Project Description
NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2022
During the first half of 2022 we have been working with local governments in Ballarat, Albury, Sutherland, Sunshine Coast and Fraser Coast, as well as with the Union for Progressive Judaism, National Institute of Dramatic Arts, Queensland South Native Title Services, the Centre for Native Title Anthropology, Queensland Health (for Ipswich and West Moreton Clubhouse), Ipswich Art Gallery Foundation – and we have concluded a major review of the artist grant-support of the Ian Potter Cultural Trust.
We look forward to sharing this work with you as it unfolds across the remainder of the year, and highlighting our new projects as they come on-stream.
FREE WEBINAR: GETTING THE MOST FROM YOUR BOARD – A CEO’S GUIDE
Wednesday 19th October
2.00-3.30pm (AEDT)
You put a lot of time into preparing for board meetings and keeping the board informed. Are you maximising the return you get on this investment?
This free webinar, by Book of the Board author David Fishel, will provide:
- A range of practical ideas for engaging, motivating and harnessing your non-profit Board
- Opportunities for sharing experiences with other participants
- Question time – to put your questions and raise issues with David
- Access to factsheets and other resources
The webinar is free of charge, but you must register by Friday 7th October to secure your place.
NON-PROFIT GOVERNANCE: UNLOCK THE FULL POTENTIAL OF YOUR BOARD
Board members in the not-for-profit sector want to do the best they can for their organisation. They want to make a difference. Is your board fulfilling its potential – contributing to the effectiveness of the organisation, and growing as a team? Positive Solutions is a leading specialist in governance and board development for not-for-profit boards – with experience in the sector for over 30 years in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong.
Our services are designed to equip and inform board members, CEOs and executive teams to lead and govern their organisation’s with confidence. Our services are affordable, accessible and focused on results.
Our services include:
- Board assessments and development plans
- Comprehensive governance reviews, documents and policy drafting
- Facilitated board reflection
- Board induction and training programs
- Strategy facilitation
PROJECT WORK
Review of Ian Potter Cultural Trust’s Investment in Australian Artists
The Ian Potter Cultural Trust (IPCT) and The Ian Potter Foundation (IPF) have made a lasting contribution to the Australian arts ecology, with sustained support over decades. The Cultural Trust was established in 1993 to encourage and support excellence amongst emerging and early career Australian artists. In 2021, assisted by Positive Solutions, the Trust commenced an evaluation of the Trust’s investment in Australian artists – with the project reviewing the impact of the Trust and considering future approaches and strategy.
The project was structured into two stages – an evaluation of the IPCT’s grant-making, and the development of future strategy. During stage one Positive Solutions interviewed over 30 stakeholders, and 270 artists participated in a survey.
The second stage of the project identified possible future artist-support initiatives that will continue to support the Trust’s vision of a Vibrant Australia. Positive Solutions benefited from an expert Reference Panel of seven, and numerous stakeholders engaged through a series of group discussions. A final report has been delivered to the IPCT, including recommendations for the Trust’s Arts Committee to consider.
Positive Solutions is thrilled to say that during the period of the project the Trustees agreed to significantly increase the level of investment in individual artists through the IPCT, enhancing the Trust’s impact.
City of Melville, WA, Cultural Heart Precinct
The City of Melville has a bold vision to create an iconic cultural heart in the centre of the City at Booragoon. This new cultural heart precinct will include the Library and Cultural Centre, housing a converged Library and Museum, A-class Gallery, makerspace, theatre and performance space. The precinct will extend to Yagan Mia Wireless Hill, including the Wireless Hill Museum and residential heritage houses at Hickey Street. It will offer a unique convergence of services, collections, ideas and programming, to create truly innovative and unique experiences for customers and community.
The City has commissioned Positive Solutions to support the realisation of the revised vision for the Cultural Heart and develop a programming model supported by operational planning to inform the developing design and business case for the Precinct.
To read a copy of Melville’s Cultural Plan, please click here.
