Challenges of leadership in arts policy and practice in multicultural Australia

Despite over thirty years of arts and cultural policy attention, there is a widespread view held by the public and artists alike that creative production does not reflect Australia’s culturally diverse population. Australian society also displays increasing complexity which can no longer be confined to ‘essentialised’ or traditional definitions of ethnic communities. While this diversity and its emerging complexity can be ‘celebrated’ as a source of creativity and innovation, it can also give rise to social, political and creative challenges. A key challenge that remains for the arts sector is its ability to support the creative expression of cultural difference. One measure of inclusive creative production regards the participation of artists of non-English speaking background (‘NESB’), a problematic term discussed in the thesis, in contributing to cultural formation. Yet there are half as many ‘NESB’ artists compared to those of other professions participating in the workforce. While under-representation is an issue for management in the arts sector, the question of representation also benefits from being understood more broadly beyond the narrow sense of multiculturalism as a tool to manage cultural difference. Despite their low presence in the arts, ‘NESB’ artists find and generate support for their practice through creative, institutional and organisational domains which are critical for effecting sustained change in the arts environment. I argue that ‘friction’ occurs when these domains encounter cultural difference. The presence of friction can inspire creativity but also needs to be carefully handled. The ability to gain ‘trust’ through this process gives rise to creative, institutional and organisational leadership. The thesis questions the relationship between Australian arts policies and the fostering of creative practice of ‘NESB’ artists. This relationship is broached by considering creative, institutional and organisational leadership with a focus on the final Arts in a Multicultural Australia (AMA) policies of 2000 and 2006. Creative leadership refers to the work of artists who generate new developments in diverse creative content and generate opportunities for other artists. Institutional leadership refers to the internal policy processes and peers who work with the Australia Council. Organisational leadership refers to those in positions of influence in funded arts organisations to provide resources and support to ‘NESB’ artists. The term developed in this thesis of a ‘multicultural arts milieu’ presents an alternative given the current absence of arts policy to explore the environment around multicultural arts practices. This thesis explores the relationship between visionary aspects of practice and policy. The leadership modes that are relevant to the arts in a multicultural Australia include transactional, transformative, distributive and relational leadership, all of which benefit from processes of ‘attunement’ and ‘accompaniment’ to realise effective creative co-production. The research demonstrates the crucial role of creative leaders and how they work with the ‘mainstream’ while maintaining their creative integrity and independence to generate a ‘virtuous’ circle of change. I argue that it is the ‘NESB’ artists who lead change in the arts sector. I also argue that creative and organisational leadership working in partnership make creative use of ‘friction’ and develop the necessary ‘trust’ to generate the ‘traction’ for a supportive multicultural arts milieu

Creative Frictions

Creative Frictions explores the relationship between visionary aspects of practice and policy. Despite over 30 years of arts and cultural policy attention, there remains a widespread view among the general public and artists alike that creative production does not reflect Australia's culturally diverse population. Australia’s increasingly complex society can no longer be confined to 'essentialised’ or traditional definitions of ethnic communities. While this diversity and its emerging complexity can be ‘celebrated’ as a source of creativity and innovation, it can also give rise to social, political and creative challenges. A key challenge that remains for the arts sector is its ability to support the creative expression of cultural difference. One measure of inclusive creative production is to look at the participation of artists of non–English speaking backgrounds (NESBs)—a problematic term discussed in the book. There are half as many NESB artists compared to those of other professions participating in the workforce, and while under-representation is an issue for management in the arts sector, the question of representation also benefits from being understood more broadly beyond the narrow sense of multiculturalism as a tool to manage cultural difference. This book explores the crucial role of creative leaders and how they work with the ‘mainstream’ while maintaining their creative integrity and independence to generate a ‘virtuous’ circle of change. Creative Frictions argues that it is the NESB artists who lead change in the arts sector and that creative and organisational leadership working in partnership make creative use of ‘friction’ and develop the necessary ‘trust’ to generate the ‘traction’ for a supportive multicultural arts milieu

Literature Review : The Contribution of Social and Cultural Infrastructure to Liveability

This literature review was commissioned to support the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (NSROC) in obtaining a better understanding of the role of social and cultural infrastructure in enhancing regional liveability. The review of research and policy initiatives is across 15 Australian and 6 international reports which discuss the value of social and cultural infrastructure, and its relationship with liveability. From this review, it was clear that not only is there no single, definitive understanding of social and cultural infrastructure, but social infrastructure often embraces cultural infrastructure in conceptual terms. For this reason, the report proposes that the synthetic notions of culturally-focused social infrastructure and/or socially-focused cultural infrastructure are used in the interests of flexibility and feasibility

Creative Production Synergies in Penrith and the Blue Mountains

Regional leadership in arts and cultural production is evident in Penrith and the Blue Mountains through the different yet complementary approaches of the City Councils. This research project began in August 2019, the interview phase was completed in early December 2019, and this report was completed in June 2020. Therefore, the research spanned a very challenging period of drought and severe bushfires over the summer across New South Wales, followed almost immediately by the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses in arts and recreation services were among the first and most severely affected by the need to enforce Government social distancing restrictions, with 94 per cent of the sector reporting an adverse impact of the Government restrictions in the March Business COVID-19 survey (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2020). This report has shown the need for investment in creative production capacity building – a need which has now significantly increased

