NSW TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST ARTS, CULTURE AND
CREATIVE INDUSTRIES POLICY 

The NSW Government has released a discussion paper called 'A New Look At Culture', which aims to grow the arts and cultural sector in Greater Sydney and regional NSW.

Minister for the Arts John Graham said: “Australia’s cultural and creative activity contributes $122.3 billion to Australia’s economy. In Greater Sydney the creative industries account for nine per cent of the workforce. It should be a bigger part of our state’s story, our economy and sense of itself. 

“The principal priority will be to deliver a strategy that aims to grow the arts and creative industries sector in NSW. Our arts and cultural sector is still reeling from the most disruptive period in modern times. Having survived a decade of lockouts and lockdowns, the industry is now beset by serious economic headwinds.

"A vision to grow the arts sector in NSW and propel us forward must account for these impacts and include effective strategies to address them.” 

The NSW Government has invited artists, creative industry practitioners, musicians, organisations and community members to contribute their insights and ideas to inform a new Arts, Culture and Creative Industries Policy for NSW.

An extensive consultation process will be undertaken across the state, including at least 11 in-person townhall meetings from Bega to Dubbo, Lismore to Tamworth and across Greater Sydney, with meetings in Liverpool, Penrith and Newcastle, as well as online meetings.

"Whether you’re a novelist in country NSW who is yet to be published, or the CEO of a major arts company in inner Sydney, we want to hear from you,” Mr Graham said. 

The discussion paper outlined three considerations for the sector to respond to:

• A new look at people: How can we create better, more inclusive, support and pathways for practitioners in the arts, culture and creative industries?  
• A new look at infrastructure: How can we create and improve sustainable access to spaces, programs and other support for all aspects of artistic and cultural activity?  
• A new look at audiences: How can we grow local, national and international audiences for cultural experiences, for the benefit of our community and the broader economy?   

Individuals and organisations from the arts and creative industries are encouraged to join the conversation and share their ideas, with submissions open until 31 August 2023. 

PLANS TO TRANSFORM SYDNEY'S WESTERN HARBOUR 

New Sydney Waterfront Company has discussed its plans to transform Sydney’s western harbour precinct following the release of its first turnover report. 

Produced by Colliers, the report tracked visitor traffic and spending in the harbourside precinct, which includes Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, King Street Wharf, Cockle Bay Wharf, Darling Harbour, Pyrmont Jones Bay, Blackwattle Bay and Rozelle Bay.

Based on current performance data analysis, the precinct attracted 79 million visits over the past 12 months generating a retail turnover of $4.1billion.

New Sydney Waterfront is Australia’s first Business Improvement District (BID) established as a not-for-profit partnership in January 2021 with seed funding from the NSW Government, the City of Sydney and founding business members comprising property owners, institutions, accommodation and leisure operators.

The partnership brings businesses and organisations across the Western Sydney Waterfront together to maximise a projected $12 billion investment into the precinct by 2030.

New Sydney Waterfront Company CEO Jace Tyrrell said the precinct had the potential to inject $6.2 billion a year into the visitor economy.

“Sydney’s western harbour precinct is under-performing as an international tourist destination but curating the offering under $12 billion in programmed investment will increase the current international tourism numbers from 10 per cent of all visitors and have a dramatic impact on returns for the area’s accommodation providers, restaurants, bars and cultural attractions," he said.

“And we need to work with our property owners and our government partners to radically transform co-ordinate and connect the ground floor offerings so that workers stay longer, tourists visit more often and more residents want to meet up locally. We can draw inspiration from overseas success stories like London’s Outernet and the Time Out Market in Lisbon to create really vibrant event and entertainment spaces.”

