavours. Dunedin has prioritised culture and the arts at various points in its history and now must do so again to ensure the city continues to thrive. Putting arts and culture at the top of the agenda is key to Dunedin achieving its ambitions of vibrancy, liveability and prosperity, and unrealised potential to deliver jobs, visitors and wealth.

embed a creative perspective in city decision-makingCreative thinking is a hot commodity and the benefits of including creative professionals from the outset in all kinds of work and collective problem-solving are hard to deny. Dunedin must work to further embed a creative perspective into city thinking and decision-making in order to realise its full potential, engaging more of the diverse range of creative individuals and organisations in the steps to move forward.

infuse public and private sector organisations with arts, culture and creative thinkingThe world has moved beyond cultural endeavours as something only supported by patrons and bought by organisations because they have an interest in the arts. Today, Dunedin’s public and private sectors, community groups and agencies need to be supported to integrate creative thinking, arts, culture and design, into the way they do business. Not only will they contribute to Dunedin’s creative culture and reputation, but they will unlock new, more effective, ways of

achieving their goals.

Be a hub of creative learning, research and technology that tackles the challenges of the dayArt and culture is the realm of exploration. Boosting support for the arts and culture will strengthen Dunedin’s position as a centre of creative learning and research and of cutting edge design and technology development. The city is a place for new ideas and thinking to be brought forward and debated, and the arts and culture have an essential role to play in this intellectual life. They offer opportunities to tackle the challenges of the day and to question the status quo. Doing this

effectively gives us tools to deal with today’s challenges, from inequality to climate change, and to be prepared to face the challenges of tomorrow. This way of operating is visible in the Otago Polytechnic’s Innovation WorkSpace, which produces cutting edge research and enterprise solutions to contemporary issues, as well as many of the city’s leading businesses such as Animation Research Ltd.

ARE THESE THE RIGHT PRIORITIES? WHAT WOULD YOURS bE?

STRATeGIC THeMe 1: Arts and Culture at the Core

HEADLINER

CREATIVE CREATURE

A+C INFUSION

IDEAS LAb

STRATeGIC THeMe 1: Arts and Culture at the Core


STRATEGIC THEME 2:

IDENTITY PRIDE

Dunedin’s identity and personality is, in part, expressed through arts, culture and creativity. Arts and culture in its myriad forms celebrate the city’s character, diversity and individuality, and are key elements in building a sense of unity and community pride. Dunedin – the environment, people and history – inspires many to artistic expression and creative thinking, both those who call the city home and those that come from afar on a quest for the unique and the beautiful. The legacy of past cultural investment is visible in Dunedin and this strategy sets the course for continuing to shape the city with arts and culture.

He Waka Kotuia. Photograph by Justin Spiers. DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 23

profile Dunedin’s distinctive cultural mix, be confident in what the city has to offer and respect what it inspiresDunedin has a distinctive and unique cultural mix, and an unbreakable connecting thread running between its communities, its physical environment and its history. These connections play a role in inspiring the creative thinking and artistic expression of the city. A sense of place strongly linked to the landscape and surrounds filters how the people of Dunedin see the world. Today, everything that has gone before is infused into how Dunedin moves forward. There is a growing confidence

in what is singularly ‘Dunedin’ and there exists a freedom to explore – identities, ideas and the future. This strategy recognises the value of bolstering self-awareness through arts and culture, encouraging those who live in and visit the city to reflect on what they have and what they wish for, and the value in having a community that is proud of all that it has to offer.

Treasure the place of Kāi Tahu on the arts and culture landscape and invest for the futurekāi Tahu is a creative power house, with many artists integrating modern mediums and ideas with Dunedin’s deep, proud Māori heritage. kāi Tahu artists are gaining national and international recognition and, connected by their whakapapa, are creating across traditional and contemporary art forms. Support for Mahi Toi – creative expression – is strong, and the recent Te Rūnanga cultural strategy (Manawa Whenua, Manawa Reo, Manawa kāi Tahu – Our World, Our Word, Our Way)

is designed to guide cultural investment and focus. It prioritises five areas: resources; growth of practices through intergenerational ownership; engagement, value, celebration; protection and authenticity; and, supporting new forms of cultural expression.

Ōtākou and Puketeraki marae are exciting hubs for cultural and artistic activity, and Araiteuru marae is also striding forward in this space as a result of renewed focus on creativity and funding to support it. Māori Roopū and public institutions are working together to build, from the city’s proud history, dialogue and debate about the future, partly through cultural endeavour. Creative New Zealand’s 2011 research reported that just over half (52%) of young New Zealanders who participated in Māori arts outside of the school year were not Māori. This demonstrates how young New Zealanders are blending and moulding their cultural activity in the modern world. In Ōtepoti, Polyfest is a shining example of how Dunedin’s culturally innovative and open young people work to integrate older and multi-stranded histories and culture to create something new, unique and amazing.

