Here is a media release just in from Andrew Stoner MP Deputy Premier of NSW Minister for Trade and Investment. It’s a top down projection put together, I guess with substantial funding, by the following elected bodies. The Australia Office for the Arts, the Australia Council for the Arts, the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), the Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), the Australian Recording Industry Association, the NSW Creative Industries Task Force and the Sydney Live Music Task Force. Just curious, are old white people good at this stuff? What’s the alternative?

If I had $1 million to put into arts funding I’d host a series of $1000 popup concerts in small intimate spaces. A community elected and free flowing use of cafes, restaurants and pubs. An organic local event managed community driven collaboration. A renewed emphasis on rising star young musicians in urban decentralised accessible spaces. live. local. Ask me for more info! The digital revolution will make this a reality, just you wait.

For now, this is the new plan for Art in NSW. How can I help?

NSW is already Australia’s creative industries capital, home to the nation’s biggest, most diverse, most globally connected and sophisticated creative sector – but the message is we can do better.

Responding to recommendations released today by the NSW Creative Industries Taskforce, Mr Stoner said the creative industries had a critical role to play in the economic and social future of the State.

“When it comes to the creative industries – such as advertising, design, arts and music – NSW is the best in Australia,” Mr Stoner said.

“If we build on natural strengths and diversity, I believe we can one day be the world’s leading hub for creatives.

“The NSW Government’s number one priority is to rebuild the NSW economy and our ability to build on our strengths in the creative industries will play an essential role in helping us to achieve that goal,” he said.

To help position the creative industries for future growth, Mr Stoner said the NSW Government would immediately pursue the following priorities:

  • Work with industry to better communicate to students and career counsellors the range of interesting and rewarding career opportunities in the creative industries;
  • Publish the NSW Creative Industries Economic Profile, which the Deputy Premier released today;
  • Launch, as part of Vivid Sydney 2014, a new annual event to promote the impact of the creative industries on the competitiveness of other industries and to identify new challenges and opportunities for the industries’ growth;
  • Support the viability of small and medium creative enterprises through the roll-out of the Small Business Commissioner’s new Small Business Diagnostic System, including the development of a ‘use of design’ module;
  • Strengthen industry competitiveness by facilitating the development of the emerging Creative Digital Innovation Precinct cluster in Ultimo and Pyrmont;
  • Continue to grow the global profile of the industries through existing initiatives such as Vivid Sydney, Sydney Design and the Sydney Festival as well as through the Global Talent Hub, a joint initiative with the Committee for Sydney to attract the world’s best talent to Sydney.

Mr Stoner said the NSW Government would work with industry and the education and research sector to realise the Taskforce’s recommendations to strengthen the State’s creative industries over the next ten years.

“The first steps will be to improve domestic and global awareness of the strengths of the NSW creative industries and to implement initiatives to improve the viability of local creative businesses,” Mr Stoner said.

“The NSW creative industries make a significant contribution to the social, cultural and economic fibre of our State and our efforts going forward will build on that platform to realise the full potential of this unique and unlimited resource.”

Dan Rosen, Chief Executive of the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and Chair of the Creative Industries Taskforce, said 2013 is shaping up to be a critical year for arts, culture and the creative industries.

“Governments at all levels are undertaking significant work to set direction and support for Australia’s arts and cultural sector, including new cultural policies from the Commonwealth, NSW and the City of Sydney.

“The NSW Creative Industries Action Plan will complement these initiatives and position the State with a strong platform to drive the growth and development of a professional, engaged and commercially sustainable creative sector.

“The creative industries directly employ around 5 percent of the NSW workforce, more people than mining and agriculture combined in NSW and generate around $1.4 billion in exports for NSW.

“We need to do more to promote the importance of creative industries to the growth and competitiveness of the State’s wider economy in addition to their positive social and cultural impact.

“Improved collaboration is also a key theme emerging from our consultations and we have highlighted the need for initiatives to encourage skills transfer between the creative industries and the broader business community,” Mr Rosen said.

Further information on the NSW Creative Industries Action Plan and the NSW Government
Response can be found at: http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/iap

Other NSW Trade & Investment media releases can be found at:
http://www.business.nsw.gov.au/media-releases

Media: Office of the Deputy Premier – 9228 5209