Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney

Building on the findings of the Mapping Culture report, the second phase of the study, Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney: A Venues and Infrastructure Needs Analysis, will examine the nature and extent of future needs for cultural space in the City, especially spaces for cultural creation and production. The research involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative method, and focuses on the people, activities and spaces with the potential for developing Sydney's cultural capacity. It is envisaged that the research report produced by this project will make a timely contribution to the development of the planning framework of metropolitan Sydney for the coming decades.

Researchers: Professor Ien Ang, Professor David Rowe, Professor Deborah Stevenson, Dr Liam Magee, Dr Alexandra Wong, Dr Teresa Swist, Mr Andrea Pollio
Funding: City of Sydney
Period: 2017

» Final Report - Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney (PDF, 4094.79 KB) (opens in a new window)
» Project Flyer - Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney (PDF, 110.66 KB) (opens in a new window)

A studio room with desk, computer, photographic equipment, spotlight and screen.

Photo source: City of Sydney

The Institute for Culture and Society (ICS) is collaborating with the City of Sydney on new research to provide a more detailed assessment of the needs of space for cultural creation and production in the City.

The Mapping Culture: Venues and Infrastructure in the City of Sydney report (opens in a new window) (PDF, 4.13MB) (2016) produced by ICS researchers provided a broad understanding of the distribution of cultural venues in this local government area (LGA). The research team developed a two-tiered classification system to map the spatial distribution and characteristics of all cultural venues and infrastructure in the City, and the 'value chain' role(s) of these spaces in terms of creation, production, use, dissemination and education.

Building on the findings of the Mapping Culture report, the second phase of the study, Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney: A Venues and Infrastructure Needs Analysis (opens in a new window) (PDF 4MB), will examine the nature and extent of future needs for cultural space in the City, especially spaces for cultural creation and production. The research involves a combination of quantitative and qualitative method, and focuses on the people, activities and spaces with the potential for developing Sydney's cultural capacity. It is envisaged that the research report produced by this project will make a timely contribution to the development of the planning framework of metropolitan Sydney for the coming decades.

In summary, the research aims to:

provide detailed knowledge about the workspaces within which cultural and creative producers conduct their work in the City of Sydney, and the role of such workspaces (commercial or otherwise) within wider cultural value chains;
gain a greater understanding of the social and economic environment within which cultural and creative sector agents operate, and the impact of this environment on their selection and use of particular venues or sites.

The Research Program

International case studies: Case studies from other cities around the world (e.g., Berlin, Barcelona, Brooklyn, Hong Kong) will be considered to place Sydney in its international context.
Quantitative analysis: Quantitative analysis of the spaces of cultural creation and production in the City of Sydney LGA, based on the data assembled for the Mapping Culture report and other available data.
In-depth qualitative analysis on cultural venues: Semi-structured interviews with cultural venue managers and users deploying the 'mobile' method of 'walking interviews' to gather detailed, place-specific data.
Interviews: Interviews with a selection of key stakeholders from across the City of Sydney, including council planners, compliance officers, property developers, with a view to establishing changes in, and contemporary patterns of, zoning, availability of appropriate spaces, uses of space, etc.
Focus groups: Focus groups with artists, users of co-working space and cultural/creative workers to tease out common issues and challenges faced by cultural practitioners in Sydney.
Research report: A final report will be produced to establish the current state of affairs regarding Sydney's cultural infrastructure, creation and production. Key issues, challenges and problems and future needs will be identified, while drawing out the broader policy implications concerning the supply of spaces and venues.

Contact

Alexandra Wong
a.wong@westernsydney.edu.au
0432318325

Andrea Pollio
a.pollio@westernsydney.edu.au
0435017885