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GENERAL ARTS AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM STATEMENT
The Arts and Cultural Development Program at BCS is geared towards recognising the many artists here as part of our local culture, and instilling a sense of community pride and ownership in their work.
The key principles of the program are:
- To ensure that inclusive, transparent and culturally inspiring processes are utilized to achieve outputs and outcomes for the community.
- To ensure that the program will target diverse groups and foster their ability to express themselves creatively.
- To involve participants in all aspects of the program (planning, implementation, and evaluation).
- To build community connectedness.
The theatre is turning over a variety of audiences weekly. The Gallery has had enormous success in the last year, attracting exhibitions of many kinds, and artists of all abilities. But arts and cultural activity is not confined to centres and buildings, and we are looking to build more community cultural development projects throughout the Belconnen region over the next couple of years, bringing top artists together with community groups.
The Belconnen Arts and Cultural Development Program aspires, through innovation and leadership, to achieve 3 major outcomes. Firstly, to deliver arts and cultural programs, activities and events that are viable, excellent and meet the needs of Belconnen’s diverse community, providing all Belconnen residents with opportunities for cultural engagement in order to empower, to entertain, and to increase community connectedness. Secondly, to enable community access and participation through inclusive, transparent and culturally inspiring processes, making it possible for all Belconnen residents to attend, to initiate, or to take part in diverse cultural activities, in order to promote a strong sense of ownership and involvement in the arts. Thirdly, to deliver support that sustains artists, cultural groups and partnerships in Belconnen, providing an environment that fosters cultural expression and encourages the formation of partnerships in order that arts and culture practitioners can continue to grow and express their diverse cultural identities.
Local artists and groups have well resourced access to The Gallery and Theatre. Artists’ work and projects are encouraged and supported through this framework, but also through opportunities that become available in the region. This applies across the board. Emerging artists and groups are specifically identified and assisted, often with some elements of mentoring. Community and amateur artists are equally sought out and encouraged, through projects, workshops and the use of facilities. The program is particularly keen to work with new and emerging communities, and apart from the support as detailed above will be looking at all opportunities to devise new projects and make links and partnerships that will assist the cultural aspirations of such groups and individuals within our community.
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