Time to unmask the arts’ powers
IN AUSTRALIA, THE ARTS INDUSTRY ALONE CONTRIBUTES $4.2 BILLION TO AUSTRALIA’S GDP WHILE THE WIDER CULTURAL SECTOR CONTRIBUTES APPROXIMATELY $50 BILLION
IN a few days I will be joining forces with about 50 others to participate in Cairns’ inaugural TNQ Convoy to Capital Q.
For me, personally, it will be a great privilege to use my voice to represent the region’s integral arts, culture and sports sector.
I applaud the Cairns Chamber of Commerce, Advance Cairns and TTNQ for organising this mission to Brisbane which, for me, is also not about profiling JUTE Theatre Company but advocating the importance of the sector to politicians and, more importantly, the contribution they make to the region’s tourism industry.
It is abundantly clear that Cairns Regional Council has a strong commitment to establishing our city as the cultural hub of the north.
Having arts, culture and sport represented in trade missions like these is a true reflection of the council’s strategy to lift the profile and perceived value in terms of heightening visitor experience.
While the region’s natural assets have been front and centre when it comes to marketing the city and region, it is important that arts, culture and sport are not overlooked in state budgets, particularly with regard to their impact on tourism.
I am determined that arts, culture and sport will be given the airtime they deserve and I will be proactive in working with the region’s other sectors – across a range of industries – to present a united front where everyone benefits.
In essence, this sector provides abundant opportunity to broaden the focus of Cairns with a series of unique and compelling propositions to visit, in much the same way we travel to the southern capitals for music, arts and sporting events, but in reverse.
In the words of Fiona Menzies, CEO of Creative Partnerships Australia: “Art is universal. Every culture has music, singing, storytelling, visual communication. Art is fundamental to every single person on earth.”
The truth of this statement can be substantiated in more than words. In Australia, the arts industry alone contributes $4.2 billion to Australia’s GDP while the wider cultural sector contributes approximately $50b.
In Australia, 86 per cent of our population, or 21 million people, participate in an arts related pursuit or event each year – that is double that of sport, which in itself is impressive. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 43 per cent of Australians attend one sporting event each year.
The arts, culture and sport sector is not just about love, it’s about money. Together, it is this powerful trinity that contributes to every aspect of our life in Australia and it is on which our economy relies.
The Advance Cairns, Cairns Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Tropical North Queensland led delegation will take place in Brisbane on February 18 and 19.
About Cairns Convoy to Capital Q Comprising more than 50 delegates, the region’s biggest advocacy initiative for 2020 is set to hit the road in February with a $1 billion plus wishlist for State Government investment.
Suellen Maunder is the artistic director and CEO of JUTE Theatre Company and is a co-founder of the company that was established in 1992.