Transitioning from an Entertainment Centre to a multi-faceted contemporary Art Centre
Sutherland Shire Council (Sydney) are investing over $40m in a major redevelopment and modernisation of the Entertainment Centre, to be relaunched as the Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. The building program is well under way and will have a dramatic impact on the city centre environment, including through improvements to the adjacent Peace Park. Positive Solutions has assisted with the operational planning for the Centre – including governance options and corporate structure, financial modelling and recruitment of a Transition Director of the Centre to establish systems and lead set-up of the staff team.
Design Brief for the new Hervey Bay Library and Administration Centre
Supported by funding through the ‘Hinkler Regional Deal’, the Fraser Coast Regional Council is committed to building a new Administration Building (including a Disaster Resilience Centre), and a new Library and Community Hub as part of its Hervey Bay City Centre Master Plan. The project affords an opportunity to reimagine how Council provides community services and its role in acting as a catalyst for economic growth, resilience and liveability.
With guidance from Savills, Fraser Coast Regional Council engaged Positive Solutions to advise on Events Programming for the new Council Library and Administration Centre at Pialba, Hervey Bay – a project which would inform the functional design brief for the building and site. The project was also to examine the case for inclusion of a performing arts facility within the new Library and Administration Centre. We were supported by Setting Line Theatre Consulting.
Following analysis of the ways in which the proposed spaces could be used to support events and arts activities we prepared an indicative weekly and annual program for all the internal and external spaces on the site.
BOARD GOVERNANCE, BOARD REVIEWS AND TRAINING
Positive Solutions has supported numerous organisations this year on their governance, board reviews and training, including:
- Art Gallery of Ballarat: The Art Gallery of Ballarat, the oldest regional gallery in Australia, and one of the largest, is respected State-wide and nationally, and is a source of pride for the people of Ballarat.
Positive Solutions assisted the City of Ballarat and Art Gallery Ballarat with their transition to a new corporate structure as recommended in our 2019 report, and subsequent Transition Plan. Working collaboratively with Harwood Andrews Lawyers we provided advice on the most effective future governance arrangements for the Gallery and its associated entities – City Council, the Foundation and the Association, particularly in relation to fundraising and philanthropic efforts.
While these steps were being implemented Positive Solutions progressed other elements of the transition, including the recruitment and induction of the new Board – looking to secure the most productive skills mix, while retaining appropriate continuity with the current Gallery and Foundation boards. The Art Gallery has welcomed six experienced board members, all with local experience and expertise across health, legal, arts and human resources.
- Union for Progressive Judaism (UPJ): Positive Solutions has developed and is delivering a Board Training Series through July – August to the boards of UPJ’s constituent synagogues. The aim of the four part-series is to support strong leadership, governance, financial management and organisational strategy in the UPJ community. The series looks at:
- An overview of Progressive Judaism, including community structures, participant presentations and Relational Judaism
- Governance and Strategic Planning – including the role of the board, legal duties, organisation and stakeholder relationships and authorities, effective meetings and risk management
- Financial management and fundraising – including understanding financial statements, financial planning and fundraising strategy
Accommodating the cultural and structural diversity of participants from multiple countries has been a key consideration – with nineteen constituents coming together from across Australia and New Zealand. Positive Solutions has facilitated this online course, joined by key guest speakers for each unit.
- National Institute for Dramatic Arts (NIDA): Positive Solutions assisted NIDA with the provision of a second Board Review, following our Review in early 2020. A report was delivered to NIDA, drawing together the findings from a survey completed by all thirteen board members and findings were supplemented by interviews with each board member and with the CEO, and with a review of selected board documentation. The process concluded with a board workshop to determine priority actions.
- Queensland South Native Title Services (QSNTS): Positive Solutions further assisted QSNTS with the provision of a Board Evaluation, following a Review in late 2020. We value highly our ongoing relationship with QSNTS, which has spanned planning, organisational development and board performance reviews.
