Agenda of Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Item No. 6.1

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 17

26/8/2021

REPORT TITLE: Hobart Current 2023

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Cultural Programs Coordinator

Manager Community and Culture

Director Community Life

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. The purpose of this report is to provide Elected Representatives with a summary of the outcomes of the inaugural Hobart Current program held in March 2020 and to seek endorsement to progress the partnership with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) to deliver the next iteration of the biennial program in March 2023.

1.1.1. Hobart Current has a strong alignment with Council's Creative Hobart Strategy, in particular increased engagement with the local community, activation of public spaces and paid, professional development opportunities for local creative practitioners.

2. Report Summary

2.1. In April 2018 the Council endorsed replacing the City of Hobart Art Prize with a new multi art exhibition model titled Hobart Current, a biennial program developed in collaboration with TMAG.

2.1.1. The Hobart Current exhibition was launched in March 2021, running for two months in TMAG and in two sites in public space.

2.1.2. Hobart Current was curated by Creative Director Rosie Dennis who selected ten artists to develop works responding to the theme of Liberty.

2.1.2.1. This theme was particularly timely given that Hobart Current was one of the first arts programs to occur after the COVID-19 lockdown.

2.1.3. A range of public programs were developed to support Hobart Current and engage a wider audience in the program.

2.1.3.1. These included an education program in five Tasmanian schools, a liberty postcard exhibition in the Waterside Pavilion, a Liberty program on The Loop featuring the work of local film makers, artwork by young people in the Art on Artery frames and Second Echo Ensemble's Can you See Me project on the Soapbox billboards.

2.1.4. The City received significant positive feedback about the program, particularly in terms of activating public spaces and offering paid opportunities to local artists.

2.1.5. TMAG has indicated that they were very happy with the outcomes from the partnership and that they would be seeking to have the partnership continue.

2.1.6. Based on the positive feedback received, strong alignment with Council's strategic documents and demonstrated outcomes for participants, endorsement to hold the program again in March 2023 is being sought from the Council.

2.1.7. The City of Hobart's annual budget allocation for the biennial exhibition is $108,206 which has been included in the 2021-22 annual plan budget allocation.

3. Recommendation

That the Council endorse the partnership with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) to deliver the next iteration of the biennial Hobart Current program to be held in March 2023

4. Background

4.1. Following an extensive process of review, the Council at its meeting of 23 April 2018 resolved that:

1. The Council endorse the replacement of the existing City of Hobart Art Prize with a new model of a biennial creative sector exhibition to be staged at TMAG and other locations around the city commencing in 2020, with a total Council contribution of $216,412 over a two year development and implementation period to be funded from:

(i) The existing budget allocation within the City of Hobart Art Prize draft budget allocation of $78,206 per annum.

(ii) The current plant and equipment budget allocation for the City of Hobart Art Prize of $30,000, being reallocated to the draft operational budget allocation.

2. A jointly coordinated Council and TMAG project media launch and communication plan be implemented at the appropriate time.

4.2. Over 2016–17 officers undertook extensive consultation through surveys, public forums, industry leader roundtable sessions, calls for submissions etc. to ascertain the most appropriate model to replace the Art Prize.

4.2.1. Participants were asked to indicate whether they supported; retaining, revising or replacing the prize.

4.2.2. The feedback was overwhelmingly to revise the prize and make it relevant in a contemporary context while still retaining the developmental and exhibition opportunities of the prize.

4.2.3. In response to this, Hobart Current was developed as a biennial program in partnership with TMAG that commissions ten artists (majority Tasmanian) from any creative discipline (literature, music, visual art, dance, theatre and film).

4.2.4. Eight of the works to be exhibited in TMAG's Argyle Galleries with two being located in public space.

4.3. The first Hobart Current exhibition was launched in March 2021 after being postponed from September 2020 due to COVID-19.

4.4. Hobart Current 2021 was positively received by the community, media and artists. It had several major components including:

4.4.1. Creative Director
A Creative Director - Rosie Dennis was selected by the Hobart Current Advisory Panel to curate the 2021 program. She commissioned ten creative practitioners to respond to the theme of Liberty. Rosie worked with the artists over an eighteen month period to develop works for exhibition.

