Cultural Development Analysis - Penrith City Council - NSW ...

Cultural Development Analysis – Penrith CBD and St Marys Town Centre
Contemporary best practice favours the cultural regeneration approach and
this is enshrined in the Premier’s introduction to the NSW Ministry for the Arts
Cultural Planning Guidelines for Local Government which proposes:
‘…integrating cultural strategies more closely with council’s broader
priorities and objectives. In this way, cultural amenities can be seen
not as something remote or apart from everyday life but fundamental to
people’s needs and the business of local government.’ (Hon Bob Carr,
Premier of NSW)
An overview of overseas and Australian experience in cultural regeneration
and its implications for Penrith has been undertaken in recognition of
Council’s desire to locate its practice within a global context (see Appendix 4
for detailed list of sources).
Britain, Western Europe and Australia can now show many examples of the
successful use of cultural initiatives in urban regeneration. They have shown
a number of important benefits;
• Enhancing social cohesion across cultural and religious divides
(Belfast, Bradford, Nottingham and Leicester, Fairfield);
• Improving local image (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Shrewsbury,
Newcastle Australia)
• Reducing offending behaviour (Bolton City Challenge, Melbourne,
Tamworth, Burnie)
• Promoting interest in the local environment (Blue Mountains,
Melbourne, Murray River Valley)
• Building private and public sector partnerships (Hay-on-Wye – world’s
largest centre for second-hand books, Marrickville Council’s cultural
precinct project);
• Exploring visions for the future – Christo in Berlin, for example, creating
work which has challenged residents’ ideas of their cities. In Bradford’s
Little Germany and elsewhere festivals have been organised as a way
of drawing attention to the possibility of change and helping people
imagine what the future might be.
Methodology
This report by has been informed by consultation with key cultural
organisations and stakeholders within the Penrith Local Government Area, the
results of an audit of cultural resources within the Local Government Area, a
review of government policy and local and international literature on cultural
development and its role in urban development and renewal, a review of
numerous Council research reports (see Appendix 4), consultation with the
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