11 September 2014
Draft Arts and Culture Strategic Action Plan
Attention:
Auckland Council
Freepost Authority 182382
Private Bag 92300
Auckland 1142
By email: ACSAPfeedback@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Submission on the:
Draft Arts and Culture Strategic Action Plan
From:
The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand)
1.
Creative New Zealand welcomes the opportunity to consider and make submissions
on Auckland Council’s Draft Arts and Culture Strategic Action Plan.
2.
Key contact person for matters relating to this submission:
Name:
Email:
Telephone:
Mobile:
Sarah Tebbs, Manager Planning, Performance and Stakeholder
Relations
sarah.tebbs@creativenz.govt.nz
04 473 0772 (DDI)
027 671 2286
Key points
3.
Auckland is a priority focus for Creative New Zealand in its Strategic Plan. Currently,
approximately one third of Creative New Zealand’s total investment in the arts is in
Auckland.
4.
Creative New Zealand supports the development of an Arts and Culture Strategic
Action Plan (ACSAP) for Auckland which is focused on practical actions. However,
Creative New Zealand considers the Draft Action Plan, in its current form, requires
further development if it is to be an effective “key vehicle for implementing the
strategic direction” of Auckland’s arts and culture (Auckland Plan Annual
Implementation Update 2012/2013, pg. 70).
5.
In particular, Creative New Zealand would welcome greater certainty about the
commitment by Auckland Council to implementing the actions in the ACSAP in terms
of budgeting for and providing the resources to do so. We note the fiscal constraints
in which the Auckland Council is operating and consider this makes it particularly
important there is a clear sense that actions in the ACSAP will be prioritised and
resourced.
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6.
We note the ACSAP Reference Group has agreed an implementation plan and
resource allocation will follow the adoption of the ACSAP. We would welcome greater
clarity in relation to:
 the specifics the actual actions to be undertaken; many of the individual
actions are currently vague and described at a high level.
 how the actions relate to the priorities and directives of the Auckland Plan
 the resources required for the defined actions and which agencies will be
assigned responsibility for resourcing the actions
 who this plan is for, who is accountable for different components of the plan
and how the arts sector is intended to contribute to its operationalization
 the role of the Auckland Council; Council can and should take a clear lead
in the regulatory, funding, event production, and advocacy areas.
7.
Other key observations we have are:
 the introduction speaks to the increasing diversity of the Auckland population
but there is little in the actions which addresses this, in particular for Pacific
and Asian arts and communities
 clarity is needed as to how the Plan connects with CCOs and local boards
 we would like to see clear links to what the arts sector can offer to drive other
aspects of the Auckland Plan – ie more focus on the economic, social and
environmental benefits of a strong arts sector
 we would like to see a stronger presence of key art organisations in the Plan,
and the shared contribution made across the arts ecology towards the vision
for Auckland City. This includes recognition of both the importance of a
strong professional arts infrastructure and of the unique and vital role the arts
organisations can play in delivering on the transformational changes outlined
in the Plan. Key arts organisations should be identified as key partners in the
Plan.
8.
Further comments on the Draft ACSAP are outlined below.
9.
All ACSAP page references in this submission relate to the full version of the Draft
ACSAP. We note at this point there does appear to be some differences in the
language and focus of the full version and the summary version of the Draft ACSAP.
The Draft ACSAP
10.
Creative New Zealand notes the Auckland Plan’s vision to be “The world’s most
liveable city”. Arts and culture are essential to achieving this vision; we note that
“culture and environment” is one of the five categories on which the Economist
Intelligence Unit assesses the liveability of cities worldwide. A commitment by
Auckland Council to the delivery of a clear arts and culture action plan will be a
significant contributor to realising the vision of the Auckland Plan.
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11.