Based on the latest analysis of MasterCard transactions, tracking mobility and footfall data, the Colliers report findings included:

• Average transaction values grew throughout 22/23 and were up an average of +18% on 2019.
• Six out the area’s 10 precincts exceeded 2019 performance levels during FY22/23.
• Bars, restaurants, hotels and accommodation recorded the best sales performance against the equivalent 2019 months.
• 74 per cent of visitors spend when visiting the precinct, with the average visitor spend around $165.
• 90 per cent of visits are domestic - 55 per cent visitors, 20 per cent residents, 16 per cent workers.
• The typical visitor is full-time worker, aged 39, earning around $118,000 and likely to be in a couple.
• Key drivers of spend were leisure, socialising and eating out, with 95 per cent of visitors spending on eating out, irrespective of the primary reason for visiting. 

Learn more here. 

New Sydney Waterfront also received $200,000 from the Uptown Grant Program last month to facilitate the growth of the district into a vibrant hub in line with the NSW Government’s 24-Hour Economy Strategy for Greater Sydney.

HARBOURSIDE REDEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY

Mirvac started work on the $2 billion redevelopment of the Harbourside Shopping Centre in Darling Harbour earlier this year, with demolition work still taking place at the site. 

The revitalised site will comprise approximately 24,000sqm of office space, 7000sqm of retail space and around 265 apartments within a 42-storey residential tower. The 10,000sqm of public domain includes a new 3500sqm waterfront garden, as well as a widened waterfront promenade.

FIRST NATIONS PARK DESIGN UNVEILED
FOR BARANGAROO

A First Nations-led design for Harbour Park at Barangaroo has been revealed, which will create a regenerated natural retreat in the heart of the city.

Harbour Park will feature 1.85 hectares of open space and will become a place where people can explore, play, rest, discover and reconnect to nature, alongside Sydney’s iconic harbour.

First Nations-led and Sydney based design team AKIN’s vision for the park features nature play for all ages and abilities, an event lawn for hosting community and cultural events with up to 6000 people, public art installations, winding pathways to explore, extensive native planting and interactive water features.

The AKIN team is comprised of Yerrabingin, Architectus, Jacob Nash Studio, Studio Chris Fox and Flying Fish Blue, with Arup as engineering consultants.

Yerrabingin co-founder Christian Hampson, on behalf of AKIN’s family of designers and artists, said: “We are incredibly honoured and humbled to be part of such a defining public project, weaving together the threads of landscape, art, and architecture.

“For us, this is much more than a park – it's a place for us to celebrate an enduring culture and to move with Country, acknowledging and experiencing our collective past and present while dreaming of our future. This design is a new chapter connected to the most ancient of stories, carved in the Sydney sandstone: the story of Country and of us, its people.”

VISITOR ECONOMY WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS  

PENRITH TO HOST FIRST COMMUNITY CABINET MEETING OF 2023: The meeting will be held on 31 July and will provide an opportunity to hear directly from the NSW Government’s key decision-makers and offer insights into life in Western Sydney. It is open to all residents, business owners and stakeholders of the Penrith area. Register here

DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LOWER: Household spending on discretionary goods and services was 0.6 per cent lower in May 2023 compared to May 2022, according to figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Learn more

REGIONAL RAMP-UP FOR UBER EATS: Eight popular visitor destinations in NSW have been added to the Uber Eats delivery platform. Learn more

NSW GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES INDEPENDENT GAMING REFORM PANEL: The panel will oversee the cashless gaming trial and recommend an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms in NSW. Learn more

AUSTRALIA'S FIRST AI-GENERATED POP-UP RESTAURANT TO OPEN IN SYDNEY: Luminary will open at North Sydney restaurant Rafi for one week from July 29. Learn more

FLYPELICAN ANNOUNCES ALBURY TO CANBERRA SERVICE: The NSW airline will operate three flights per week starting 29 August for an initial period of six months. Learn more

BONZA CUTS ROUTES DUE TO LOW DEMAND: The airline has dropped its Sunshine Coast to Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and Tamworth services, however its Sunshine Coast to Albury route will welcome an additional service each week. Read more

NEW DATE FOR CLIA AWARDS: To avoid a clash with Taylor Swift’s Sydney concerts and their impact on flight and hotel availability, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has shifted the Cruise Industry Awards to March 9, 2024. Learn more

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