Thank you to all those people who have for the massive interest in this project. More than 800 people have contributed so far!

The first stage of the community engagement, setting the foundation for the draft Arts and Creativity Strategy has now been completed, and the research and analysis is well underway.

International research provides a compelling case for promoting the arts as a powerful way of supporting health, wellbeing and bringing people together. For example, recent studies from the UK show that people who attended a cultural place or event in the previous 12 months were almost 60 per cent more likely to report good health to those who had not.

The importance of the arts to our wellbeing is strongly reflected in the outcomes of the engagement to date, with 96% of surveyed Northern Beaches residents supporting Council’s role in the arts.

The draft Strategy defines ways Council can work with the community to improve our urban places and creative spaces, enhance community cohesion, and improve participation and engagement. The draft Strategy is planned to be presented to Council at a meeting on 27 November, with another opportunity for the community to comment in early 2019.