A major annual live music program will be launched and live music precincts established to grow Geelong’s arts and culture scene.
The City of Greater Geelong council adopted the Arts and Cultural Strategy 2021-31 last week, to guide decision-making, collaboration and investment in the arts, support creative communities and promote inclusivity.
The strategy aims to stimulate arts and cultural activity and boost career pathways by investing in local artists, arts organisations, creative enterprises, libraries, galleries and performing arts centres.
The Geelong region’s unique stories will be showcased through public programs, events and festivals, through online platforms and through improved access to the city’s heritage collections.
The implementation of the strategy will be important to the creative industry’s COVID-19 recovery, after being among the hardest hit by the pandemic.
Mayor Stephanie Asher said the pandemic had been incredibly tough on the arts and culture industry.
“We’ve seen local creatives turn the challenges of COVID-19 into inspiring and innovative art and projects,” she said.
“Council will continue to collaborate with the industry to rebuild the local cultural landscape and make the community’s aspirations come alive.
“The planned initiatives mark a promising time for the creative industry through new music programs and arts opportunities, increasing the community’s access to collections and amplifying more voices.”
Initiatives set to be completed in the first four years of the 10-year plan include finding opportunities to hold arts and cultural programs at shopping centres and sport clubs to reach a wider audience; supporting communities to hold festivals and events that reflect Geelong’s multiculturalism; and launch the online platform Arts Geelong to digitally showcase and promote Wadawurrung culture and events.
It also includes working with Wadawurrung traditional owners to conserve and digitise artworks and artefacts from the city’s collections to improve the understanding of the region’s First Nation history; develop a business case for future public art works; and continuing to fund arts projects and programs.
Extensive consultation was carried out with more than 1700 people, including creatives, the broader community, the Geelong COVID Arts Recovery Advisory Panel, councillors and Arts Industry Council Victoria.
The strategy builds on projects including the $665,000 COVID-19 recovery program, ongoing grants programs, an Arts Industry Commission initiative to support local artists and Wadawurrung and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander programs and projects.
Deputy Mayor and creative communities and culture portfolio chairman Trent Sullivan said the community had a lot to look forward to.
“The strategy will pave the way for a thriving and enduring arts and culture scene in Greater Geelong, that will speak to a diverse range of people and contribute to a strong economy,” he said.
“Thanks to everyone who helped to shape the strategy and the exciting future we have ahead of us.”
