November 25, 2021
South Burnett Regional Council’s new Arts, Culture and Heritage Advisory Committee will hold an induction of its inaugural committee members at the Council’s Kingaroy offices on Monday.
The committee’s establishment follows the Council’s re-adoption of an Arts Policy in January after allowing its previous one to lapse in 2013.
The advisory committee will help guide the future direction of the Council’s approach to the arts and heritage, as well as recommendations for change identified during the Arts Policy’s public consultation phase.
The final make-up of the advisory committee was announced at Council’s October General Meeting.
The foundation members are:
- Robyn Dower – South Burnett Arts Inc
- Julia Jeffery – Kingaroy Arts Team
- Russ Lebsanft – Blackbutt Art Gallery
- Craig Reiger – South Burnett Musical Comedy Society
- Andrew Maddern – South Burnett Community Orchestra
- Elaine Madill – Wondai Regional Art Gallery
- Niketa Law – St Mary’s Catholic College
- Valerie Mathews – Nanango Theatre Company
- Wayne Brown – Community representative
- Greg Hodges – Community representative
The Advisory Committee will be chaired by Communities portfolio holder Cr Danita Potter with Cr Kathy Duff serving as deputy chair.
SBRC CEO Mark Pitt and General Manager Community Peter O’May will be ex-officio members.
The new committee will meet at least four times a year and will have a two-year lifespan running from July 1 to June 30, with committee members barred from serving more than two consecutive two-year terms.
Advisory Committee members will also be able to appoint proxies to serve in their place if they are unable to attend any particular Advisory Committee meeting, providing those proxies have also gone through a Council induction process.
One of the first issues the advisory body is expected to examine will be the operation of the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Council and Arts Queensland which provides grants for arts-related activities.
During the seven year period when the Council lacked an Arts Policy, restrictions on the operation of RADF saw the South Burnett slump from being one of the State’s most arts-friendly regions to being one of Queensland’s worst.
RADF grant applications are currently assessed by Councillors but this task is expected to be devolved to the Advisory Committee.
- External link: Regional Arts Australia fact sheet (2Mb PDF)
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[Disclaimer: Dafyd Martindale is treasurer of South Burnett Arts Inc]
