Meeting papers

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




                                                                                                        Page 59 of 117