4.4.2. Artists
The ten artists were each paid $15,000 to create new works in the mediums of film, installation, performance and visual art.

4.4.2.1. Six of the artists were based in Tasmania; Sinsa Mansell, Brigita Ozolins, James Newitt, Jacob Leary, Dexter Rosengrave and Nadege Philippe-Janon while three were from interstate; Uncle Wes Marne, Jagath Dheerasekara and Sarah Jane Pell and one was based in Indonesia; Suryo Herlambang.

4.4.3. Works in public space
Eight of the works were exhibited in TMAG while two were located in public space:

4.4.3.1. Brigita Ozolins highly visible I Raise up my Voice project comprised large vinyl letters which were placed on the façade of 85 Macquarie St.

4.4.3.2. Sinsa Mansell developed a sound work Liberation of Country which was located in three sites including Franklin Square, the TMAG Courtyard and inside TMAG.

4.4.4. Education Program
An education program was developed where four of the Hobart Current artists worked with school students to develop artwork responding to the theme of Liberty.

4.4.4.1. These were; Jacob Leary with Mount Carmel College, Dexter Rosengrave with Huonville High School, Nadege Philippe-Janon with Lilydale High School and Brigita Ozolins with Mackillop College.

4.4.4.2. The students’ work was presented in the TMAG Central Galley as part of the Hobart Current exhibition and as an infinite canvas on the Hobart Current website.

4.4.5. Public Programs
The City of Hobart Cultural Development team developed a series of public programs to provide opportunities for the broader community to respond to the theme of Liberty, These included:

4.4.5.1. The Liberty Loop program featured the work of over 50 contributors which included animation, soundscapes, poetry, music, artist vlogs, community choirs etc. This content screened on The Loop every day during the Hobart Current exhibition.

4.4.5.2. The Liberty postcard exhibition in the Waterside Pavilion where the community were invited to submit creative responses to the theme of liberty on an A5 postcard. Diverse responses included drawing, sculpture, writing, collage and photography.

4.4.5.3. The Soapbox billboards in Mathers Place featured Second Echo Ensemble's Stare project.

4.4.5.4. Art on Victoria which exhibited the work of five young artists also responding to the Liberty theme.

4.5. Visitation and Social Media Statistics

4.5.1. During the 53 days that TMAG was open 27,414 people attended the Hobart Current exhibition. This included the Argyle Galleries, the Salon Gallery and TMAG courtyard.

4.5.2. The Hobart Current website had 15,526 sessions by 7,155 users.

4.5.3. Hobart Current posts on TMAG's Facebook page were collectively viewed by a total of 34,528 people, and there was a total of 1,673 engagements (likes, comments, shares and clicks) on the posts.

4.5.4. There were 14 posts on Creative Hobart Instagram which had a combined reach of 10,912 and 915 likes.

4.6. Feedback

4.6.1. Feedback about Hobart Current 2021 was collected from the TMAG, participating artists, the Creative Director and community members. Some feedback is shown below:

4.6.2. TMAG

Janet Carding, Director, TMAG

For TMAG, the collaboration with the City of Hobart meant that we were able to join forces and support living, contemporary artists from Hobart and beyond! Hobart Current: Liberty has set a brilliant foundation for how we can magnify the careers and voices of our emerging and diverse artists.

Kath Uziallo, Marketing and Communications, TMAG

Hobart Current: Liberty connected with our younger, mid-teen audience who are not an easy 'nut to crack'.

4.6.3. Artists

Jacob Leary, Artist, Hobart

Hobart Current was a fantastic opportunity. The ability to work towards a generously funded commission hosted at a space of that calibre was exciting. This chance was a real motivating force for me to produce work over the 2020-19 period and saw the production of one of the most ambitious installations I've made to date. Hobart Current has been a pivotal element in pushing my practice to a higher standard and it will no doubt add to the future development of my work.