Build on the national and international reputation for exceptional arts and culture, and iconic festivals and eventsDunedin has a strong history of arts, culture, creativity and innovation and can be proud of its achievements and unique take on life. The city provides concrete examples of how arts and culture can, and have, positively impacted on the city: from the distinctive fashion of the city’s world-renowned local clothing, television production houses and music labels to the creative talents who make Dunedin home after benefiting from one of the enviable fellowships and residencies. Robust

evidence of success enhances Dunedin’s strong international reputation as a vibrant arts and culture city that can be used as a model for others.

Demonstrate how a city can be uniquely shaped by arts and cultureDunedin is a city alive with arts and culture and this stands out nationally. Take the Octagon: marvel at Dunedin’s extraordinary wealth of architectural heritage from luminaries like R.A. Lawson; stroll amongst the plaques honouring the city’s heroes of literature whose words form memories; or, pop into the City Library and see McCahon’s iconic painting of the Otago Peninsula that shapes the collective mental picture of the city. These are just some of the constant reminders,

right in the centre of town, that arts and culture are the heart of this city. This strategy identifies what the city already has and supports a future to continue to create a Dunedin that can be a model for other cities when it comes to maximising the impact of arts and culture.

There are many ways to deliver on these goals. To get the juices flowing, here are some of the ideas that have come from the community so far:• Profile-buildingeventsandpromotiontoincrease

visibility of artists, writers, creative industries

•Developculturalleadershipawardsthatrecogniseachievers in the arts

• Ensurethatarts,cultureandcreativityisembedded in Dunedin’s brand and identity, and its marketing campaigns

• IncreasetherepresentationandvisibilityofMaori(especially kai Tahu) traditional and contemporary arts and culture

• Provideopportunitiesfordesignersandartiststoexhibit and sell their work

• Publicrecognitionforlocaltalentandtheirachievements

• Lookforopportunitiesforinternationalrecognition e.g. competitions/awards

• Evaluation/assessmentoftheimpactofartsandculture programmes on city vitality

•Developguidelines/exemplarsof‘whatworks’ and ‘what we’ve learned’

•Onlineresourcessuchaspractitioner/artistprofiles; events; arts calendar






SPOTLIGHT THE ORGIINAL

KāI TAHU TAONGA

STREET CRED

SHOWCASE SHOWPONY

STRATeGIC THeMe 2: Identity Pride STRATeGIC THeMe 2: Identity Pride


Dunedin’s residents are almost all creators and consumers of art and culture, whether it is making lanterns for the Mid-Winter Carnival, experiencing a reinterpretation of beckett’s ‘Play’ in a derelict building, playing a role in a school production or taking in the latest Performance Art Series from the blue Oyster Art Project Space. Arts and culture can change lives, create dreams, spark new ideas and open up discussion. Their effects on people are so varied and so personal that art and culture are recognised as having value for their own sake. both enable the self-expression that is vital to discovering identities and sharing of ideas upon which understanding and inclusion in communities can be built, enabling people from diverse and disparate backgrounds and experiences to connect. This connection supports the development of a sense of belonging, unity, and understanding while at the same time encouraging an appreciation of difference.

STRATEGIC THEME 3:

EXPANDING HEARTS AND MINDS

Artsenta. Artist: Joan Middlemiss. Photograph courtesy of the Otago Daily Times.


Create new avenues for community participation in arts and cultureDunedin has more arts and culture than many cities of its size but not everyone in the Dunedin community has access to cultural activities or the opportunity to participate. The reasons range from socio-economic background to cultural barriers or where someone lives in the city. This strategy sets a goal of finding new ways to engage residents in the city’s cultural life. This may include fostering new partnerships between art providers and social service agencies, or tailoring

activities to attract parts of the community that do not traditionally engage with arts and culture. This is already beginning to happen with projects like the Northern Artery’s newest exhibition space, the ‘Art Tardis,‘ which is taking art out of galleries and into the streets and schools of North East Valley.

Take risks and bravely champion artistic experimentation that pushes the envelopeDunedin has a rich heritage of risk-taking and a long record pioneering developments that have gone on to echo around the world, ranging from development of the freezing industry and world-leading social welfare reform in the 19th Century through to the Dunedin Sound that changed popular music in the 1980s. This strategy sets a path to continue this fine tradition. The city will relish and support its artistic sub-cultures and risk-takers, recognising that not all may succeed but

some will astound.

invest in arts and culture provision across the whole of Dunedin, and promote diversityResearch demonstrates community involvement in arts and cultural activities contributes to improved social outcomes and can be a catalyst for social change and enhanced civic good. Arts and culture offer a way for different voices and perspectives to be shared, reflected on, challenged and celebrated. This strategy encourages diverse opportunities for creative engagement. Dunedin needs to take steps to boost community involvement. From free access to art galleries

and museums and the development of localised museums and cultural centres distributed throughout the city to the provision of appropriate public transport – community participation is a key goal of this strategy.

