Creating avenues for creative participation and practice

Ellen Lowrey, City of Sydney

Creative Participation in Australia48 percent of Australians participate in the arts as creators

The benefits

Individual Community

Social bonding and connection Creative society, innovation and expression

Insight and growth through new knowledge

and ideas

Social acceptance and understanding

Stimulation of creativity, imagination and

curiosity

Common purpose and meaning

Health and wellbeing Sense of belonging

Creative Participation in Sydney

Cultural Policy and Action Plan 2014-2024

Our Libraries as creative places

Space = the physical attributes of our buildings

Places = spaces that have been given meaning

Libraries breaking the barriers• Time• Money• Poor access • Perceived lack of information• Lack of interest• Feelings of inadequacy • Personal preference • Not having anyone to attend with

Where does creativity fit?

Lifelong learning:• Learning to know • Learning to do• Learning to live together, and with others• Learning to be

Improve a community’s quality of life, increased ability to learn and empathies as well as be involved more actively in society.

A community of consumers and creators

Late Night LibraryProviding a platform for local creatives to explore and develop work.

What we have found

• 48 percent of people who attend the series are library members• 30 percent of people come alone• 70 percent of people attend out of curiosity• 80 percent learn something new

Waterloo Creative Live Work Space

Meet Matriark

Pine Street Taster Series

Workshops booked out

Attendees went on to further develop skills

Evaluating the impact of creativity

• Creativity is stimulated

• New knowledge, ideas and insights gained

Where too next…