Jagath Dheerasekara, Artist, Sydney

I was privileged to be an artist in Hobart Current: Liberty. It was truly remarkable how the inaugural programme navigated through to showcase a wonderfully diverse collection of art during an extraordinary time like this. I am an artist who was born in Sri Lanka and settled in Australia in 2008. My work originated from my personal experience in the political violence of extreme torture. As a survivor, being able to tell my story and our story in a safe and supportive space empowered me and immensely helped me advance in the process of personal healing.

Brigita Ozolins, Artist, Hobart

It was a fantastic honour to be in the inaugural Hobart Current … really an extraordinary opportunity. It was a great mix of artists who all worked in very different ways, and it was wonderful to see Tasmanian artists have such dominance in the show.

4.6.4. Creative Director - Rosie Dennis

Overwhelmingly, artists I spoke to about Hobart Current were excited by the framework and the future possibility of a new Biennale in Hobart that placed Tasmanian professional practice at its core.

4.6.5. Community participants

Henrietta Manning - Postcard Exhibition

Thought provoking and innovatively presented…the installation not only invites thought and conversation about an important topic but it has utilised the challenging beautiful space at the waterside Pavilion very successfully,. Congratulations to Hobart City Council.

Luke John Campbell- SEE Artist - Soapbox billboards

I feel

all surprised

because I am delighted

to be on the building

because I love how everything is

to be on the library

to be seen

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the Council endorse the partnership with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) to deliver the next iteration of the biennial Hobart Current program to be held in March 2023.

5.2. Hobart Current is funded from the existing Cultural Programs budget allocation of $108,206. This would provide a total budget allocation of $216,412 for the biennial event.

5.2.1. This would again be supported by education and community programs, have a minimum of six Tasmanian artists and have at least two works exhibited in public space.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. Hobart Current aligns with Hobart: A community vision for our island capital, specifically:

Pillar 3. Creativity and Culture

3.2.1 We are home to some of Tasmania's best loved cultural institutions. We support them and invite others to enjoy them.

3.4.1 We are a city that supports its writers, visual artists, film makers, performers, producers and venues.

3.4.3 We invest in creativity and culture. We support programs that bring creativity to our city.

6.2. This program strongly aligns with the Creative Hobart Strategy:

Objective 1.1 Enhancing sense of Place and 3.1 Connecting Creative People

1.1.3 To develop art programs in public places that build upon Hobart's unique history, setting and sense of place through creative innovative and high quality contemporary public art practice, including both permanent and temporary works

3.1.2 To facilitate and create practical opportunities to build the professional networks that assist the development and growth of the cultural sector as a major contributor to Hobart's vitality and community wellbeing.

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. The annual operating allocation for Hobart Current is $108,206.

7.1.1.1. These funds were transferred from the annual allocation for the City of Hobart Art Prize when Hobart Current was developed.

7.1.2. As Hobart Current is a biennial program this allocation is accrued across two years, totalling $216,412 for each exhibition.

7.1.2.1. This funding is paid to the TMAG who have the responsibility to engage the Creative Director and artists.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. The total cost of delivering Hobart Current is $377,442 over two years (or per exhibition).

7.2.2. This comprises of $136,030 in-kind support from TMAG, sponsorship of $25,000 to be sought by TMAG, and the $216,412 allocation from the City of Hobart over two years.

7.2.3. The proposed City of Hobart allocation of $216,412 (per exhibition / every two years) is paid to TMAG to cover the following:

· Artist fees including materials, installation and potential

· travel costs $150,000

· Fee to Creative Director including travel costs $35,000

· Opening $3,500

· Catalogue $3,500

· Audience engagement and education programs $4,412

· Gallery modification $20,000.

7.3. TMAG will seek to secure sponsorship of $25,000 to be utilised towards operational costs including education programs, marketing and gallery modification.

8. Social and Customer Considerations

8.1. Hobart Current offers a minimum of six commissions of $15,000 to local artists. Being selected to exhibit work in a program of this calibre is highly prestigious and can assist in artist career development.

8.2. The development of education and public programs enabled a much broader demographic to engage with the Hobart Current program.