value the desire to make and create for its own sake and support all kinds of expressionThe urge to create, make and express through artistic expression is invaluable to humanity. Artists, musicians, poets, and performers reinvigorate our lives, shed new light on old questions and open entirely different worlds for us to explore. Some of what is produced may appeal to only a few or be deemed by some unpalatable or offensive. Michelangelo, Picasso, Peter Jackson, Ian Taylor and countless others have gone against the norms of the day before the value of their endeavours has

been recognised. Some cultural activity is not intended to create commercial value, but serves other purposes, such as experimentation, individual artistic development, or social comment. This strategy establishes a city in which the practice of art and culture, the diversity of that expression, and the expression of the diverse identities, character and history of all of Dunedin’s communities, is valued and celebrated regardless of the audience or income generated.






There are many ways in which these ambitions might be achieved. Ideas on the table from community engagement so far are:•Highlightandpromoteartsandcultureactivities

(including festivals and celebrations) related to all ethnic groups in Dunedin.

• Ensurethatunder-representedpartsofthecommunity(or specific interest groups) have opportunities to participate in arts and cultural activities

• Recogniseandhighlightmaraeasculturalprecincts(spatial plan)

• EncouragetherepresentationandvisibilityofPasifikatraditional and contemporary arts and culture

• EnsurethattheCouncil’sartandcultureprogrammereflects the cultural diversity of the city

•Workwithcommunity-basedartsorganisationstodevelop neighbourhood arts projects

•Developpartnershipswithschools,polytechnics,universities, and businesses to maximise opportunities for young people to get involved in arts and cultural activities

•Developculturalprecinctsorvillagesthatreflectcommunity histories and stories

• Artsbuseslinkingculturalinstitutionsandprecincts•Outreach–exploreopportunitiesformuseums,

galleries and creative industries to visit schools and communities

• Providearangeofpublicartprojectsthatareinnovative and create dialogue

• Supportandencouragethelocationofhighqualityarts and culture infrastructure in the city, including second-tier institutions such as community halls and small venues (spatial plan)

• Ensureartsandculturalfacilitiesarelocatedincentres, on good transportation routes or within walking distance of residential areas (spatial plan)

• Celebratetherolethatartsplayinthehealth sector

OPEN DOORS

HUNGER FOR THE EDGE

ACCESS ALL AREAS

IT'S NOT A COMPETITION

STRATeGIC THeMe 3: expanding Hearts and Minds STRATeGIC THeMe 3: expanding Hearts and Minds


Arts and culture is a key economic driver. Internationally, the creative economy is growing faster than many other sectors, often at several times the average rate of growth of the economy overall. It is a sector that has seen continuing growth, despite the recent financial global crisis. At the national level, the sector is increasingly being recognised for stimulating increased productivity and innovation in other sectors of the economy. With its rich creative tradition, unique cultural mix and the dynamic energy of its educational institutions and associated youth culture, Dunedin is well-placed to capitalise on the growth of this sector. At times, art and culture have been regarded as optional extras and of secondary importance to other economic pursuits. They are now recognised as underpinning the very foundations of a city’s prosperity, critical to social wellbeing as well as creating a vibrant and attractive environment that attracts the talent needed to be successful.

STRATEGIC THEME 4:

MAKING MONEY, MAKING HISTORY

Damien van Brandenburg. Photograph by Graeme Warman. DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 31

iD Dunedin Fashion Week, 2014; Designer: Carlson; Photographer Chris Sullivan; Model: Lily @AliMcD

Leverage arts and culture as a key driver of local and regional economic growthThis strategy puts arts and culture at the centre of the city’s economic development, and the core of its identity and marketing. Many leading international thinkers emphasise the critical role that innovation and creative industries play in enhancing economic development. There is no question Dunedin is the South’s greatest centre of arts, heritage, and environment. The way is open for Dunedin to assert its place as the southern capital of culture, much as in recent decades it has

carved a reputation as the wildlife capital of the country. Pursuing an arts and culture economy offers opportunities in terms of greater employment growth, especially among youth, using the city’s vibrancy to attract and retain a talented and footloose workforce, and boost visitor numbers and the lengths of visits. Imbuing economic development with cultural considerations also better supports the protection of cultural assets that are often unique and fragile.

support, nurture and develop creative entrepreneursInnovation in arts and culture is a feature of Dunedin and the city boasts an array of ground-breaking entrepreneurs and businesses in a wide range of creative areas. Innovation can be startlingly new or simply an intelligent adaptation of what already exists, and Dunedin’s creative industries provide platforms for invention. The city is home to design innovators such as Freeload and Scott Technologies, and cutting-edge original television content creators like Natural History

New Zealand. Often these entrepreneurial activities are the happy outcome of healthy relationships and intermingling between tertiary research and arts and culture talent. The University, the Polytechnic and the Council are involved in supporting young people with their entrepreneurial dreams – with programmes like the advertising specialist course ‘Brandbach’. But not all artists go through further education and sometimes the innovators, like Architecture Van Brandenberg’s Fred Brandenberg, find their innovation mojo later in life. Dunedin needs to find ways to support these diverse entrepreneurs.

