Join Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert (Lecturer, Arts Management, RMIT University) and John Smithies (Executive Officer, Cultural Development Network, CDN) in a CAST OUT LOUD conversation about managing the arts in a pandemic via two local government perspectives on how councils have responded to pandemic restrictions. Duncan Esler, City of Greater Geelong, and Nathan Stoneham, City of Brimbank, bring different backgrounds and experiences from two Victorian councils — two of the more than 560 councils across Australia. Councils continue to be the front-line governments engaging directly with their artists and creative communities and each municipality has different issues and responses. This session will provide a brief overview of how this sector is responding, what is it that makes local governments different, and a chance to raise questions from practitioners and other local government officers with experienced members of the sector.


ABOUT THE SPEAKERS 

Duncan Esler is Co-ordinator of the City of Greater Geelong’s Arts & Cultural Development Unit, where he co-ordinates diverse arts events, projects and cultural programs with the aim of increasing participation in and attendance to arts & cultural activities and events throughout the Geelong municipality. Key projects include Council’s Live Music Action Plan, multi-award-winning Mountain to Mouth Extreme Arts Walk and night arts event Geelong After Dark, Creative Communities Grants program, and Council’s online cultural presence. He also has an advocacy and strategic advisory role within Council pertaining to arts and culture.

Nathan Stoneham is the team leader of the Community and Cultural Development team within the Arts and Culture Unit at Brimbank City Council. Based at St Albans Community Centre and the Bowery Theatre, the team supports community use of the centre, including the delivery of community arts programs, festivals and events, and youth programs. Nathan has trained in theatre, education and social work and is the recipient of Australia Council for the Arts’ Kirk Robson Award for community arts and cultural development. His independent arts practice explores transcultural collaboration, creating performances in community settings across the Asia Pacific Region.

John Smithies joined CDN in 2005 and has worked with the Board and a skilled team to support stronger planning and evaluation of cultural development activities in local government and its integration with regional and national public cultural policy. John has recently been appointed Honorary Senior Industry Fellow at the School of Art, RMIT University.

Dr Tammy Wong Hulbert is an artist, curator and academic teaching in arts and cultural management (Lecturer in Curating) in Melbourne and Hong Kong at RMIT University.

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