Projects

Great Southern Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy

The City of Albany in conjunction with the Great Southern Development Commission (GSDC), local government authorities (LGAs) in the Great Southern, creative organisations and the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLGSCI) is working on a regional arts, culture and heritage strategy.

The arts, culture and heritage sector plays an important role in creating a vibrant, diverse and interesting community for residents and visitors. Culture represents our being – who we are, the way we do things and express who we are. Arts represents the expression of our being – how we express our culture through language and literature, art and music, dance and drama. Heritage is the history of our being – what connects the past with the present and the future. Together, arts, culture and heritage contribute to a sense of identity both for individuals and the community. However, as well as enriching the experiences of our daily life, the sector plays an important role in our economic development through employment, entertainment and tourism. Research shows that the sector provides flow-on advantages, social and economic. For the Great Southern, this can include:

 Creating employment opportunities,

  • Providing experiences and products to the tourism sector,
  • Building the region’s brand,
  • Enriching retail products,
  • Building capacity with local artists,
  • Developing viable, sustainable cultural eco-systems,
  • Strengthening trails linking with other iconic areas of the Great Southern,
  • Attracting and retaining residents,
  • Adding value to the primary production chain (e.g. wineries or in conjunction with food events),
  • Contributing to community vibrancy and livability, and
  • Contributing to the diversity of education options.

The regional strategy will provide a vision and direction for connecting people and places while maximizing investment in the arts, culture and heritage amenities, programs and services. It is expected that the Strategy will be completed by late-2021.