The success of creative entrepreneurs is not solely the result of their creative talent. Dunedin must offer tailored business support to ensure that entrepreneurs in the arts and culture field are able to bring creativity together with strong business skills. The city must invest in the necessary infrastructure to support creative businesses, build the Creative Dunedin brand and help its creative talent access the world. Dunedin also has the ability to offer start-ups inexpensive and interesting locations and sites for businesses whose primary operation is outside the city – an invaluable asset that adds to the city’s international muscle.

invest in bold, leading-edge ideas as a hot-house for new talentThis strategy aims to build on and grow the city’s reputation for creativity, excellence, and innovation. Dunedin intends to be at the frontline of doing things differently, and will look for opportunities to support entrepreneurship, experimentation and creative risk-taking. The goal is for Dunedin to become recognised as a city that is bold and unafraid to try new ideas; where there is space for experimentation and trial and error; a city that is open to transformation and reinvention.

Dunedin must nurture new and emerging artists, as a hotbed of creative thought and innovation now and into the future. Only with this adventuring attitude will the city be the creative heartland of future brilliant artists’ minds and economies. There are a number of long-standing artists’ residencies, and some new ones in the pipeline, that give artists the space to experiment and explore new ways of working. The city needs to continue to pump fresh blood through its veins if it is to harness arts and culture to grow the economy and attract talented people to live and work here.


Attractive base for the ‘best and brightest’ creative individuals and industriesAn innovative city relies on attracting and retaining creative and talented people. Some go so far as to suggest the main ingredient for creating a successful city is attracting the very best people. To do so cities need to provide a stimulating, vibrant, and tolerant social environment, which is technologically advanced and offers a range of challenging and satisfying work opportunities. Simply put, an innovative city needs to provide the conditions where talented people want to live,

work and play. Dunedin must continue to provide a city with diverse cultural activity as a core part of this. A great music scene, thriving theatre and dance, festivals, galleries, design and fashion stores, interesting shopping and good food – all play a role in creating this successful, desirable city.

The connection between the Economic Development Strategy and this Arts and Cultural Strategy is reflected in both the monetised and non-monetised impacts of the arts and cultural sector. Non-commercial aspects sustain the city’s social life, and support a sense of strong cultural identity. These in turn lead to a city where the quality of life encourages the innovative and creative population who gain both professional challenge and a supportive lifestyle. Dunedin is well-known as a centre of learning, with a solid reputation for scholarship, innovation and research, technology and creativity. The NZ Core Cities report identified that Dunedin has ‘comparative advantages in creative industries, education, research and ICT, with 39% of Dunedin’s workforce employed in knowledge-intensive occupations.’ The economic profile of arts, design and cultural employment is reflected by contract work and a degree of transience – people who come for a project but may stay because of the city’s wider appeal and capability.

CREATIVE ECONOMY

MOVER AND SHAKER

TALENT INVESTOR

CREATIVE MAGNET

STRATeGIC THeMe 4: Making Money, Making History






There are many ways to realise these strategic goals. Here’s what’s been suggested so far:•Activelyandenergeticallypromotethecity’sarts

and culture brand and identity•Developunderstandingofemployment

opportunities in the arts, culture and creative sectors to identify potential opportunities and areas of growth

• Providesponsorshipformajoreventsthatcontributeto economic vitality and that promote the city’s arts and culture brand and identity

• Identifyandpartnerwithnewandcutting-edgecreative projects

•Offercareerpathways,apprenticeships,andinternships

•Offerartists/writers/designers-in-residenceprogrammes

• Providefree/cheapworkspacesforthe‘fringykids’–new and emerging artists

• SeektobecomeaUNESCOcityofliterature/worldheritage status

•Offerincentivese.g.rent/ratesreliefforcreativebusinesses

• EnsurethatDunedinhashigh-speeddigitalinfrastructure

• Strengthentheplacesthatattractandholdpeopleand businesses and encourage economic growth

• Increaseawarenessofhowartsandculturecanbeleveraged to trigger local growth

• Provideguidanceandsupportforartsorganisationsto develop sustainable management practices

• Provideprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesthat encourage personal creativity, innovation and initiative

• Providementoring,supportandavenuestoshareknowledge

•Developbusinessmentoringandothersupportforexisting and new arts, culture and creative sector enterprises

• Provideseedfundingforinnovativecreativeprojectsand businesses

• Implementfundingprogrammesthatencourageartistic development, innovation, heritage preservation