From our review of New Zealand and international research (including our own threeyearly New Zealanders and the Arts surveys) we know that arts and culture have wide
ranging and significant benefits for communities’ and cities. In addition to clear
economic benefits, arts and culture support a range of cultural and social benefits;
they:

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improve educational outcomes
create a more highly skilled workforce
improve health outcomes
improve personal well-being
rejuvenate cities
support democracy
help define cultural identity
create social inclusion
are important to the lives of New Zealanders
12.
Arts and culture have a particularly important role in Auckland as a rapidly growing
and increasingly diverse city with a unique economic, social and cultural place both in
New Zealand and in the wider Pacific; and the challenges and opportunities which go
with that rapid growth and distinctive place in the world.
13.
Given the important role of arts and culture in Auckland, the challenge for Auckland
Council is to articulate a clear vision and plan of action for arts and culture in
Auckland; articulating both what the Council and its partners will do to ensure a
thriving arts and culture sector, and what arts and culture can do for Auckland City
and its communities.
14.
For this reason, Creative New Zealand endorses the development of an action plan for
arts and culture which defines, assigns, allocates resources and schedules practical
actions that will give effect to “integrating arts and culture into Aucklanders’ everyday
lives” (Auckland Plan, pg. 114). The Draft ACSAP is a good starting point but requires
greater focus.
15.
As described in the Auckland Plan Annual Implementation Update 2012/2013 (pages
70 and 71), the ACSAP’s intended purpose is to translate the Auckland Plan’s priorities
into “a coherent and focused programme of action” that will then be used as a “key
vehicle for implementing the strategic direction” of Auckland’s arts and culture as set
out in chapter three of the Auckland Plan.
16.
However, the ACSAP, in its current form, does not present a set of clearly defined,
prioritised and costed actions for implementing the Auckland Plan’s relevant priorities
and directives: it does not yet constitute a “coherent and focused programme of
action.” Nor does it clearly identify the actual ‘agents’ (page 7), sector agencies and
partner organisations who will be responsible and accountable for funding and
implementing the component parts of the ACSAP.
17.
The Draft ACSAP refers to a number of interrelated plans that are under development
or yet to be finalised, for example a Community Facilities Network Plan, an
Operational Framework for Creative Sector Investment and an Operational
Framework for Arts and Culture Programming etc. It is difficult to get a clear picture
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of which actions listed in the Draft ACSAP will be prioritised and advanced while those
plans are in development.
18.
It is not clear to Creative New Zealand what fundamental changes are anticipated as a
result of the ACSAP. In its current form, the Draft ACSAP resembles a broad strategic
framework for which a concrete ‘plan of action’ has yet to be developed and agreed.
Link to the Auckland Plan and other Council strategies
19.
While the Draft ACSAP refers to sections of the Auckland Plan, it does not clearly
articulate how it relates to the five directives associated with the Auckland Plan’s
priorities for Auckland’s arts and culture (see Chapter 3 of the Auckland Plan). It is not
clear if the goals and ‘action areas’ presented in the ACSAP effectively replace or
broaden the Auckland Plan’s original directives for Auckland’s arts and culture. Nor
does the ACSAP clearly explain how its goals have been derived from, or reflect the
results of the research summarised on pages 50 to 79.
20.
Given the importance of the arts in delivering a wide range of economic, social and
cultural benefits it is also important that the ACSAP identifies the links between arts
and culture and the wider goals of the Auckland Plan and other Council strategies.
Some of these are identified in pages 10 and 11 of the Draft ACSAP but there are no
specific links identified between particular goals or actions in the Draft ACSAP and the
wider goals for Auckland.
21.
Recognition of the wider benefits of the arts would add weight to the importance and
role of the ACSAP in Auckland Council’s vision for Auckland. These benefits could also
be used to tie the ACSAP firmly to the work and priorities across Auckland CCOs and to
identify the role of CCOs in assisting with the successful delivery of the ACSAP.
Goals, action areas and actions
22.
