Arts, culture and creativity in the future of local government

By holistically understanding the value that accessible arts, culture and creativity should play for all people, we can examine how this contributes to the Future for Local Government. Exploring how we can enhance the great creative mahi that exists in our communities, and further strengthen that impact and value throughout the ecosystem.

In partnership with the Regional Arts Network Aotearoa, Creative Waikato have been contributing to a discussion paper to feed into the Future for Local Government Review.

What is the Future for Local Government Review?
“Over the next 30 years, New Zealand will change a great deal. These changes will bring new challenges and opportunities to local governance. The country will have a larger, more diverse population and technology will change the way we live and work. Climate change will require us to adapt and reshape our economy and lives. The Treaty of Waitangi partnership will move into a new phase with an increasing focus on enduring, mutually beneficial relationships.

All of these trends have local impacts and will require local responses, meaning that effective local governance is critical to New Zealanders’ wellbeing, now and into the future. This independent Ministerial review is an opportunity to create a new system of local governance and democracy that will effectively respond to a changing New Zealand and create conditions for communities to thrive.”

The Review panel has released an interim report as a part of this process.

As part of the ongoing national discussion around this, and as a way for Regional Arts Organisations to feed into the discussion from the viewpoints of the diverse communities they serve, the RANA group have shared a document with the panel for their consideration. This document looks at the role that arts, culture and creativity play within our communities, how they contribute to wellbeing, social cohesion and placemaking, and the role that they play towards thriving local communities through positive impact.

You can read the RANA submission here.

We want to see how our communities can celebrate the ways that we are interconnected, and support the continued development of a community of folks who are deeply invested in each other’s wellbeing and the sharing of our stories. Building strong communities by supporting one another and shaping our experiences together.