Project Description
Programming and Governance Frameworks to realise the Walsh Bay Vision
> THE CONTEXT
Arts NSW had recently produced the vision and masterplan
for Walsh Bay Precinct, which received overwhelming support
from proposed resident companies. With the number of project
stakeholders involved, it was important to ensure appropriate
structures and sustainable business models through which to
develop the precinct, including assessment of the ideal mixture of
arts and non-arts usage in order to realise the precinct vision.
> OUR APPROACH
The study included research, consultation and benchmarking of the
Walsh Bay Precinct against local and international models including
Federation Square, Melbourne; The Judith Wright Centre of
Contemporary Arts, Brisbane; The Lincoln Centre for the Performing
Arts, New York; Salamanca Arts Centre, Tasmania; South Bank
Cultural Precinct, Brisbane; and the Southbank Centre, London.
Consultation undertaken with key stakeholders focused primarily on
the views and needs of the companies identified as residents and/
or key users of the precinct in the draft master plan.
> THE BRIEF
Positive Solutions in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers
Sydney were appointed by Arts NSW to develop programming and
governance frameworks to feed into the long-term development
plans for the Walsh Bay precinct. This included advice on the most
efficient approach to the management and programming of spaces
for hire, identifying possible commercial activities options that fit
with the vision of the precinct, and developing cost estimates for
those activities.
> THE RESULTS
Positive Solutions’ findings included strong support for the
vision and master plan from the proposed resident companies;
a significant mood of optimism for the Precinct; and a desire to
work collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes. The report
also provided options and recommendations for the successful
operation of the precinct across management, programming,
planning and reporting. Finally, we provided some key action steps
for implementation. The recommendations from this study will
continue to feed into the long term development plans for the
Precinct which provides the opportunity to further deliver on the
NSW Government’s arts, tourism and events objectives.