Creative New Zealand supports the six goals presented in the Draft ASCAP. However,
we believe that the intent of some of these goals may need to be expressed more
clearly. For example goal no. 2 (“Auckland values and invests in arts and culture”) and
goal no. 4 (“Arts and culture are intrinsic to Auckland’s place making”) sound more like
underlying assumptions or value statements than achievable and measurable goals.
23.
The six goals and corresponding action areas in the Draft ACSAP present a clear
framework. However considerable additional refinement is required at the actions
level particularly where reference is made to further “significant changes for
improvement and ‘transformational actions’ to be created or invented”.
24.
To be a “key vehicle for implementing the strategic direction” of the Auckland Plan,
the ACSAP needs to present sets of clearly articulated and discrete actions, specify
their estimated costs and the resources required and also assign the actions’
component tasks and responsibilities to the cited ‘agents’.
25.
The actions listed in the Draft ACSAP vary considerably in terms of how clearly they
are expressed and defined. Many are vague and the grouping of the actions does not
indicate any sense of relative priority or level to which each action has advanced to
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date. The diverse timeframes given for the completion of actions also indicate some
sort of prioritisation is required.
26.
Some actions are expressed in broad and general terms – e.g. “foster opportunities
for…”, “increase opportunities for...” “encourage…”, “work towards….” “develop….”
“investigate” etc.. An action plan needs to explain in greater detail how to go about
doing these things in practice.
27.
Greater clarity is evident in some of the listed actions. For example, action number
1.3.2: “investigate accessible childcare options and companion tickets for carers.” This
describes a specific action which represents a clear step towards realising the
associated goal of “removing barriers to access and participation.”
28.
However, the use of the term ‘investigate’ detracts from the sense of certainty of the
action. The action needs to be costed and assigned to a specific agency or group of
agencies (e.g. Auckland Council and others).
29.
While it is noted in the ACSAP that not all potential agents are identified in the
document, it is not clear which of the agents named in the document will be taking
the lead in implementing each of the listed actions and how these agents collectively
are going to resource these actions’ final delivery. It is also not clear what role exactly
Auckland Council itself will play in delivering on actions. It is evident a lot has yet to
occur with regard to negotiating actions with ‘suggested partners’ (pg. 25).
30.
Creative New Zealand is referenced in the ACSAP as an agent alongside a number of
goals, action areas and actions (e.g. 1.1.3 fostering opportunities for ‘cross-cultural art
forms’, 1.1.5 mapping the sector, 1.2.1 developing digital tools, 2.1.3 creating physical
and virtual networks, 2.2.1. developing effective evaluation methods, 3.3.3
undertaking regional ‘needs assessments’). It will be important to have clarity about
the role Creative New Zealand will play in implementing the ACSAP, in particular how
this role will align with Creative New Zealand’s Strategic Plan and work programme.
programme. We will continue to work closely with Auckland Council on finalising the
detail of the actions Creative New Zealand will be responsible for.
Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board and Leading Auckland Arts Organisations
31.
Creative New Zealand notes the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board is
referred to only once in the ACSAP in the context of reviewing the 2016 pilot of the
annual Auckland Festival (pg. 28). Creative New Zealand would like to emphasise the
significance of the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board and the four leading
arts organisations it supports.
32.
Creative New Zealand provides annual core funding to the four arts organisations
listed in Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board Act 2008 through our Arts
Leadership Investment (Toi Tōtara Haemata) Programme. For 2014 we funded:
Auckland Festival Trust ($350,000), Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra ($2,100,000),
Auckland Theatre Company ($930,000) and NBR New Zealand Opera ($2,475,000).
None of these organisations features in the Draft ACSAP’s ‘action areas’.
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33.
These four arts organisations play a crucial role in achieving the Auckland Plan’s
directives in relation to integrating arts and culture into Aucklanders’ everyday lives.
To be successful, these organisations require adequate, sustainable and secure
funding. The Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Board plays a vital role in enabling
these organisations to contribute successfully to Auckland’s cultural interests.
