Request For Consultancy Services - Woollahra Arts and Culture Strategy and 4-Year Action Plan

Summary and scope

Woollahra Council is seeking proposals from suitably qualified arts and culture consultants to develop an Arts and Culture Strategy with 4-year Action Plan to provide strategic direction on Arts and Culture across the Woollahra Local Government Area. The Strategy will: Provide a comprehensive understanding of the arts community’s needs; Identify strengths, existing cultural assets, any gaps in need/service provision, and opportunities to address them; Highlight ‘best practice’ examples (either from Australia or overseas) that will be relevant for Woollahra; Identify all possible assets in Woollahra that might be available for events, exhibitions and arts presentations that could stimulate ideas for future development; Benchmark Woollahra Council’s arts and cultural offerings against neighbouring Councils, Waverley and Randwick and those Councils of similar size in Metropolitan Sydney; Review Council’s existing literature and reports as well as key relevant Federal and State Government policies and documents that will have an impact on the development of the Strategy and Action Plan; Undertake a community consultation program with the arts community, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), Council staff and other key stakeholder, including use of Council’s ‘Your Say’ page to gain a better understanding of local community requirements; Outline how Council will engage with sector initiatives including potential grants and sponsorship programs, cultural infrastructure and advocacy; and Develop a four-year Action Plan with clear strategies, deliverables and resource implications. The Strategy will be used to guide Council's investment in Arts and Culture, and to ensure that the Arts and Culture sector in Woollahra is dynamic and sustainable in line with Council’s vision of “creating a thriving, inclusive, sustainable and resilient community that will benefit future generations”. The Arts and Culture Strategy will propose a series of actions that will realise Woollahra Council’s vision and mission to make Woollahra a vibrant and inclusive community where arts and culture thrive. The Strategy should be consistent with Council’s commitment to: Align service delivery with the needs of the community; Increase Council’s visibility and profile in providing and supporting Arts and Culture in Woollahra Local Government Area; Flexibility and agility in responding to the changing needs of the community; Deliver a good and positive end-to-end customer experience; Increase efficiencies within limited resources and identify new and emerging ways of supporting the community; and Link closely with Council’s 2032 Community Strategic Plan and Social and Cultural Plan, 2018-2030. Proposed Project Timeframe TASKS / TIMEFRAME Brief distributed Wednesday 10 January 2024 Receipt of submissions 2pm Wednesday 7 February 2024 Notified if successful Monday 12 February 2024 Project inception meeting Monday 19 February 2024 Research / Literary review Late February – Mid March 2024 Undertake Consultation Mid March – Mid April 2024 ELT and Councillor briefing and consultation April 2024 Draft Strategy report and recommendations due to WMC from consultant May 2024 Presentation of draft Strategy to ELT May 2024 Location: The Woollahra Arts and Culture Strategy will be developed in consultation with the arts community, the Arts and Culture Advisory Committee (ACAC), Council staff and other key stakeholders. It will be based on a review of the current arts and culture landscape in the LGA, as well as an assessment of current and emerging needs and opportunities as well as a review of existing strategies, services and programs and other levels of Governments policy documents. Hence the project consultant will need to be available to engage with the local community and relevant stakeholders during the project timeline.