Projects such as Coming of Age can contribute to innovative thinking and new knowledge about issues which are incredibly complex. Complex issues require informed input - which is why community involvement in this project is so important.
The late environmental scholar, George Seddon said in his book, Landprints: "It is an immensely complex debate, because conservation and planning issue reach deep into our economy, our ecology, our society, our language...The usual outcome of simplifying issues is simplistic conclusions, which often have consequences worse than the problems the measure was intended to address."
Plenty of evidence around us today of the simplistic approach...lets start getting creative!
In my past work as a regional arts administrator, it was clearly evident that communities have the capacity to tackle complex issues when they have the skills of empowerment - leadership, communication, negotiation, problem solving and values. Artists are leaders in innovation and creative problem solving, and the arts has a well documented history of capacity building within communities, see http://www.ccd.net/ and http://www.ccdnsw.org. For more information about cultural policy being more closely linked to innovations policy read the National ArtsEco Forum submission at http://www.innovation.gov.au/innovationreview/Documents/367-National_Arts_and_Ecology_Forum.pdf.
A recommended inspiring read is Big story country - great arts stories from regional Australia. Available by contacting Regional Arts NSW at http://www.regionalartsnsw.com.au.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts about our environmental future.
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