Creatives to bolster connection

BALLARAT will host creative industry leaders next week, with representatives from Creative Australia as well as UK-based organisations in town to talk about opportunities for the country’s artistic development.

The Creative Australia-led event called Creative Clusters, Economy, and Ballarat will steer a conversation around supporting businesses, suppliers, artists and makers both locally and abroad.

“This is a valuable opportunity for Ballarat’s creative sector to connect with the federal body responsible for the development and funding of creative industries, makers, artists and practitioners,” said City of Ballarat director of economy and experience Martin Darcy.

“Ballarat’s size and location makes it an important contributor to wider national conversations, with many creative concepts able to be tested and trialled in a city of our size.

“A healthy ecosystem means we increase jobs within the creative economy and we retain the best and brightest minds. This is something the City of Ballarat is committed to supporting.”

Andrew Chitty, CoSTAR Network Board chair and Professor of Creative Industries, Institute for Creative Futures at Loughborough University London, will be among the event’s special guests and will discuss the UK’s Creative Industries Clusters Program model.

Creative Australia’s executive director of development and partnerships Georgie McClean, director of business development and partnerships Gillian Mercer, and Zohar Spatz, head of community and experimental, will also be in attendance.

Mr Darcy said the event will offer a chance for further creative growth following the municipality achieving Creative City status in 2019.

“Ballarat is home to leading minds and exciting new creative enterprises and we are pleased that Creative Australia is acknowledging the growth of our creative sectors,” he said.

“The City of Ballarat’s work through UNESCO’s Creative City network has been instrumental in helping develop and promote our local creative industries, which in turn create employment and contribute to our diversity, identity, and quality of living in Ballarat.

“We are looking forward to welcoming some of the leading minds in creative clustering from the UK to share their knowledge and experience.”

The event will take place at Ballarat Trades Hall from 5pm on Thursday 19 September. To register, visit bit.ly/3ZiLFUy.