reviewing the challenges and opportunities facing the creative sectors

In 2019, dandolo was engaged by a state government body to undertake two different projects looking into the challenges and opportunities for the state’s creative sector.  Specifically, the first project involved working with the state’s publicly owned cultural institutions to develop a collaborative framework with government to address future challenges. The second project evaluated the state body’s multi-year funding arrangements to explore any changes that could better support the non-government small, medium and independent creative sector. One of our consulting analysts, Bokyong Mun interviewed Rachel Melrose one of our Associate Directors and Bronte Adams, our Director, about their work on both projects.

BM: Can you tell us a little bit more about the two projects and what they were about?

RM: For the first creative institutions project dandolo supported the Minister’s Expert Panel to consider the strategic and operational opportunities facing the state’s key cultural institutions. The project aimed to identify a set of shared objectives and framework of expectations for government and the cultural institutions to enable them to collectively respond to future opportunities and challenges.

In the second creative sector funding project, we were engaged to review and explore any changes that the government could make to its multi-year funding approaches to better support the sustainability of the sector, comprised of small, medium and independent organisations. The project focused on a program that supported not-for-profit organisations through long-term operational funding.

BA: At the core, both projects looked into ways for government and stakeholders to better support and facilitate a stronger, more resilient and more sustainable creative sector. The creative sector is an area that dandolo greatly cares about, and our experience meant that we were well set up for both projects. For example we have previously done work on measuring the impact and value of the creative sector, developing strategies to increase patronage and yield for cultural and heritage institutions and on opportunities for the digital creative sector.  

BM: Sounds like the projects were different but similar at the same time! Were there any challenges that were common to both projects?

BA: The two projects involved both the biggest and most powerful, alongside the smallest stakeholders in the creative sector, and with that kind of power imbalance it was important to carefully and transparently manage their interests and expectations. While the large creative institutions are publicly owned and of significant importance to the state, most of the smaller stakeholders were not-for-profit organisations looking to serve community needs. In addition, funding for the sector is always constrained, and stakeholders are sensitive to changes they perceive might leave them worse off. We looked to maximise the political, government and sector interests across both projects.

BM: What were some of the key conclusions / recommendations that we made?

BA: Across both projects, we considered the fundamental role of government in managing and investing in the key cultural institutions of the state. While the institutions individually are high performing, we found that opportunities were being `left on the table’ and much more could be done to collaborate and align on a shared strategy between the sector and with government. Ideas like sharing demographic data, linked digital platforms and a sector wide brand had the potential to add value, especially in building stronger ties with the small / medium organisations of the sector.

RM: For the stakeholders in the creative funding project, the operational funding they receive is key to ensuring that a diverse range of creative organisations and opportunities continue to exist. Our recommendations focused on how the government could better support a systematically underfunded cohort of the sector. We found four key ways that the operational funding program could be improved and better tailored towards the policy objectives it was supporting. This included considering differing performance and reporting expectations and the financial risk to government associated with the investment.

BM: What were some of your highlights from working on the projects?

RM: While dandolo has done a lot of work in the creative sector, personally I wasn’t very familiar creative sector before, and so it was rewarding to work on these projects. It was both challenging and interesting to explore and articulate the value of the creative and cultural sector. This was something we particularly got to explore when looking into the role that creative sector can play in promoting social, economic and cultural outcomes.

A big highlight from the creative institutions project was also the opportunity to engage and work with senior stakeholders across the key institutions through interviews and workshops. Having all of these people in a room is not something that happens often, and it was valuable not only for us, but for the stakeholders to discuss sector-wide issues.

BA: Personally I always enjoy the opportunity to work in the creative sector – it is an area that I think is inherently valuable to our community, even if not easily quantified and measured. The work that we did in the cultural institutions project has also been picked up by the Minister who is seeking to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to implement our recommendations to support the sector through these difficult times. It is always amazing to see how our work can continue to have impact in unexpected ways.

BM: What do you think makes these projects iconic for dandolo?

RM: At a high level, the two projects were a unique opportunity for us to consider and show the value of the creative sector, and the role that it plays in the economy and the wider State. The creative sector is one that has been facing some really significant challenges, so I felt that our work had a lot of value in highlighting opportunities to maximise public value within a constrained funding environment.

BA: Both projects also highlighted the importance of starting form a clear conceptual framework. Having this helps to ensure that our problem solving is as comprehensive as it can be and provides a common language to talk about the project with the client and stakeholders. Most of all, I would say they are iconic to dandolo as high impact, challenging and successful projects. Our previous experience means that we know a lot of the stakeholders well. This allows us to act in a neutral but sympathetic way as we try to help the stakeholders in a traditionally underfunded and challenging sector.