34.
Creative New Zealand is concerned that these four leading arts organisations are
largely omitted from the Draft ACSAP. They are vital in delivering a wide range of arts
programmes and community engagement in the arts to the people of Auckland. They
will be of significant importance in ensuring the delivery of the ACSAP’s goals and
actions and this should be reflected in the Plan.
35.
More broadly, there is a lack of reference to any arts organisations in Auckland.
Achievement of the arts goals of the Auckland Plan and the goals of the ACSAP will not
be achieved without the active commitment and engagement of the arts sector. The
role of the arts sector in delivering on the ACSAP needs to be clearly recognised in the
ACSAP.
Auckland, Diversity and Identity
36.
Creative New Zealand notes the draft ACSAP’s reference (pg. 14) to the ongoing
growth and increasing ethnic diversity of Auckland’s population.
37.
The Draft ACSAP also characterises Auckland’s identity as follows: “our unique mix of
Māori, European, Pacific, Asian and many other cultures […] makes us one of the most
diverse cities in the world. We are proud of [this] and want to celebrate our unique
cultural identity” (pg. 5). While the Draft ACSAP suggests, on the one hand, that
Auckland’s particular distinctiveness results from this “unique mix” of diverse cultures,
it also, on the other, celebrates Auckland’s “unique cultural identity” as being
distinctively Māori (pg. 42).
38.
Creative New Zealand endorses the clear place of Māori and Māori culture as “a point
of difference” in the Draft ACSAP. However we would welcome similar clarity with
regard to ACSAP’s responsiveness to other ethnic communities in Auckland. The Draft
ACSAP states that “enabling and showcasing the successes of Pacific heritage and
contemporary arts and engaging with pacific audiences are at the centre of the
ACSAP” (pg. 14). However, there is little evidence of Pacific Islands’ arts “being at the
centre” of the Draft ACSAP in its current form.
39.
There is also a lack of reference to Auckland’s growing Asian population. We would
expect to see specific reference to how the needs and expectations of the diverse
culture of Auckland, as referenced in the ACSAP foreword, will be addressed.
Auckland Council might look at including the New Zealand Asia Foundation as a
potential ‘agent’ in this context.
Auckland Regional Facilities
40.
Culturally diverse events are an important part of Auckland’s artistic and cultural life,
for example Lantern, Pasifika and Diwali festivals and illustrate and respond to
Auckland’s unique mix of cultures. Access to the use of suitable venues and facilities is
a significant precondition for such events to occur.
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41.
Creative New Zealand notes the mention of the Regional Facilities Auckland in the
ACSAP’s profile of Auckland’s arts and culture venues (pg. 15). Considering the
significant and specific role that Regional Facilities Auckland plays in providing
essential performing arts infrastructure in Auckland, the ACSAP would represent a real
opportunity to create clear guidelines or a framework for Regional Facilities Auckland
(and other CCOs) to explore ways and means by which they can connect with, and
serve the cultural interests of, diverse local communities.
42.
Regional Facilities Auckland had indicated to us as early as March 2012 that it wished
to connect more with local communities and was looking to the ACSAP as a base
framework for doing this. Other Auckland Council Controlled Organisations – such as
Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) – would also benefit
from such a framework.
Local Boards
43.
Creative New Zealand endorses the autonomy with which Auckland’s 21 local boards
can determine their own arts and cultural objectives and acknowledges the ways in
which Auckland Council supports local boards in setting and realising these objectives.
This allows for a greater diversity of arts activities among the many local communities
which make up Auckland’s “unique mix”.
44.
We note in the Draft ACSAP that local boards are cited together with other agents
alongside several goals, action areas and actions. Again it is not clear from the ACSAP
what role the local boards will play exactly in delivering these actions.
45.
