Artists, community leaders, tourism professionals, local government representatives from across north-east Victoria and beyond will head to Benalla to explore how creativity, culture and community can help strengthen a region’s community and economy.
The conference will bring together a range of respected regional leaders and organisations for a day of inspiring discussions and practical ideas focused on community identity, creativity, tourism and regional economies.
A key feature of the conference will be the involvement of regional leaders, including Regional Arts Victoria chief executive Jo Porter and Tourism North East chief executive Bess Nolan-Cook, who will join a panel discussion exploring how communities can move beyond tourism slogans and develop genuine place-based identities that local people embrace.
The conference will also feature renowned creative producer Benalla Street Art Festival creative director Simon Grant, who has worked with communities across Australia to transform public spaces through creativity and public art.
Benalla Rural City Mayor Bernie Hearn said the conference would explore how creativity played in community development, tourism and economic growth.
“Communities across regional Victoria are looking for new ways to attract people to live, work and invest,” she said.
“The Art of Change is an opportunity to learn from some of the region’s leading thinkers and practitioners about how creativity and culture can help achieve those outcomes.”
The program also includes keynote presentations from REGENERATE founder Sophie Lieberman and A New Approach’s Craig A. Limkin alongside presentations by Renew Australia and the Centre for Community Capital.
The Art of Change will be held on Thursday, November 12 at the Lakeside Community Centre, Benalla.
Registrations are free and open now at futureofbenalla.com.au
For more information, contact council on 5760 2600.
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