Statement of Strategic Intent
Creating the Future: Towards 2020
In Victoria we have every reason to celebrate our arts and cultural successes.
We have an enviable State-wide network of museums and galleries; we are known nationally for our vibrant theatre scene; we have a diverse community of artists, performers, educators and researchers, rich with talent.
Cultural diversity is recognised as a core strength of our State. And the diverse arts and cultural activity available in Victoria is a key asset. In the most recent ABS period, arts and cultural industries contributed $5.2 billion to the Victorian economy. Australia-wide they contributed $17.4 billion.
But we cannot only depend on the achievements of the past to determine the shape of the future. We live in a globalised economy, in a time of fast-paced change.
The coming years will see growth in the economy focused on creative, knowledge-based services. An ageing population and shifting household, family and social dynamics will create a different consumer environment. Social values and expectations will change. The economics of climate change have already begun to dominate public debate on many levels. Information and communications technology will develop dramatically.
This presents both challenges and opportunities. Arts and cultural activity will both reflect and drive this change.
Digital imaging, downloadable music, online museum access and web cast performances were unimaginable a decade ago. Today this technology is welcomed by audiences engaging in the arts and enthusiastically embraced by our creative artists.
We cannot predict the art forms that will emerge from technologies yet to be invented or the creative expressions of a performer still in primary school. But we can create an environment where the arts will thrive and where Victorians will be able to realise their creative potential.
It is essential we recognise the intrinsic role of arts and cultural activity and their potential to enrich our lives as individuals and as a society.
Health, education, business, environment, tourism, and communications and many other sectors can leverage value from a cultural environment rich with creativity, personal engagement and economic value. A strong cultural fabric will shape our identity, connect and inspire us, create meaning and enhance our wellbeing in many ways.
Arts Victoria's role is central to realising the value of Victoria's arts and cultural activity. Creating the Future is a strategic statement which sets out the way we can steer this journey through a changing environment. It defines the themes which inspire us now and will influence the next generation. It guides the way we will invest to deliver maximum public value. And it ensures that the vital role arts and culture will continue to be recognised, utilised and enhanced in the years to come.