•Developanartsincubator/hothousespace• Provideaffordablemixed-use,live/workspacefor

artists, designers and creative entrepreneurs• Enhancethevisibilityofcreativeindustrieswithin

the city (spatial plan)• Supportcollaborationandnetworkinginthecreative

industries by ensuring opportunities for co-location in an identified creative precinct (spatial plan)

• Entrepreneur-in-residenceorsocialhousingforentrepreneurs

• Scholarshipsforstudentsjustoutofuniversitytofund start-ups

STRATeGIC THeMe 4: Making Money, Making History

DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 3534 | DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY

One of the features that sets Dunedin apart from the other cities is its size. While this is often bemoaned as a handicap, it is also one of its greatest assets. Dunedin is a city with a range and richness of cultural assets that belie its size. It enjoys the regular flush of a transient student and academic sector while having a core population that is stable and familiar, with key players often enjoying connections dating back decades or even generations. The two intermix freely, allowing innovation and creativity to be accomplished on an intimate rather than a large and anonymous scale. Dunedin is renowned in creative circles for the openness and generosity of its creative sector and its readiness to collaborate and assist others, seen in the free exchange in people and equipment between the city’s educational institutions and its theatre, dance and music sector, and in the long history of support for the city’s budding film-makers by companies such as Taylormade Media and Natural History NZ. Conversations between sectors, industries and individuals generate new thinking. This strategy seeks to make use of the strong existing networks, and foster new connections, to better facilitate creative individuals and their supporters to come together and create works of world-beating genius.

STRATEGIC THEME 5:

CONNECTED THROUGH CREATIVITY

Dunedin Chinese Garden. Photograph by Sharron Bennett DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 37

Capitalise on the city’s super-connected and collegial arts, culture and creative communitiesThis strategy seeks to capitalise on, maintain and build upon Dunedin’s exceptional connectedness. This is one of the city’s greatest assets and much will be achieved by using this connectivity to do more. The city needs a holistic approach to its art and cultural sector to coordinate, promote, market, and grow. Already the sciences and the arts come together in science communication and in products that reflect new digital capacities. Creativity in food presentation is developing new

opportunities under the mantle of the culinary arts. Most of those in the creative sector are self-employed, often working alone or in small groups. This can limit their capacity to access funding or develop markets and, sometimes, to evolve. There are opportunities, too, to harness the city’s strengths by linking artists and other parts of the community together in new ways. There is potential for artists to operate more collaboratively when applying for funding, putting together exhibitions or bringing international experts to the city. There are possibilities for boosting the opportunities for creative thinkers and artists by putting them in touch with business support services and encouraging businesses and organisations to take advantage of the benefits on offer from including artists in their work.

Build useful relationships by highlighting the city’s arts and cultureWhile Dunedin has a legacy of dynamic arts and cultural activity throughout its history, for much of that time it has hidden its light under a bushel, making little of its creative achievements and downplaying them in preference to other aspects of the city. A core part of this strategy centres on bringing those achievements to the fore and putting them at the centre of the city’s identity and branding. Building value begins with valuing things locally. Nothing spreads faster than news of a

good time being had. This means profiling and celebrating our own on our streets, in our venues, publications, and in our own businesses, and putting that celebration at the heart of every message we send to the rest of the world. The way is open for Dunedin to assert its place as the southern capital of culture, as in recent decades it has carved a reputation as the wildlife capital of the country. Arts and culture will bolster newer relationships, such as those with Shanghai, and maintain older ones, for example with Edinburgh.

pursue international arts and culture opportunities and collaborationsArts and culture offers ways to build new and dynamic relationships with other places and between cultural institutions, industries, tertiary providers, cultural venues and artists. These relationships reinforce the city’s profile in the world and bring wide ranging benefits to the city. Such collaborations brought the Tate Gallery’s ‘Pre-Raphaelite Dream’ exhibition exclusively to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery and saw the Ake Ake Theatre Company collaborate with a Serbian

company on a work honouring women’s roles in The Great War. Dunedin is currently bidding for UNESCO City of Literature World Heritage status. The city’s bid is supported by six of the seven current holders of this honour from throughout Europe, North American, and Australasia. If granted, the recognition will dramatically bolster Dunedin’s international profile and further increase international cultural exchange. This strategy seeks to recognise the value of such collaboration and to complement and foster further examples.

support public, private and creative sector partnerships for ambitious arts and cultural projectsThis strategy is a rallying call to mobilise the city to become engaged and to be inventive and imaginative in the ways it structures its professional relationships and partnerships. Dunedin has a wide range of cultural services, attractions, products, and an enthusiastic arts and culture community, but it needs a holistic approach to coordinate, promote and market, and grow. The aim of this goal is to cultivate a united, creative community where public, private, educational, and

creative sectors engage and collaborate with each other.

NETWORK WINNER


Regent Theatre. Photography by Justin Spiers.

