Arts, Culture & Events as a key Placemaking Strategy

Scott O’HaraManager, Sutherland Entertainment Centre

Former Executive Manager, Arts Culture & EventsSydney Olympic Park Authority

A smelly old place

Placemaking Case Study – Sydney Olympic Park

A role for Arts,

Culture and Events

Of Angels and Light

Studio Festi, Sydney Festival at SOP 2004

THE VISION: ARTS AND CULTURE and EVENTS

• exemplary, diverse and accessible Arts, cultural and Event activities.

• a premier venue for arts, cultural and entertainment events as well as being a premier sporting precinct.

• outstanding experiences, different on what is on offer elsewhere

• responsive to the place and the needs of the community. • unique creative spirit • a permanent arts and cultural facility for the community

Distinctive Features• Nexus: Nature, Heritage

and the Arts• Community to Elite• Everyday activity• Metropolitan Parkland• Adaptive Re-use• Wide range of venues• Character of the various

precinctsArmory Gallery Exterior

Values

• innovative • authentic• forward-looking• participatory• inclusive

Clay River public artwork proposed for the Brickpit by Andy Goldsworthy 2005

Strategies

1. BUILDING A NEW TOWN at SYDNEY OLYMPIC PARK

2. REINFORCING the PARK’S POSITION as Sydney’s PREMIER MAJOR EVENTS PRECINCT

3. INCREASING VISITATION to the PARK

4. INCREASING the SUSTAINABILITY of ARTS CULTURE and EVENTS PROGRAMS

Misty 2 by Artist in Residence Ying Chang

Strategy one: placemaking

• Ensure arts and culture is part of the perceived identity and brand of Park;

• Re-enforce the character of the Park (participation, lifestyle, values, sense of place/identity/way of life);

• Activate, promote and enliven the Public Domain; • Avoid duplication of events offered elsewhere.

Music By Moonlight

Acoustica at the Armory

Key Partnerships

Sydney Symphony

Sculpture by the Sea

Dept Education & Training

The Sydney Festival at Sydney Olympic Park

Movies at the Overflow

The Lazy Kings

Crackers

Strategy two: Creative Community

i) Attract Arts organizations and workers to the site: ii) Undertake Community Cultural Development

Activitiesiii) Deliver a program of creative and participative

activities for children and young people;iv) Partner with local community and arts agencies

to deliver programs and one-off projects;

Artist Studios

Artist Workshops

Artist in Residence Accommodation

Community Events

Deepavali

Carols by the Cauldron

Australia Day

Eid

Kids in the Park

Strategy three: Urban Art

• Increase access and understanding • consolidate the Park’s status as home to the

largest single precinct collection of permanent, site-specific works in the country;

• changing program of temporary works; and• Encourage developers and property owners

to commission public art

Discobolus by Robert Owen

Eight Women by Imants Tillers

Eventful Path

Northern Water Feature

In the Shadows by Janet Laurence

Peace Monument by Mike Kitching

The Sprinter by Dominique Sutton

Untitled piece by David Howell

Strategy four: Newington Armory

• Unique and site-specific events; • upgrade and improve facilities and services at the

Armory;• annual program of exhibitions;• Partnering with commercial event producers; • Programming small scale and regular activity; and• focus on key differences

Newington Armory:Unique Arts Precinct

Armory Theatre

Armory Theatre - interior

Armory Amphitheatre

Armory Gallery

ARTEXPRESS at the Armory

Electra Graffiti GRAB

From Mao to Now

The Great Escape

Strategy five: World Music

• World Music as a point of difference;• Utilising the cultural diversity of park users;• Activating a regular ‘fine grain’ program; &• Initiating/partnering in a music festival with

a world music focus

World Music Program

Strategy six: new facilities

• Ongoing program of adaptive reuse of heritage buildings at Newington Armory;

• Restoration of the Vernon Theatrette; and• Creation of new community cultural

facilities under the Sydney Olympic Park Masterplan 2030.

Measuring Impact

Taikoz

•The Park is a ‘good place’ for Arts and Entertainment

•Arts and Events programming attracts first time visitors

•Very High Patron Satisfaction

•High utilisation of Arts Homepage

The Future

Visual identity from Art Express at the Armory 2008