- Ipswich and West Moreton Clubhouse (Jacaranda): Positive Solutions assisted the Ipswich and West Moreton Clubhouse Association, a funded NGO client of Queensland Health with a review of current governance and organisational practices and provided advice on future changes to strengthen the organisation and increase its capabilities
- Ipswich Art Gallery Foundation (IAGF): Positive Solutions assisted the IAGF with the implementation of a selection of governance arrangement recommendations.
REMOTE WORKING
A snapshot of a month in the life of Positive Solutions five or ten years ago would have seen a daily commute to our office, weekly or fortnightly interstate client trips and probably one overseas – a traditional model which had served us well since our establishment in the UK in 1991. By 2019 the model had passed its use-by date, and we moved to remote working, initially part-time and then full-time. The lower costs and increased sophistication of software, and the ubiquity of laptops, made it easier for our consulting teams and support staff to work collaboratively without the need for in-person working – although patchy internet speed and reliability still puts an occasional brake on progress.
Then came COVID. That led to clients also adopting remote-working models, where possible. After two years expectations of client-consultant in-person meetings have been re-emerging, but it’s likely that the number of meetings will remain significantly lower than formerly. Good! We like our clients, and we really like meeting with them, but the travel time is time-consuming, adds cost to the projects – and it is distinctly unfriendly to the environment flying on a regular basis, other than where essential for site-specific work.
TEAM NEWS
Positive Solutions believes a vibrant cultural life is essential in creating healthy, cohesive and economically viable communities. Our experienced team undertakes in-depth stakeholder consultation, implements well-planned research, and harnesses its extensive industry contacts and knowledge to help us deliver projects that have shaped cultural life across Australia.
Positive Solutions works with a broad range of consultants – bringing together theatre design specialists, financial advisors and specialist consultants, such as:
The Maytrix Group, During the last five years Positive Solutions and The Maytrix Group have collaborated on multiple cultural development initiatives, pooling our resources and expertise. From the Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) in Monash to the redevelopment of Whitehorse Performing Arts Centre, from cultural and creative industries planning in Perth, Bendigo, Ipswich to the Business Case for Rockhampton Art Gallery and a review of Conservation Management Plan practices in New South Wales – the two firms have supported significant cultural developments, whilst continuing to deliver in their specialist fields of hospitality and non-profit governance. https://themaytrixgroup.com.au/
Mandi McIntyre is a strategic and creative cross-sector professional with expertise in social, economic and cultural development. Her special interests are focused in developing opportunities for communities and their economies to grow and thrive via meaningful engagement with place-based multi-arts and entertainment, tourism, education and recreational experiences. https://www.mandimcintyre.com/
Stéphanie Gaffric, Rising Arts Consulting provides research support to Positive Solutions, offering fifteen years’ experience in the arts industry, in Australia and internationally. Stephanie is currently the Principal Engagement Officer at Advance Queensland. https://www.facebook.com/RisingArtsConsulting/
Shadi Habash, Partner, Paxinos Habash Arts Tax, is a tax accountant and consultant specialising in the arts industry. Shadi supports Positive Solutions with financial modelling advice, and has worked with us on our client work with Sutherland Shire Council, and the City of Whitehorse. https://phtax.com.au/
Craig Gamble, Director Setting Lines, is a theatre design consultant, project and technical manager with over thirty seven years national and international experience in designing and building theatres, museums, galleries and other cultural and creative spaces. In 2021, Craig supported us on the Sutherland Entertainment Centre redevelopment and supported on the Events Programming for the new Council Library and Administration Centre project. https://www.settingline.com.au/
June Moorhouse has over 40 years professional experience in the arts, all of which has reinforced her early conviction that the arts play a profound role in supporting human creativity, self-expression and wellbeing, and fuel opportunities for positive social change. June has worked in senior management roles and as a consultant across all artforms. Most recently she was co-CEO at Community Arts Network. She remains a non-executive director at the Chamber of Arts and Culture, WA. https://www.cacwa.org.au/about/board-members-bio-pages/june-moorhouse
