2015-03-03 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA   3 MARCH 2015




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INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                               3 MARCH 2015

        4 | Review of the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre Report                            signer

        Review overview

        Introduction
        The Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre (CBFAC) is a well-loved historical and iconic site in the
        district. With the recent redevelopment of the nearby sites by Council of a major library
        resource as well as the Lower Mill site, Council considered it timely to address options for the
        Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre.
        Noosa Council commissioned independent        market research and evaluation      consultants
        d-sipher, to undertake a review of the CBFAC in conjunction with Council.
        The review included identifying, scoping and assessing options for the CBFAC and took into
        consideration and evaluated the Butter Factory history, identification and analysis of potential
        operating models and assessed the financial viability and sustainability of the options
        proposed by the community. The options were developed in consultation with residents, local
        artists, businesses and community organisations. This report has been prepared by d-sipher.

        Background of the Butter Factory
        The Butter Factory at Cooroy is a local heritage building purchased by Noosa Council in the
        early 1990s for community use.
        Since then, the Butter Factory has fulfilled a variety of functions in the community such as a
        creative hub, an art gallery, a workshop space, an education provider, a performing arts venue
        and an office space for council’s creative and heritage staff.
        Groups and organisations that have used the Butter Factory include TAFE, Permaculture
        Noosa, the Butter Factory Arts Inc., the Queensland Museum Regional Development Officer
        and Creative Noosa.
        A ceramics studio was built on the site when TAFE was based at the Butter Factory site and
        since 2004 when TAFE left the site, the studio has been utilised by local ceramic artists as a
        workshop space and pottery studio.
        Under the Sunshine Coast Council the Butter Factory operated as a council-run gallery space
        for local and visiting artists with an exhibition program, associated public programs and
        workshops as well as being an occasional venue for performing arts and professional
        development workshops for teachers in the region.
        In 2010 the Cooroy Library, a state of the art facility, was built close to the Butter Factory on
        the Lower Mill site further expanding the community facilities on the precinct.
        The Butter Factory attracts on average 11,000 visitors annually, made up of local supporters,
        schools, elderly groups, practicing artists and interstate visitors.
        There is strong community ownership of the Centre. There are existing groups using the
        Centre as well as good support from local volunteers.

        Review objectives
            e  In consultation with the community, to identify, explore and develop options for the
               Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre.
            e  To identify a future for the Butter Factory that has contemporary relevance, is viable
               and is supported by communities of interest to the Butter Factory.

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