Tasmania debates cultural value in inaugural symposium

The University of Tasmania is currently hosting the inaugural Cultural Value in the Regions symposium.

It sees Dr Kim Lehman bring together researchers from across Tasmania and Melbourne who are working in the arts and cultural sector, and practitioners and policymakers, to dig deeper into quantifying the value of arts and culture in the region.

Dr Lehman said that speakers also came backgrounds in sociology to look at the value of art and the effect of artists, economy to analyse how the arrival of the Dark Mofo festival in Launceston has affected the hospitality and tourism sectors, as well as education and health.

“We’re putting all these speakers in one room to discuss,” Dr Lehman said, “and hope some of the organisations can collaborate with them in the future.”

The symposium began yesterday with an opening from Tracy Puklowski, who this year took over as director of creative arts and cultural services with the City of Launceston.

Puklowski’s belief is that “arts, culture and heritage have the power to transform communities, and deliver powerful social, economic, and cultural outcomes: and that Launceston is playing a pivotal role.

She makes the point that more discussion and debates are needed to understand the values at play.

This morning’s session began with a keynote from Professor Ian Fillis, a professor of entrepreneurship at the Liverpool Business School in the United Kingdom.

Two panels will look at what culture is, and the implications for researchers and the cultural industry.