PROMOTE AND PROFILE

GLObAL COLLAbORATOR

AMbITIOUS PARTNER

There are many ways in which these ambitions might be achieved. Ideas so far:• Encouragethesharingofideasbetweenpublic

and private sectors, creative industries and educational institutions

• Exposelocaltalenttointernationalpeersandaudiences

• Fosterrelationshipswithinternationalartsandculture institutions and creative industry leaders

•Developanartsresourcesdatabaseorwebsitethat matches artists, creative organisations and cultural entrepreneurs with work spaces and work/partnership opportunities

•Workwiththeprivatesectortocontributetothedevelopment of arts and culture in the public domain

• Lookforpublic/privatefundingpartnershipopportunities

• Provideincentives/relieffortheprivatesector/landlords/property developers who provide venues for arts and culture

• ‘Speeddating’eventstoconnectartistswithbusinesses

• Publicandprivatesectorcollaborationtopromote arts, culture and innovation

•Conductresearchaboutbestpracticesregardingcultural sector activities





STRATeGIC THeMe 5: Connected Through Creativity STRATeGIC THeMe 5: Connected Through Creativity


With its combination of Māori, European and Chinese settlers, and more recent immigrants from a wealth of other countries, Dunedin is a city unlike any other in the world. It is a place of surprising contrasts that blends almost 200 years of cultural intermingling into a unique historic tradition and dynamic contemporary mix. The city also includes an enormous outer ring of small but culturally vibrant residential areas, farming communities and unparalleled biodiversity.

The look and feel of Dunedin says a great deal about the city’s past and present and its values. The strategy recognises the need to be deliberate and purposeful about the way the city’s environment is shaped because it in turn shapes the social character of the city.

STRATEGIC THEME 6:

PLACES AND SPACES TO SKITE AbOUT

exterior of Toitū Otago Settlers Museum. Photograph by Graham Warman DRAFT ARTS AND CULTURE STRATEGY | 41

ensure public art, culture and creativity is highly visible and valuedPublic art can turn everyday spaces into extraordinary places, and the community’s enthusiasm for this type of intervention in Dunedin’s public realm is increasing. Public art is by its very nature high profile and often generates passionate debate. This strategy establishes the framework for increasing the level of public art, including small scale temporary work, street art, temporary and pop-up art installations, performance based artwork, and art that contributes to the city. Dunedin

must set the bar high and actively seek out works that will challenge, delight and intrigue those who walk the city’s streets.

insist on innovative, sustainable, creative and high-quality public art, urban design and built environmentCities become famous for their public spaces. Visitors and residents alike flock to them, photograph them, and shout about them to others. The piazzas of Rome, the canals of Venice, the Louvre and legendary Left Bank of the Seine in Paris are synonymous with the romance and excitement of travel, and have become icons of vibrant city life. Dunedin’s heritage buildings, diverse contemporary venues, cultural diversity, abundant green spaces and great biodiversity enable the

city’s residents and visitors to partake of a range of experiences no other place can offer. These places and spaces are the underpinning of a great city. They require active celebration and support to ensure they thrive in the face of challenges, for example those generated by a major highway running through a narrow city. This strategy establishes a focus on creating great spaces, with good design and an attractive urban environment, and the role this plays in generating civic pride and strong community interactions.

Boost cultural institutions, festivals and events to make the city come aliveDunedin has always valued the contribution that cultural institutions, festivals and events make to the vibrancy and vitality of the city. However, there is an opportunity to build on these strong foundations to ensure the city’s ongoing vitality and achieve Dunedin’s larger aspirations. The strategy aims to make the most of Dunedin’s distinctive spaces and cultural institutions, inspiring artists, creative thinkers and the community to embed arts and culture into the fabric of the city to

entertain, spur social and economic change and growth. The formal and the informal should be encouraged to transform Dunedin, from the City Choir flash mob in the Wall Street Mall singing the Hallelujah Chorus to the Chinese New Year celebrations at the Chinese Garden.

ensure the best of local, national and international arts and culture can be experiencedDunedin boasts world-class art and cultural institutions and events. The Otago Museum and the recently refurbished Toitū Otago Settlers Museum are leaders nationally and internationally, as is the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, which houses New Zealand’s oldest public art collection. Each of these institutions holds strong collections, which have exhibited throughout New Zealand and internationally. The University and the Polytechnic, and many other organisations and businesses

in the city, draw world-class creative people to Dunedin to interact with students and residents, further adding to the vibrancy of the city. The strategy recognises, and seeks to enhance, the contribution these activities make to the city’s life and prosperity.






