GOAL:
In 2018 Sunshine Coast Council adopted their inaugural Arts Plan to grow, strengthen and seek opportunities to develop and showcase the local arts sector. Four years on, in preparation for the refresh of the Plan, Council commissioned JOC Consulting to deliver a comprehensive audit of the creative arts sector within the Sunshine Coast LGA detailing how it has evolved since the Arts Plan was established and what opportunities are emerging to further propel the sector forward.
SOLUTION:
The methodology for the report involved extensive desktop research into local, state and national data alongside targeted consultation with the stakeholders who are integral in shaping the Sunshine Coast’s creative landscape.
The desktop review collated and analysed a range of arts strategies, plans and research along with demographics and datasets at varying contexts, to understand the factors and frameworks that shape the Sunshine Coast’s creative sector and hold opportunities for its future growth.
The stakeholder consultation consisted of in-depth focus groups with the local creative arts sector, First Nations creative sector, Arts Advisory Board members and Council staff along with one-on-one interviews with the private sector. The consultation aimed to identify the Sunshine Coast creative sector’s unique attributes and strengths and unpack barriers and opportunities as it emerges from the pandemic. Through visioning exercises and in-depth conversations, the consultation aimed to identify opportunities and trends that could support the sector’s future growth and contribute to the next iteration of the Arts Plan.
JOC also conducted a vision and values workshop with the Sunshine Coast Arts Advisory board to workshop ideas.
You can read the final Sunshine Coats Art Plan Audit and Opportunities Report here.
OUTCOME:
The refreshed Arts Plan was unanimously endorsed by Council in August 2023 setting the road map for growth and development of the region’s creative sector.
To find out more about the Arts Plan visit https://www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Council/Planning-and-Projects/Council-Plans/Sunshine-Coast-Arts-Plan.
