The Art of Renewal: A Practical Guide for Residents, Councils and Planners to Thinking Culturally about Strengthening Communities

Miles DG¹*, Masson GL¹*

1. Arts Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
2. Department of Housing, Community Renewal Program, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

The Art of Renewal – a Guide to Thinking Culturally about Strengthening Communities is a publication (which will be launched in early 2005) which has been developed in partnership between Arts Queensland and the Queensland Department of Housing, Community Renewal Program supported by a steering committee which included representatives from Local Government, Queensland Community Arts Network and Youth Arts Queensland.

The Art of Renewal provides a framework to encourage communities to begin to integrate cultural issues in planning and decision-making processes for local areas, and to implement creative cultural practices that strengthen communities, build social capital and increase connectivity.

The publication identifies the role and value of culture, creative practice and the arts in communities and highlights how the inclusion of cultural identity and creativity in community engagement processes can benefit communities.

The presentation will provide an overview of The Art of Renewal and the development of a community creativity plan, as well as provide examples from around Queensland of creative community engagement methods which build community identity, belonging and pride.

In addition, the presentation will examine the steps taken for integrating community creative development into the Community Renewal Program.

The Community Renewal Program is working in partnership with community, Government and business to narrow the socio-economic gap between renewal communities and the rest of the State with a goal to ensure that residents feel valued, safe and proud as members of the Queensland community.

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