How will these goals be achieved? Here are some of the ideas from the community so far:• Encouragetheincorporationofartintothebuilt

environment, public infrastructure and other public spaces

• IdentifyandprotectDunedin’sheritagebuildings(spatial plan)

• Promotereuseofheritagebuildingsinthecity(spatial plan)

• EstablishDCCcommunityfacilitieswithinheritagebuildings, and encourage other central and local government agencies to do the same (spatial plan)

• Provideandpromotecivicandpublicspacesforcreative use

•Develophubsforartsandculture,creativeindustries/innovation, and heritage

• Promoteartsandculture-relateduseofCouncil-owned and/or under-utilised buildings, especially heritage buildings

• Supportgrowingandexhibitingmuseumandartgallery collections

• Provideclearlysignpostedandwell-linkedpedestrian and transport routes to arts and cultural institutions

• Lookforsurprisingandinnovativewaystodisplayart/poetry e.g. poems/art on public transport and in public spaces

• Temporarypop-upartsandperformancevenues in the city and outside the CBD

• Trafficflowplanninge.g.twowaysystemby Queens Gardens, harbourside access

• Encouragetheuseofalleywayswithinthe central city to provide informal public space, informal event space and walkway connections (spatial plan)

PHYSICAL IMPRINT

DYNAMO PUbLIC SPACES

ANIMATED LIFE

WORLD CLASS PLAYER

STRATeGIC THeMe 6: Places and Spaces to Skite About STRATeGIC THeMe 6: Places and Spaces to Skite About


1. Hodgson, k. Beavers, k.A. and Dwyer, M.C. (Ed) (2011) The role of the arts and culture in planning practice. Arts and culture briefing papers 01. RMC Research Corporation and American Planning Association.

2. Soule, J. Hodgson, k. and Beavers, k.A. (2011) Community character. How arts and cultural strategies create, enhance and reinforce sense of place. Arts and culture briefing paper 03. RMC Research Corporation and American Planning Association.

3. Arts Victoria (2008) The role of arts and culture in liveability and competitiveness.

4. Coletta, C. (2008) Fostering the creative city. Available from www.cbeid.org/fosteringthecreativecity-wallace.

5. Creative Metropoles (no date) How to support creative industries.

6. Creative Metropoles (no date) Situation analysis of 11 cities. Final report.

7. Creative New Zealand (2012) New Zealanders and the arts: attitudes, attendance and participation in 2011. Creative New Zealand.

8. Delaney,N.andGeyer,R.(2004)‘Culturaleconomicdevelopment.Apracticalguideforcommunities’.OfficeofGovernor Jennifer Granholm.

9. Florida, R. (2002) The rise of the creative class. Why cities without gays and rock bands are losing the economic development race. Washington Monthly. Available from www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2001/0205.florida.html.

10. Granholm, J. and Anderson, W. (2005) Cultural economic development. A strategy to leverage Michigan’s creative talent and cultural assets to spur economic growth and build community prosperity. Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

11. Hawkes, J. (2001) The fourth pillar of sustainability. Culture’s essential role in public planning. Cultural Development Network Victoria.

12. Hospers, G. and Dalm, R. (no date) How to create a creative city? The viewpoints of Richard Florida and Jane Jacobs. Available from www.creativeclassgroup.com.

13. London Development Agency (2006). Strategies for creative spaces. Barcelona case study. November 2006.

14. Madden, C. (2012) Cultural policies Australasia. Essays on cultural policy in Australia and New Zealand.

15. Markusen, A. (2006) Cultural planning and the creative city. Paper presented at the annual American Collegiate Schools of Planning meetings, Ft. Worth, Texas, November 12, 2006.

16. Ministry for Culture and Heritage (2010) Household spending on culture in 2010. Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

17. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and Local Government New Zealand (2012) NZ core cities. Research summary.

18. Morris Hargreaves and McIntyre (2011) Audience Atlas New Zealand. Widening audiences, deepening support. Creative New Zealand.

19. PricewaterhouseCoopers (2005) Cities of the future. Global Competition, Local leadership.

20. UNESCO (no date) Understanding Creative Industries Cultural statistics for public-policy making.

APPENDIX A:

bIbLIOGRAPHY

APPENDIX B:

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDED THIS WORK?

The Arts and Culture Strategy is underpinned by the following principles.

partnershipThe Arts and Culture Strategy is a document for the city rather than a Council driven or owned document. While the Council has taken the lead in developing this document, it has done so in consultation and partnership with the community. Similarly it is expected that the Council and community will work collaboratively to identify and prioritise actions, and will share the responsibility for achieving these. Adopting a holistic and cooperative approach is vital to the success of the strategy and the ultimate vision of creating one of the world’s great small cities.

Treaty of Waitangi The Māori principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi are central to the Arts and Culture Strategy. They are embedded in NZ law and cultural traditions and Te Ao, or Māori world view, have become increasingly meaningful and relevant to New Zealanders, and are recognised as important markers of New Zealand’s unique cultural identity. This strategy specifically seeks to acknowledge the relationship with kāi Tahu, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and kati Huirapa Runaka ki Puketeraki, as well as the many other ethnic and other groupings that contribute to the city’s unique heritage and cultural mix.

sustainabilityThe strategy is intended to support and nurture the sustainability of arts, culture and creativity in the city. This includes assisting the arts, culture and creative sectors to become self-sufficientandindependent,aswell as encouraging sustainable development and management practices. Sustainability is also understood in a wider sense, in that the cultural life of a city enriches the lives of its community and leads to gains in social wellbeing, resilience, the ability to respond positively to crises and the ability to participate fully in urban life.

