Council is pleased to present the first Arts and Culture Strategy for Hepburn Shire. It was endorsed in the June Council meeting and informed by many community feedback sessions and industry cultural standards. The strategy objectives are based on community needs and achievable positive outcomes for creative industries and the Museum sector. Valuable constitution was sought from our Traditional owners, DJAARA, who contributed significantly to this strategy. Art and Culture has long been important in Hepburn Shire, with many artists and creative industry businesses residing in the Shire. We also have several Museums that hold Council collections that are run by dedicated volunteers.

Read the Arts and Culture Strategy.

The Arts and Culture Strategy aims to connect, support and elevate the already vibrant art and culture spaces and groups, further empowering them to continue to grow and create. Council offers strategic support and investment in the arts and culture industries, benefitting the broader community. A culture rich in the arts and respected history is vital for a healthy, connected community. Hepburn Shire has a history of art and storytelling on this country, originally from the Djarra traditional owners, who continue this long history today. More recently we continue this tradition to create and play on Dja Dja Wurrung country. With a large amount of studio-based artists, commercial galleries, several dedicated community art groups facilitating events, live music venues and three local historical museums already in operation, Hepburn Shire is renowned for its creative and inclusive community.

Our Community Vision speaks about an inclusivity, embracing innovation and fostering partnerships. The first step in developing an Arts and Culture Strategy was the creation of a shared vision that this community, creative sector and Council can work toward. The strategy will define key focus areas where Council can play a dynamic and supportive role in strengthening the provision of existing services, programs and facilities so that the creative community can thrive. Measurable objectives in the form of yearly action plans, will be developed to support each key focus area. An implementation plan including strategies, partnerships, activities and resources will be created to act as a roadmap for achieving our shared vision.

Creative community conversations about arts and culture were held across our Shire in mid-2022 in Daylesford, Trentham, Clunes and Creswick and five additional sessions were held online. A second round of on-site pop-up engagements and an online survey were completed in March 2023 and extensive feedback was gathered from traditional owners.

Feedback on this draft policy has now closed.

Thank you to community members who have provided feedback on the draft Strategy.

The draft will be considered for adoption at the June Council meeting.