Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Innovative thinking & new knowledge

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.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Invitation to participate

Individuals within the communities of Central West NSW are invited to contribute ideas to the art project, Coming of Age. Responses to the following questions are being sought.
  • What is your relationship to the environment in which you live?
  • What do you enjoy about the environment in which you live?
  • Describe your environment and the features you value.
  • Describe your favourite smells in the environment in which you live.
  • How healthy is your environment?
  • Have you witnessed change in your environment over your lifetime?
  • How critical is water in your environment?
  • Would your environment cope with less water in future?
  • Do you feel you have the capacity to change your environment for the better?
  • What do you wish for your environment in the year 2030 and beyond?

CSIRO's best estimate of climate change by 2030 would see an eight percent reduction in surface water availability and a 125 percent growth in groundwater extractions. Research also indicates an average temperature increase across the inland of up to two degrees C. What shape will our environment be in by 2030? We have 21 years before this Coming of Age.