GCC today (July 28) announced a project to “develop an arts and culture strategy for the City of Glenorchy”. It is searching for a consultant capable of producing the strategy by November 20 this year within a budget of about $50,000. The closing date for quotations is August 7. Eleanor Downes, manager of the Moonah Arts Centre, is the council contact for any queries (which must be made by email).

This may well be the first step in the economic stimulus project named “Showcase” described in the council’s July 2020 quarterly report as “delivering an Arts and Culture Strategy and creative workforce hub”.

The strategy will “present outcomes that address the vision, roles and contributions of Council, arts and cultural stakeholders and other community members”.

To read the full documents, register on the Tenderlink website.

The deliverables are expected to include the following:

• a staged plan for new and existing cultural infrastructure for the city
• policy, plan and budget commitment for Council’s ongoing role in the delivery of events (including commercial)
• opportunities that arts and culture offer to develop tourism in Glenorchy
• vision, plan and ongoing budget commitment for the development, maintenance and protection of public art in the City.
• ongoing plan for the Montrose Bay foreshore, GASP and Wilkinson’s Point areas including commitment to, plan and budget for the delivery of public art within the concept of an arts and sculpture park.

In particular, it acknowledges that selling the DEC may reduce venue for community performing arts that the DEC has offered to-date, such as eisteddfods, primary school bands, and dance groups performance. The consultant is expected to address this issue.

One of the top five priorities for the community as expressed in the GCC Community Plan 2015-2040 is to be “the hub for arts and culture in Tasmania and to forge a national and international reputation as a leading destination for arts tourism”.

Not a hub but the hub. Let’s hope that this ambitious objective was not triggered by optimism borne out of the fortuitous construction of MONA in our midst. It has done wonders for Tasmania and Hobart but we should not over-estimate what it has done for Glenorchy residents. We should leverage it’s popularity but not become dependent on it.

An Arts and Culture Strategy which does not rely on MONA is to be welcomed. All residents should take any opportunities to have their say.