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Our Arts, Culture and Libraries Strategy 2023 – 2027 will guide decisions and initiatives for arts, culture and libraries over the next four years.

The purpose of this strategy is to increase community engagement with local arts, culture and library services that encourage and promote self-expression, learning, social connection and appreciation for the natural environment.

Adopted Bayside Arts, Culture and Libraries Strategy open in new window

From 4 April to 1 May 2022 we invited the community to provide feedback to help us develop the priorities and key themes for the draft strategy.

We wanted to understand what our community thinks of our current library programming and ensure its meeting the needs of the community though being accessible when the community needs it. We also wanted to hear the areas Council’s arts and culture activities could have greater impact and if there's anything we can do more of to support our arts and cultural sector.

We heard from over 900 community members through our online survey, workshops and in-person pop up events. This included our local community groups in including the Bayside Healthy Aging Reference Group, Reconciliation Advisory Committee, FReeZA and Bayside Disability Access and Inclusion Committee as well as members of Bayside's arts and library community. We also engaged with our Arts Advisory Committee through a series of workshops.

The draft Strategy responds to feedback already received from more than 900 community members on how we can support the arts and cultural sector in Bayside. Find out more about the consultation process so far.

  • Libraries

    Our community wants:

    • More comfortable spaces, coffee machines or a café, outdoor reading areas and better working spaces with meeting rooms and quiet areas
    • Larger collections and multiple copies of popular books and access to university research collections
    • Later weekday hours and evening events for working adults
    • More events, displays and workshops and opportunities to connect library users to external resources and opportunities
    • Better communications of events and services

  • Arts and culture

    Our community wants:

    • Support for local talent by opportunities; platforming; skill-building and exposure
    • Raise awareness for local arts and culture activity
    • Provide partnership opportunities between local creative industry sector partners, community groups and cross-sector organisations.
    • Ensure the sector receives recognition for the impact it creates and this recognition is supported by resources
    • Collaborate with community to lead and run arts and culture initiatives
    • Activate public community spaces

Our strategic priorities

The following principles have guided the development of this strategy:

  • We are committed to reaching disengaged members of our community.
  • We seek to recognise and measure positive social impacts generated by our services.
  • We value the role of partnerships in improving the quality and reach of our services.
  • Collaboration across Council departments is key to exploring new opportunities.

Through the strategy we will deliver on the Council Plan to create a diverse, healthy and liveable Bayside through five strategic priorities:

Following community feedback and internal consultation we adopted a more concise approach to our planning process. The initial five strategic priorities were condensed into three goals:

Timeline

  • Timeline item 1 - complete

    Community consultation

    Contribute your ideas on what Council can do to improve its arts and library programming.

    Consultation closes 1 May 2022

  • Timeline item 2 - complete

    Confirm the draft goals and strategies

    Council will use your feedback to determine the key themes and areas of focus for libraries and arts programming.

    This will include evaluating the feedback that we received during the Victorian Public Library Users survey in March.

  • Timeline item 3 - complete

    Draft Arts Strategic Plan developed

    The draft Libraries, Arts and Culture Strategic Plans will be discussed by the Bayside Arts and Gallery Advisory Committe in June before it goes out again for community feedback.

  • Timeline item 4 - complete

    Community consultation on the Draft Strategy

    Feedback on the draft strategy closed on 4 September 2022.

    The Arts and Gallery Advisory Committee met on the 14 December 2022 and recommended the draft Strategy for adoption at the 21 February 2023 Council meeting.

  • Timeline item 5 - active

    Council to consider proposed Strategy

    Council will consider the proposed Strategy for adoption at its 21 February 2023 Council meeting. Find out more.

  • Timeline item 6 - incomplete

    Plan Implementation

    We will provide you with a library service and an arts and culture program that is responsive and creates social connections in our community.

How we're engaging the community on this project

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Contact us

yoursay@bayside.vic.gov.au

(03) 9599 4444

www.bayside.vic.gov.au

Bayside City Council, 76 Royal Avenue

PO Box 27, Sandringham VIC 3191

For general enquiries to Bayside Council

bayside.vic.gov.au/contact-us

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