March 23, 2021
A new advisory group made up of representatives from the region’s three art galleries, two performing arts groups and the community will help set the direction of the South Burnett Regional Council’s future approach to the arts.
At last week’s Executive standing committee meeting, Councillors voted to form a new Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee to aid the development of its recently adopted Arts Policy.
The move to form the committee came after agitation from regional arts groups encouraged Council to re-adopt an Arts Policy, the first the South Burnett has had since 2013 when its former Arts Policy was allowed to lapse.
During public consultation on a draft version of the new policy, the Council received 37 suggestions on how it could be improved.
While none of these suggestions were incorporated when the policy was eventually adopted in late January, the Advisory Committee is expected to consider at least some of them for possible future arts policy updates.
Council will now invite suitable applicants from South Burnett Arts Inc; the Wondai, Kingaroy and Blackbutt art galleries; the South Burnett Musical Comedy Society and the South Burnett Community Orchestra to take up seats on the voluntary committee.
The Council will also seek an Indigenous arts representative and two community representatives.
The new committee will be chaired by Arts portfolio leader Cr Danita Potter and co-chaired by a second Councillor yet to be determined.
Council officers will also be able to attend meetings if required.
The Advisory Committee is expected to hold its first meeting in July.
- Related article: Council Adopts New Arts Policy
[Disclosure: Dafyd Martindale is treasurer of South Burnett Arts Inc]
Pity there wasn’t any consultation on who is on that committee and who got the tender to write the policy.
There was no tender, Melanie. The policy was written by Council staff.