CDN

Cultural Development Policy

United Cities Local Government Committee for Culture Update

The City of Bilbao hosted the first Culture Summit of UCLG, 18-20 March 2015. For 3 days, 6 plenary sessions and 9 specific sessions were successfully organized. Many cultural agents from all around the world gathered in order to exchange about their practices and promote the #culture2015goal and #UrbanSDG campaigns.The document, Culture 21 Actions, was approved by the Committee on Culture of UCLG and adopted as the final result of the Summit.The Committee on Culture of UCLG is one of a group of key networks campaigning for the inclusion of culture in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs will be part of the global Post-2015 Development Agenda, which is due to be adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations next September. Read this group’s recent report on

Report: Data from all Victorian councils about Cultural planning practices in local government

Last year, CDN presented data which underpinned a recent report on cultural planning practices in local councils across Victoria.  Information for the report was collected in a process of desk research of council’s websites and in phone interviews with staff. The table attached here offers the findings from the desk research about all councils across Victoria: what their website says about their cultural planning, where their Arts and Culture Department is located in their council, links from the Cultural Plan to Council or other plans, use of indicators and targets in published documents, and much more!  The document only reflects information that was available on the Councils’ websites at the time of the research (late 2012-2013), so it does not necessarily reflect the current situation in all councils.  We encourage those using this data to seek current more up to date information from councils’ websites.  CDN offers this data in response to frequent requests for information about councils and their work for others seeking to be best informed.  We intend to update this information every year and make it available publicly, to help all of us working in this sector to be best informed about each others’ work, and in so doing learn more and faster.

The National Local Government Cultural Forum

The Cultural Forum is a meeting of cultural policy and planning representatives from Australia’s capital cities, local government associations, the Commonwealth Ministry for the Arts and the Australia Council for the Arts. The Cultural Forum will continue to develop the model for data collection for local government cultural development across the nation.

The Digital Platform

To build an exceptional and unique national digital platform to showcase practice and support communications and collaboration in the CACD sector over the next decade. The new platform will be the centre piece of a national digital strategy – a blueprint designed to strengthen the online capacity of our sector – locally, nationally and internationally. Visit The Platform consultation site for information and updates www.theplatform.com.au

Creating Australia

Creating Australia is an independent non-profit organisation providing advocacy, support and leadership for organisations, arts companies and artists who work directly with the community to bring about positive social change. Creating Australia is part of the Australia Council’s new National Sector Development Initiative, along with the Digital Platform (website launching soon) and the Local Government Cultural Forum.

Dr Kim Dunphy thesis: The role of participatory arts in social change in Timor-Leste

MHI Director Kim Dunphy’s PhD research investigates the role of participatory arts in social change in Timor-Leste. Funded by Deakin University, this project examines the impact of participatory arts programs on those involved: project organisers, participants, audiences and their local communities in Timor-Leste.  It also seeks to explore ways of evaluating the impact of arts participation, both in terms of the practices currently in use by organisations leading arts projects in Timor-Leste (and other places) and the possibilities for future improvement of practice. The research is intended to provide an evidence base for MHI, assisting us to be as efficient and effective as possible in our work with communities through arts and culture. We seek to provide the best outcomes for communities with the most judicious use of resources. Kim’s research has so far been presented at a number of conferences around the world and published in various journals and books.

Municipal Association of Victoria Arts and Culture Committee Meetings 2015

This group of elected representatives and council staff meets quarterly to advise MAV’s Board on issues to do with Arts and Culture in Victoria councils.
Upcoming 2015 Meetings
19 Feb, 21 May, 20 Aug, 19 Nov.

LGPro Arts and Culture Special Interest Group Meetings 2015

This SIG operates as a forum to support Local Government arts management and development activities. Delegates from all Local Government authorities across Victoria are invited to participate in discussions on topics relevant to the arts and culture portfolios.
Upcoming 2015 meetings:tbc
*One of the above meetings to be held at a country/regional Council. Details TBC.
Venue: City of Melbourne.  Information

‘Making Culture Count’ audio recordings and images now on-line.

CDN is pleased to advise that documentation of the Making Culture Count conference is now complete. The conference website includes papers, PowerPoint presentationsaudio recordings and photos available for free download. These include audio recordings of Associate Professor Eleonora Belfiore’s keynote presentation on Thriving on measurement? Articulating ‘cultural value’ in a policy context and Dr Maria Rosario Jackson’s keynote presentation on Making Culture Count: Measuring What Matters, and Measuring Cultural Vitality
 at the workshop for local government professionals.