Creative New Zealand also queries whether the ACSAP takes into account other
planning and policy developments which may impact on local boards’ arts and culture
delivery, i.e. changes to Auckland Council’s community funding policy and its Arts
Alive funding scheme as well as the Community Facilities Network Plan and the
Operational Framework for Arts and Culture Programming.
Creative New Zealand contribution to actions in the Draft Arts and Culture Strategic Plan
46.
In the draft ACSAP Creative New Zealand is identified as a partner agency against
fifteen actions across the first three goals in the ACSAP.
47.
We have reviewed these actions and identified those which align most closely with
Creative New Zealand’s legislative mandate, and the outcomes, priorities and values in
our Strategic Plan and Statement of Intent; with our existing funding programmes and
initiatives; and where Creative New Zealand can add most value and leverage the
most value for the arts sector.
48.
Our assessment of Creative New Zealand’s role against each of the actions is set out in
the table below. It includes adding Creative New Zealand to two actions in the draft
ACSAP which do not currently reference us. We will continue to work with Auckland
Council on finalising the detail of Creative New Zealand’s role under each action.
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Proposed Action
Include
Creative New
Zealand?
1.1.1
Present a range of
Yes
programmes and events,
from high-end international
to free community grassroots level, including
spontaneous programming
in non-traditional spaces
[Note: ACSAP currently
doesn’t reference Creative
New Zealand]
Comment
Separate investment by Creative New
Zealand
through
its
funding
programmes.
Potential co-investment with Auckland
Council and other partners where
appropriate
The primary programme targeted at
community participation is the
Creative Communities Scheme.
1.1.2
Increase opportunities for
cultural expression by
being responsive to the
different ways
communities access and
participate in arts and
culture
[Note: ACSAP currently
doesn’t reference Creative
New Zealand]
1.1.3
Foster opportunities for
cross-cultural art forms
1.1.4
Foster opportunities for the
intergenerational sharing
of culture
1.1.5
Map the sector to clarify
the roles of different Yes
agents in arts and culture
Creative New Zealand would not be on
lead but would contribute information
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delivery
1.1.6
Develop a network for
increasing Māori
participation in arts and
culture
1.2.1
Develop digital tools so
people can find out
everything to do with arts
and culture in Auckland,
including a comprehensive
Auckland event calendar
2.1.1
Support a resilient arts
sector through access to
diverse revenue streams
and opportunities for
artists and arts
organisations to earn
sustainable income
2.1.2
Produce a clear guide
explaining the different
roles and responsibilities of
different funding agents
2.1.3
Create physical and virtual
networks for arts
practitioners that attract
sponsorship and
investment, including
crowd-funding
2.1.6
Continue Creative New
Zealand ‘capability
initiatives’ to encourage
new partnerships
as required
No
Not a role for Creative New Zealand
No
Not a role for Creative New Zealand
Yes
Not a lead role for Creative New
Zealand
We provide support for our clients to
develop other revenue streams,
through our capability, Creative Giving
and advocacy work
Yes
Creative New Zealand would not be on
lead but would contribute information
as required
No
Not a role for Creative New Zealand
No
This is not really an ACSAP action – it is
an ongoing Creative New Zealand
programme – suggest this action be
deleted
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2.1.7
Work towards shared
guidelines for public
investment in the arts,
adopting best-practice
models
2.2.1
Develop effective
evaluation methods and
tools to measure the
economic, social and
environmental returns for
investors, in arts and
culture
Yes
Creative New Zealand will work with
Auckland Council on building effective
investment guidelines
Yes
Creative New Zealand would not be on
lead but we do support this work
through our research and advocacy
programmes,
including
the
development of an advocacy toolkit for
the arts sector
2.2.2
Communicate and promote
the social, cultural and
environmental returns on
investment in arts and
culture
3.1.1
Support Auckland’s role as
an international city by No
assisting the funding of
major
shows
and
exhibitions
Creative New Zealand does not fund
touring international productions
3.3.3
Undertake regional needs
assessments in relation to Yes
specific arts and culture
sector needs (e.g. visual
arts) to inform future
investment and provision
Not a lead role for Creative New
Zealand but links to our artform
reviews
3.4.4
Review creative residencies
across the region, and
consider business case for
further opportunities
Not a role for Creative New Zealand
No
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About Creative New Zealand and its interest in Auckland Council’s Draft Arts and Culture
Strategic Plan
49.
