Noosa Cultural Plan 2025-2030 Adoption · Report

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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                                       9 SEPTEMBER 2025


the increasing complexity and scope of Council’s cultural activities, this new Plan will be delivered
as part of a broader suite of cultural planning documents, including a dedicated Libraries Plan and
Heritage Plan.

A Cultural Plan is essential for Noosa because it provides a strategic framework to guide Council’s
investment, support, and development of the arts, culture, and heritage sectors. It ensures that
cultural activity is not ad hoc, but aligned with broader community goals, including sustainability,
liveability, economic prosperity, and social cohesion. The Plan helps preserve Noosa’s unique
identity—rooted in its natural beauty, rich heritage, and creative spirit—while also responding to
contemporary challenges such as cost-of-living pressures, changes in audience participation, the
digital explosion and the need for inclusive access to cultural experiences.

It also positions Noosa to leverage partnerships and funding opportunities particularly in the lead up
to the Brisbane Olympics 2032. By setting clear themes, actions, and evaluation measures, the Plan
enables Council to support a thriving, resilient, and inclusive cultural ecosystem that benefits both
residents and visitors.

The Cultural Plan 2025–2030 is structured around five key themes:

1. Valuing our history and heritage – Preserving and promoting Noosa’s history and heritage,
including First Nations heritage, through respectful engagement, education, and conservation.
2. Enabling inclusion and access – Ensuring equitable participation in arts and culture for people
of all backgrounds, abilities, and ages.
3. Championing our creative community – Supporting the professional development and
sustainability of local artists and creative industries through grants, mentoring, and showcasing
opportunities.
4. Activating our places and spaces – Enhancing cultural infrastructure and integrating creative
practice into public spaces to reflect Noosa’s identity and environmental values.
5. Engaging our community and visitors – Increasing participation in arts and culture through
improved promotion, diverse programming, and strategic event planning.

The Plan has been shaped by extensive sector engagement across two phases, including a
dedicated research project led by CRED Consulting in late 2024 and Council-led consultation in early
2025. Council extends its sincere thanks to Noosa’s diverse landscape of artists, arts organisations,
collectives, and cultural communities for their time, insights, and commitment to shaping a Plan that
reflects their aspirations. Relevant feedback gathered through other Council community engagement
processes such as the Pomona Place Plan and Liveability have also been incorporated.

The Cultural Plan is strategically aligned with Noosa Council’s Corporate Plan 2023–2028, ensuring
that arts and cultural development contributes meaningfully to the broader goals of environmental
sustainability, liveability, economic prosperity, innovation, and organisational excellence.
Importantly, the Cultural Plan aligns with national and state cultural frameworks such as the
Australian Government’s National Cultural Policy – Revive and the Queensland Government’s
Creative Together 2020–2030 and Queensland’s Time to Shine: 2025–2035, positioning Noosa to
leverage partnerships and funding opportunities while delivering locally relevant outcomes.

The Cultural Plan outlines the themes, aims, and actions that will guide Council’s support for a
thriving, inclusive, and sustainable cultural sector. This includes reducing barriers to creative
production and presentation, providing resources and spaces for cultural activity, and fostering
stronger connections between creatives, audiences, and economic markets.

With no tertiary arts education institutions in the region, Noosa Council recognises its role in
facilitating professional development and upskilling opportunities to ensure the long-term viability of
the local creative sector. Supporting artists to live and work in Noosa requires Council to champion
new pathways and strengthen links between the arts and other sectors.

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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                                          9 SEPTEMBER 2025


Ultimately, this Plan affirms Council’s belief that a vibrant cultural life contributes to a more creative,
connected, and resilient community. Through its implementation, Council will continue to foster a
culturally literate, inclusive, and engaged Noosa—where arts and culture are accessible to all and
celebrated as essential to the region’s identity and wellbeing.

Link to Corporate Plan

The Noosa Cultural Plan 2025-2030 links to the following Corporate Plan objectives:
2.3 - Nurture Arts and culture to enrich the identity and vibrancy of communities, highlight local talent,
celebrate First Nations culture and encourage creative participation and expression.
2.5 - Ensure community facilities and services are inclusive, accessible and meet the evolving needs
and interests of residents across Noosa Shire.
2.6 - Facilitate strong, vibrant, inclusive communities where people have a sense of belonging and
are active participants in a rich community life.
2.8 - Provide opportunities to enhance the health, wellbeing and safety of our communities.
3.2 - Partner with industry and education stakeholders in programs to address workforce and skill
shortages and to develop a suite of initiatives that meet the future workforce skills of Noosa including
pathways to employment.
3.6 - Grow and enhance the cultural and creative economy through partnerships and delivery of
programs, events and the development of a signature regional art gallery.
4.3 - Improve opportunities for increased inclusion of young people in community engagement and
decision making to provide relevant services, activities and opportunities.
5.9 - Ensure that all residents located throughout the Shire, both hinterland and coastal areas, have
equitable access to the provisions of quality assets, facilities and services.




Previous Council Consideration
Ordinary Council 19 September 2024, Item 10.
That Council note the report by the Arts and Culture Manager to the Services & Organisation
Committee dated 10 September 2024 regarding the conclusion of the Noosa Cultural Plan 2019-
2023.

Finance
The Cultural Plan 2025-30 actions have been developed with consideration of future budgets.

