Community
23 September, 2023
Art sector vital to city
A NEW report shows that the arts and cultural sector in Cairns is worth more than $100 million a year.
An analysis of the arts and cultural sector during 2021 showed the industry remained buoyant and continued to grow despite the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
The State of the Arts (SoARTS) report, produced by project partners and lead researchers, Associate Professor Lisa Law, and Dr Russell Milledge from James Cook University (JCU), along with research collaborators Professor Bruce Prideaux, Michelle Thompson, and Leonie Cassidy from CQUniversity (CQU), was tabled at the Cairns Regional Council last week.
Cr Brett Moller said the raw data was impressive.
“It provides vital information and data as we look to build on the arts sector, which contributes a total of $126 million (direct and indirect) in value added to the city’s economy, employs more than 1000 people, and also generates over $150 million in sales,” he said.
Cr Moller said the Cairns region was more than just tourism, agriculture, mining and construction, and the report proved that Cairns had a diversified economy.
He said it gave the council confidence to continue with the gallery precinct.
But Cr Cathy Zeiger said it suggested improvements, and that arts and cultural activities shouldn’t be confined to the CBD and the Tanks Art Centre.
She said the southern corridor was lacking in vital art and cultural infrastructure as well as suburbs such as Manoora, Manunda and Mooroobool.
Cr Zeiger said the report reflected and supported the view of the majority of ratepayers that art work was well overdue in suburbia.
She said graffiti was on the rise in the suburbs and she wanted to see the council invest more in art in residential neighbourhoods.
In the report’s forward, Mayor Bob Manning said culture and the arts were vitally important to the Cairns region.
“Developing the infrastructure and the creative networks needed to elevate the Cairns region into the arts and cultural capital of northern Australia is one of council’s highest priorities,” he said.
“This goal, set out in our Strategy for Culture and the Arts 2022 and our Shared Vision 2050, is not just about supporting our communities and our arts, it is about developing and diversifying our economy. Arts experiences are a growing driver for tourism in Australia and are increasingly part of visitors’ itineraries.”
The report found there were opportunities for expansion and growth of the sector, including through greater cohesion between arts leaders in the region, as well as by heightened awareness about the leading role the industry plays in northern Australia.
The comprehensive report also considered the benefits hard and soft infrastructure advances have made to the arts and cultural sector and the importance of Indigenous art, including the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF).
