Saturday 16 January 2010

The arts are a growth industry on the NSW North Coast


Family Connections by Michael Philp, Men's Business Exhibition
at the Northern Rivers Community Gallery, Ballina

The Arts Northern Rivers team is an enthusiastic and capable promoter of arts on the NSW North Coast.

It has produced a two-page advocacy brochure which outlines a dynamic local scene:

The Northern Rivers region of NSW is a vibrant growth centre for arts and creative industries in Australia.

The region has the highest creative industry employment growth in NSW - more than double the growth rate of Sydney, and the highest "density" of creative workers per capita in the state outside Sydney (NSW Creative Industry: Economic Fundamentals, February 2009).

Located on the far north coast of NSW, the region is internationally renowned for its creative communities such as Byron Bay, Lismore, Murwillumbah, Nimbin and Yamba, it has become a centre for increasing numbers of sophisticated export oriented creative businesses.

The estimated economic impact of Creative Industries earnings in 2006 was $187.6 million. (Imagining the Future, Cathy Henkel 2006).

Employment in the arts and creative industries in the region is growing at 25% faster than the rest of the regional economy, and the Northern Rivers now has the highest concentration of visual artists outside the capital cities, and the largest cluster of screen industry workers outside Sydney and Melbourne.

Strongest Sectors

• visual arts and design eg. furniture exporter Zaishu, jewellery by Riley Burnett, eco-textiles and homewares by Bird and renowned visual artists James Guppy and Angus McDonald, and Indigenous visual artists Karla Dickens and Garth Lena
• writing and publishing eg celebrated writers such as Robert Drewe, Di Morrissey, Marele Day, and emerging children’s writer Tristan Bancks
• screen and digital content eg. the animated children’s series DirtGirlWorld; drama series East of Everything, and the feature film Lou, and many broadcast documentaries
• music and performing arts eg Grinspoon, Troy Cassar-Daley, Vitamin Records, Studio 301, Rocking Horse Studios, local comedians Mandy Nolan and Arj Barker
• cultural festivals East Coast Blues Festival, Splendour in the Grass, Byron Bay Writers Festival, Wintersun Festival, Lismore Lantern Parade
• arts education sector Southern Cross University, North Coast TAFE, SAE Colleges

Unfortunately the region has recently lost Splendor in the Grass to a Queensland venue. One of the very few backward steps taken in the last decade of cultural enrichment, which has seen as many as 76 exhibitions spaces/galleries/museums feature local artists and travelling exhibitions with the number of entertainment venues featuring local performers or touring shows ranging from pubs and clubs through to larger outdoor settings.

Northern Rivers Arts & Creative Industries Strategy 2008 - 2012 (Part 1)
Northern Rivers Arts & Creative Industries Strategy 2008 - 2012 (Part 2)
Northern Rivers Arts & Creative Industries Strategy 2008 - 2012 (Part 3)
Northern Rivers Arts & Creative Industries Strategy, Mapping Report, 2008 - 2012

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

ahhh the north coast joys of the maze of trying to find work, the GFC junket ride (WEEEEE) and umm avoidings egos and concerned citizens. The art has been interesting though, especially liked the rainbow skunk I dunno if its a social landscape or yeah, at least theres some humour involved and a really great barbie doll display at Vinnies in Lismore, could've been a sell out crowd so exclusive even the Northern Star couldn't get in. YEp the great looking back. Just Who is the little guy? Is there a little woman? Does the little woman stand on the little guy before him or after him or beside him, or jumps in a cab after scabbing fifty bucks just so as to get away in a hurry?

And no I dont wanna give some idiot footballer a bloody HJ, just cos Im financially effed and effed off!!! I spose cricketers could be the same, sportspeople still freak me out so go the Arts, stuff marketing in the oven maybe we should get some richy tourist who made a mint in new age philosophy lectures at BB, Hello!! the Secret major sales cult here using eckhart tollways old news!!! who will actually bring some money to BUY ART instead of sniffing around for Boring Bay real estate???

I really dont think that crocdile dunee ever bought anything here really who knows and while Im ranting I may as well ask ... ask anyone seen a very cute orange and black and white cat around rous Rd goonellabah??? Opposite Caroona Nursing home thing. She got lost about a year ago and I just noticed some people here like cats so yeah, the people I was renting off abandoned her and the house while I wasn't there and Ive been looking for her ever since, if you know of anyone who has found such a cata desexed female about ten years old, please reply here.

Thanks and have a good one I shall be searching for voices again : )

PS I like art, but not Ken DOne