FAQs

Creative Wollongong is Council’s cultural plan. This document provides us with a strategic direction for the future, as we aim to grow creative industries, support community participation in creative life and celebrate our unique places and spaces.

Over the last few years, Wollongong has experienced a period of rapid change and our City’s cultural landscape is evolving. It is important that we have a plan to guide us to continue to support and celebrate local arts and culture.

A cultural plan typically benefit several groups in our community, including:

• Residents and community members: They gain access to a more vibrant and diverse cultural scene. 
• Artists and cultural organisations: A cultural plan can offer support, funding, and resources to local artists and cultural institutions, helping them thrive and contribute to the community.
• Local businesses: A thriving cultural scene can attract visitors and tourists, boosting local businesses such as restaurants, shops, and hotels.
• Our City: A well-executed cultural plan can improve the city's reputation, stimulate economic growth, and foster a sense of civic pride.
• Tourists and visitors: Cultural attractions and events created or supported by the plan can draw tourists and visitors, contributing to the local economy.
• Children, young people and education: Cultural plans often include educational components that benefit children and young people, providing opportunities for artistic development and cultural enrichment.

In essence, a cultural plan aims to enhance the overall cultural vitality of a community, making it a more attractive and dynamic place to live, work, and visit.

Absolutely! We can talk about your priorities for the new plan and what Council should commit to delivering over the next few years. 

We can’t be changed is:

• The timeline. The new plan needs to be endorsed by mid-next year.
• Major infrastructure upgrades, like new gallery buildings.
• Our operating budget.

The Creative Wollongong 2019-2024 documents can be downloaded from our website:

• Creative Wollongong 2019-2024
• Making Creative Wollongong Background Report

You can give feedback by:

• Taking part in our online activities:
  • Completing the online survey
  • Contributing to the Show and Tell Gallery by showing us a place or activity that represents the unique creativity and culture of your community. You can upload a photo or drawing of this place, or share links to a song, piece of music, website, or video.  
• Filling out a survey at your local library or Wollongong Art Gallery
• Sending an email to engagement@wollongong.nsw.gov.au 
• Writing to us at Locked Bag 8821, Wollongong DC NSW 2500
• Calling us on 4227 7111 to have a feedback form posted to your address

You can give us feedback up until Sunday 19 November 2023.

We will send everyone who makes a submission a summary of the feedback we heard during this engagement.

The plan will be developed using current research and information collected through engagement with the community. This information will be used to develop the focus areas and actions in the new plan. Following this, we’ll take the draft plan out to the community to seek further input before it goes to Council to be endorsed.

At the end of the engagement period, we read and consider all feedback. We write a report about the engagement and what we heard. It is provided to the project team for consideration in developing the plan.