Questions for Cultural Mapping

In 2010, CAMRA researchers at the University of Technology, Sydney, are working with project partners - Albury City, City of Wodonga and Murray Arts - to define some of the questions that cultural mapping research will answer for these twin-city centres of the Murray region.

Workforce Development

As a growing, major, inland regional manufacturing, transport and government services centre, cultural planners are interested in better understanding how a skilled workforce accesses and engages with local cultural activities.  Questions include:

  • How did knowledge of arts and cultural facilities and events influence skilled and/or managerial workers and their families to move to Albury-Wodonga?
  • What impact does access to arts and cultural activities have on skilled workers and their families settling in the region for extended periods?
  • What distinctive aspects of place are important to skilled workers and their families who have moved - or plan on moving to - the region?

Integrating Silos of Information for 'Big Picture' Cultural Planning

What would happen if the data silos - multiple and diverse sets of useful information on local cultural industries and markets - could be shared and merged to provide a big picture of the local scene? Wouldn't that information result in better informed cultural planning, the ability to track progress and provide real evidence what on works locally over time? 

  • What useful data on cultural industry in Albury-Wodonga is currently collected and who has it?
  • How can that data be integrated and expressed sustainably and in a form that can be used by the cultural sector?

Cultural Tourism Development

As with many places in regional Australia, the area has seen a decline in tourist numbers recently. Important questions for tourism development are:

  • Which distinctive cultural assets can be developed and promoted to niche tourism markets?
  • How can the circus, physical theatre and performance strengths of the region grow education tourism?

Mapping Creative Enterprise

While there is a strong understanding of the public cultural sector in Albury-Wodonga - galleries and museums, professional theatre, community arts, touring and arts education - there is less understanding of local cultural enterprises and small business. Questions here include:

  • Who are the designers, makers and producers who are the source of wealth for this sector and how are they sustaining local activity?
  • What does the creative ecology of local production - including suppliers, manufacture, distribution and markets -  look like?
  • How will enterprise incubation and growth be supported?
  • What (and where) are future opportunities?

These questions - and others that will arise as this discussion continues in 2010 - will frame the design of the CAMRA research program in Albury-Wodonga during 2011.

For further information contact: Lisa Andersen  T: 02 9514 2902