Creative New Zealand has identified Auckland as a priority focus over the period of the
plan, noting that
 “Auckland is fast growing spread out and very culturally diverse, with
expanding Māori, Pasifika and Asian communities. It is a priority for us to
ensure our investment, service and operations remain fit for purpose in the
context of this rapidly changing demography.”
50.
Creative New Zealand is working on the development of our own strategy for
Auckland. The strategy will include a focus on ensuring Creative New Zealand is
responding to the increasing size and diversity of Auckland’s population, arts
practitioners, producers and audiences.
51.
Creative New Zealand supports the development of the Auckland Arts and Culture
Strategic Action Plan. An integrated action plan for Auckland’s arts and culture will be
a key contributor to a strong arts infrastructure and to ensuring accessible and diverse
arts experiences to Aucklanders.
52.
In 2013/2014 Creative New Zealand invested over $11.27 million in the arts in
Auckland, representing approximately 30 percent of our total investment in the arts in
New Zealand.
Arts Infrastructure
53.
Through our investment programmes – the Arts Leadership Investment Programme
Toi Tōtara Haemata and the Arts Development Investment Programme Toi Uru
Kahikatea – we invested a total of $23.75 million for the 2013/2014 financial year in
83 arts organisations throughout New Zealand.
54.
Creative New Zealand invests in these selected organisations specifically to fulfil key
infrastructure roles and/or to deliver a range of activities and services that Creative
New Zealand has identified as necessary for enabling and sustaining a thriving arts
environment for the benefit of all New Zealanders.
55.
Through our investment programmes we supported 31 Auckland-based arts
organisations in 2013/2014 to a total amount of $11.21 million or 28% of our total
national investment in arts organisations for that financial year. They were: Auckland
Festival Trust, Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, Auckland Theatre Company, New
Zealand Opera, Touch Compass Dance Company, the Audio Foundation, Artspace,
Black Grace, the New Zealand Dance Company, Pacific Dance New Zealand, Silo
Theatre, Tempo Dance Festival, the Basement Theatre, Massive Company,
Objectspace, Tautai, Atamira Dance Collective, Indian Ink Theatre Company, Okareka
Dance Company, NZ Trio, Red Leap Theatre, Auckland University Press, Auckland
Writers and Readers Festival, McCahon House Trust, Michael King Writers Studio, NZ
choral Federation, NZ Opera School, Penguin NZ, Random House and Youth
Performance Trust and The Big Idea. These organisations also benefit from Creative
New Zealand’s capability-building and sector development initiatives
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56.
Auckland residents benefit from the presence of the above organisations and their
combined range of arts and cultural activities which are offered not only in the city but
also extend to the rest of the Auckland region through individual presentations, tours
and outreach programmes.
Arts Projects
57.
Through Creative New Zealand’s quick response and arts grants 99 individual arts
projects were supported in Auckland in 2013/2014 to a total amount of $2.24 million
or 27% of all quick response and arts grants awarded throughout New Zealand in that
financial year.
58.
Creative New Zealand’s Creative Communities Scheme administered by Auckland
Council provides funding for community-based arts projects throughout Auckland.
The scheme’s funding is distributed through five different assessment committees to
ensure equitable coverage across all 21 local boards. The scheme’s annual allocation
for the Auckland Council for 2013/2014 amounts to $1,025,362.
Thank you again for the opportunity to comment, and please do not hesitate to contact me
if you wish to discuss this submission.
Yours sincerely
Stephen Wainwright
Chief Executive