Freedom of expressionThe arts, culture and creative arena is not homogenous and therefore consensus is not always possible or desirable. The sometimes political and contested nature of arts and culture can be confronting. By definition the notions of ‘creativity’ and ‘innovation’ suggest new and unfamiliar territory, which may not be comfortable for everyone. Arts and culture are valued for their ability to be energising, thought-provoking and to break new ground.

The strategy, therefore, celebrates diversity and seeks to embrace the full range of creative expression, from conventional to more challenging and cutting-edge art forms.

spiritualityThis strategy adopts the description of spirituality given in the Oxford dictionary, and acknowledges that, for some people, arts and culture can encompass notions of religion, spirituality, personal relevance and meaning-making, contemplation and reflection.

The Oxford Dictionary describes spirituality as ‘relating to or affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things; having a relationship based on a profound level of mental or emotional communion; relating to religion or religious belief’.


APPENDIX C:

WHAT IS THE COUNCIL’S ROLE IN ARTS AND CULTURE?

Kaitiakitanga or guardianshipThe Council has a responsibility for ensuring the social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing of the community. It firmly believes that one of the pathways to achieving these outcomes is by developing and supporting a vibrant creative environment, but recognises that the goals in the Arts and Culture Strategy are more attainable if done in collaboration with the community. The Council sees its role not only as part of a team, but as kaitiaki or guardian of the Arts and Culture Strategy, with the duty of ensuring that Dunedin retains and grows its reputation as a creative city.

In addition to its role as guardian of the strategy, the Council has a range of existing complementary roles and functions that support the Arts and Culture Strategy.

One of these roles is the investment in arts and culture, from the $10m investment in the Dunedin Public Libraries through to the $5,000 grant to the Strath Taieri Museum. The DCC supports various organisations in the arts and culture field through its grants and service level agreements and has an important role in the provision of key infrastructure, such as the Dunedin Town Hall and the band rotunda at the Dunedin Botanic Garden. The provision of events, protection of the city’s built heritage and promotion of the city’s cultural assets are other examples of the contribution made towards Dunedin’s vibrant creative environment.

The Table below provides a summary of the ways in which the Council will (and currently does) support arts and culture in the city.

role Description

Partner Bringing stakeholders together; building and strengthening connections between the arts and cultural sector, creative industries, education sector, private sector and communities

Advocate Advocating on behalf of the city’s arts, cultural, creative and heritage sectors on issues of regional and national significance, with central government, funding partners and other stakeholders

Leader Leading by example; embedding a creative perspective in the city

Funder Providing capital, expertise, resources, and funding to support the arts, cultural, creative and heritage sectors

Service provider Providing and managing arts and cultural resources and assets such as museums, art galleries and libraries

Producer Delivering and/or supporting major free and subsidised public arts, culture and creative events

Promoter Building awareness of the range of arts, cultural and creative experiences and opportunities that are available

Property owner Purchasing, repurposing and providing access to city properties for cultural and creative use

Regulator/consent authority Supporting the arts, cultural and creative sectors to ensure that legislative and regulatory requirements are met

WHAT DATES CAN I HAVE MY SAY?The consultation runs from the Friday 29 August to Friday 3 October 2014.

WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE AND HOW DO I HAVE MY SAY?>> VISIT: The draft strategy and information about the events happening as part of the consultation and how to make a

submission are available at www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi.

A copy of the draft strategy is available to read at all Dunedin Public Libraries, DCC arts and culture venues, tertiary institutions and other venues around the city.

>> ATTEND:public meetings Bellamys Gallery | Macandrew Bay | Thursday 4 September | 7.30pm – 8.30pm Downes Room | Mosgiel Library | Wednesday 10 September | 7.30pm – 8.30pm Rolfe Room | Port Chalmers Library | Thursday 18 September | 7.30pm – 8.30pm All Saints’ Church Hall | 786 Cumberland Street | Tuesday 23 September | 7.30pm – 8.30pm Bathgate Park School Hall | 213 Macandrew Road | Tuesday 30 September | 7.30pm – 8.30pm

>> CHECK OUT: Information about specialised, arts and culture sector-focused meetings happening during the consultation is

available at: Facebook.com/transformingdunedin


To find out more and have your say visit: www.dunedin.govt.nz/aratoi Facebook.com/transformingdunedin

Photo courtesy of the Otago Daily Times. Dunedin Midwinter Carnival.

In partnership with:

ara toi Ōtepoti – our creative future...dunedin, the ‘coolest city in the south island’...

Documents