While the Plan is an organisation wide document, the majority of actions will be addressed by arts
and cultural services. Projects recommended in the annual operational budgets of Council's gallery,
theatre and cultural development sections will be specifically aligned to supporting the Cultural Plan.
Council officers will also seek additional resource support through grant and partnership
opportunities.

Risk & Opportunities
The success of the Cultural Plan 2025-2030 is significantly predicated on:

1) The availability of Council resources for arts and cultural projects, initiatives and growth
opportunities being maintained and increased.

2) Council appreciating the value of arts and culture in supporting healthy communities and growing
sustainable economies through reflection in operational activities.

3) The arts and cultural sector engaging and partnering with Council to support the ecology of arts

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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                                          9 SEPTEMBER 2025


and culture in the region.

There is the risk that the objectives of the Plan are not achieved if the above points are not met.

There are key risks if Council does not have a current Cultural Plan including:

   •   Lack of strategic direction and focus for arts, culture, and heritage activity and investment
   •   Increased fragmentation of industry efforts
   •   Reduced eligibility for state and federal cultural funding
   •   Weakened partnerships and collaboration opportunities
   •   Declining confidence and engagement from the creative sector
   •   Missed opportunities for professional and economic growth through cultural tourism and
       creative industries, particularly in the lead up to the Olympics

Opportunities laid out in the Plan include:

1) Through upcoming master-planning exercises, arts and cultural elements can be integrated
thoughtfully within the planned urban environment. Consideration of performance space, public art,
past histories of place and activations will facilitate both easier logistics for arts event organisers and
better access to arts and cultural activities.

2) Planning for a new regional gallery is underway. This project will greatly improve the capacity of
Council to support the creation and presentation of arts and cultural product in the region.

3) The 2032 Olympics promises a global focus on Brisbane and its surrounds. There is the potential
to access dedicated cultural funding linked to this major international event. The Olympics provides
the opportunity to showcase the region’s culture to a global audience.

4) Noosa Council is embracing the opportunity to meet and exceed sustainability targets through
the development of a Sustainability Policy. The relationship between arts and sustainability is
multifaceted, encompassing the ways in which art can promote environmental consciousness,
advocate for sustainable practices and contribute to the discourse of ecological preservation.

Human Rights
Human Rights Compatibility Statement
In developing this Report, the subject matter has been considered in accordance with the
requirements of the Queensland Human Rights Act 2019. It is considered that the subject matter
does not conflict with any human rights and supports a human rights approach to decision making
by Council. Council representatives will endeavour to act and make decisions under this report in a
manner that is compatible with human rights. This report should be read in conjunction with
Council’s Human Rights Policy.

Consultation
External Consultation - Community & Stakeholder
Extensive community consultation was undertaken in the development of the Cultural Plan 2025-30
across two phases. CRED Consulting undertook specific arts and cultural sector engagement in
September/October 2024 and collected feedback through workshops, one-on-one interviews and
surveys. The stakeholder engagement report was provided to Council in November 2024. This initial
information informed the first draft of the Plan.

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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                                             9 SEPTEMBER 2025



Key strengths identified through engagement:
   •     A strong and growing interest in First Nations culture and heritage.
   •     A highly engaged and motivated local arts community.
   •     Strong community support for arts, culture, and heritage events.
   •     A diverse range of venues and spaces for cultural activity.
   •     A natural environment that inspires creativity and supports outdoor events.
   •     Well-loved events such as Floating Land and Noosa Open Studios.
Key challenges raised by stakeholders:
   •     Limited affordable, fit-for-purpose spaces for creating and presenting work.
   •     Insufficient professional development opportunities, especially for young, emerging, and First
         Nations artists.
   •     High living costs impacting the viability of creative careers.
   •     Uneven access to funding and support programs.
   •     Poor public transport limiting participation in cultural events.
Council then led a second phase of community engagement in May/June 2025 based on the draft
Cultural Plan to ensure that we had captured the needs, aspirations and priorities of the sector. The
Cultural Plan was further refined to include feedback and suggestions provided through surveys,
workshops (i.e. with Kabi Kabi representatives) and questionnaires. Internal Council consultation
was also undertaken to ensure that the aims and objectives within the Plan were sympathetic of and
complementary to, broader Council planning and activity.

The final Cultural Plan responds to the needs and wants of the arts and cultural sector as expressed
by individuals, groups, collectives and organisations working within the sector across the region.


Internal Consultation
Departments consulted:
    Office of the CEO, Mayor &                Community Services               Corporate Services
            Councillors
 ✔      Mayor & Councillors             ✔    Director                     ✔   Director

 ✔      Chief Executive Officer         ✔    Community Development            Financial Services

 ✔      Executive Officers                   Sport & Active Lifestyles        Fleet

 ✔      Community Engagement            ✔    Arts & Culture                   Revenue Services
        People & Culture                ✔    Community Connection             ICT
        Governance                           Customer Experience              Procurement

                                                                              Commercial Property

       Strategy & Environment               Development & Regulation          Infrastructure Services
 ✔      Director                        ✔    Director                     ✔   Director

 ✔      Strategy & Sustainability            Development Assessment           Infrastructure      Planning,
                                                                              Design and Delivery
 ✔      Economic Development        &        Local Laws                       Civil and Asset operations
        Destination Management
        Environmental Services               Environmental Health             Waste

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SERVICES & ORGANISATION COMMITTEE MEETING                   9 SEPTEMBER 2025


    Innovation & Digital Hub   Building & Plumbing   Building & Facilities
                               Property / Permits    Disaster Management