Wicked Urban Challenges in Western Sydney: Researchers Respond

The purpose of this publication is to provide critical insights and perspectives around how to tackle four of Western Sydney’s wicked urban challenges, and ensure our region is prepared for the future, namely: job/housing imbalances and inadequate infrastructure investment; declining housing affordability; cultural infrastructure disparities; extreme urban heat. Our aim is that this publication continues the debate generated in the online forum, ‘Wicked urban challenges in Western Sydney: researchers respond’, held in October 2021. The event was sponsored by Western Sydney University (WSU). The university is a modern, forward-thinking, research-led university, located at the heart of the Western Sydney region. Boasting 12 campuses (many in CBD locations) and more than 170,000 alumni, 48,000 students and 3,000 staff, the university has 14 Schools with an array of well-designed programs and courses carefully structured to meet the demands of future industry. The event was organised through the University’s Urban Living Futures and Society Research Theme and formed part of the University’s 2021 Research Week, called ‘Bold Research Futures’. This theme had real resonance with what was discussed that day. Over 160 people attended this highly interactive forum, right across the built environment profession and other key professions. The invitation, however, had gone wider, to many people living and working in Western Sydney and beyond. The event brought together our researchers, government, industry, and our local community to challenge conventional policy thinking and offer new ways to solve these four wicked urban challenges in Western Sydney (as outlined above). The remainder of this report provides a summary of four of WSU’s leading urban researchers’ presentations, as delivered on the day. Each of the academics draw from the strategic programs of work being carried out by multi-disciplinary teams across our university. Each brings fresh perspectives and insights to our understanding of the challenges that Western Sydney faces and offers bold policy solutions and initiatives

Assessment of Lentiviral Vector Mediated CFTR Correction in Mice Using an Improved Rapid in vivo Nasal Potential Difference Measurement Protocol

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is caused by a defect in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene responsible for epithelial ion transport. Nasal potential difference (PD) measurement is a well established diagnostic technique for assessing the efficacy of therapies in CF patients and animal models. The aim was to establish a rapid nasal PD protocol in mice and quantify the efficacy of lentiviral (LV) vector-based CFTR gene therapy. Anaesthetised wild-type (WT) and CF mice were non-surgically intubated and nasal PD measurements were made using a range of buffer flow rates. Addition of the cAMP agonist, isoproterenol, to the buffer sequence was then examined. The optimised rapid PD technique was then used to assess CFTR function produced by second and third generation LV-CFTR vectors. V5 epitope tagged-CFTR in nasal tissue was identified by immunohistochemistry. When intubated, mice tolerated higher flow rates. Isoproterenol could discriminate between WT and CF mice. Improved chloride transport was observed for the second and third generation LV-CFTR vectors, with up to 60% correction of the cAMP-driven chloride response towards WT. V5-CFTR was located in ciliated epithelial cells. The rapid PD technique enables improved functional assessment of the bioelectrical ion transport defect for both current and potential CF therapies.P. Cmielewski, J. Delhove, M. Donnelley, and D. Parson

Siteworks: ecologies and technologies

SITEWORKS is an interdisciplinary research and practice project that invites artists, scientists and scholars to respond to the Bundanon property through the lens of their specific discipline. Over four years this has led to a series of interactive projects, many utilising electronic technologies. The inaugural investigations focussed on the geomorphology of the site and palaeoenvironmental research, specifically in the area of sea level rise and climate change. In subsequent years the focus has been on water and the river; land management; Indigenous cultural heritage, and food security

Siteworks: ecologies and technologies

SITEWORKS is an interdisciplinary research and practice project that invites artists, scientists and scholars to respond to the Bundanon property through the lens of their specific discipline. Over four years this has led to a series of interactive projects, many utilising electronic technologies. The inaugural investigations focussed on the geomorphology of the site and palaeoenvironmental research, specifically in the area of sea level rise and climate change. In subsequent years the focus has been on water and the river; land management; Indigenous cultural heritage, and food security

To bead or not to bead: A review of Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection models for cystic fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease is characterised by recurring bacterial infections resulting in inflammation, lung damage and ultimately respiratory failure. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is considered one of the most important lung pathogens in those with cystic fibrosis. While multiple cystic fibrosis animal models have been developed, many fail to mirror the cystic fibrosis lung disease of humans, including the colonisation by opportunistic environmental pathogens. Delivering bacteria to the lungs of animals in different forms is a way to model cystic fibrosis bacterial lung infections and disease. This review presents an overview of previous models, and factors to consider when generating a new P. aeruginosa lung infection model. The future development and application of lung infection models that more accurately reflect human cystic fibrosis lung disease has the potential to assist in understanding the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis lung disease and for developing treatments.Nicole Reyne, Alexandra McCarron, Patricia Cmielewski, David Parsons, and Martin Donnelle