8.2.1. Having a biennial theme such as Liberty promotes more diverse, non-arts participation in projects e.g. writing a postcard, making a short film.

8.3. Locating two of the artworks in public space meant that tourists and community members who did not visit TMAG could still experience Hobart Current.

8.3.1. This significantly expanded the reach of the program with more than a million vehicles driving past Brigita Ozolins I Raise up my Voice project on 85 Macquarie Street during March through to April 2021.

9. Marketing and Media

9.1. There was extensive positive coverage of Hobart Current in local news media including several articles in the Mercury, WIN, Southern Cross, ABC TV and radio and a long form article in Island Magazine.

9.2. A dedicated Hobart Current website was developed at the beginning of the project in 2019.

9.2.1. This became a hub for documenting and communicating the program as it evolved and included artist's vlogs, student works, artistic director announcements and updates in response to COVID-19.

9.3. The marketing budget for Hobart Current was extremely limited and the program could be more widely promoted to the community through other channels such as city banners, flyers etc. if this was increased for the 2023 exhibition.

9.3.1. There would also be an opportunity to promote Hobart Current interstate and internationally.

9.3.2. The marketing allocation will be reviewed as part of budget planning in 2021–22.

10. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

10.1. The review of the City of Hobart Art Prize clearly showed that the target audience for the program was almost exclusively the arts community.

10.1.1. Broader community engagement has been a key element in the development of Hobart Current.

10.1.2. This was achieved through the 2021 theme of Liberty, a non-arts theme which encouraged participation from a diverse demographic.

10.1.3. The development of educational and public programs expanded the scope of Hobart Current beyond the exhibition of artwork.

10.1.4. An Advisory panel was established to select the Creative Director and provide advice about potential creative practitioners from diverse art forms.

10.1.4.1. This group comprised Annette Downs (Tasmania Performs), Michael Edwards (Contemporary Art Tasmania), Alex Sangston (Screen Tasmania), Laura Harper (Music Tasmania) and Claire Beale (Design Tasmania).

10.1.5. The development of a Hobart Current website enabled the community to follow the development of the program and the progress of artist projects across two years, not just looking at finished work in an exhibition.

11. Delegation

11.1. This matter is delegated to the Council for consideration.

As signatory to this report, I certify that, pursuant to Section 55(1) of the Local Government Act 1993, I hold no interest, as referred to in Section 49 of the Local Government Act 1993, in matters contained in this report.

Jane Castle

Cultural Programs Coordinator

Kimbra Parker

Manager Community and Culture

Tim Short

Director Community Life

Date: 19 August 2021

File Reference: F21/79117; 19/100-0001

Attachment a: Presentation - Hobart Current 2023 ⇩

Item No. 6.2

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 41

26/8/2021

REPORT TITLE: Community Commitments Final Endorsement

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Community Participation Coordinator

Manager Community and Culture

Director Community Life

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. The purpose of this report is to seek final endorsement from the Council for the six community commitments following broad community engagement:

· Community Safety Commitment 2021-23

· Equal Access Commitment 2021-23

· LGBTIQ+ Commitment 2021-23

· Multicultural Commitment 2021-23

· Positive Ageing Commitment 2021-23

· Youth Commitment 2021-23

1.2. The community commitments sit directly beneath Hobart: A City for All: Community Inclusion and Equity Framework providing the tangible deliverables for much of the City’s work in creating an inclusive and equitable city.

2. Report Summary

2.1. The Council endorsed the draft community commitments to be released for public comment at its meeting of 10 May 2021.

2.2. The community commitments outline the City of Hobart’s commitment to inclusion and equity in Hobart within six key focus areas and include the tangible deliverables. Five of these are revisions of previous commitments or strategies. The LGBTIQ+ Commitment is a new document developed as a result of feedback received during the engagement for the Hobart: A City for All framework.

2.2.1. The draft Affordable Housing and Homelessness Commitment was endorsed by Council on 5 July and has proceeded to community engagement.

2.3. Each of the commitments were developed collaboratively with the City’s community advisory groups, with a high level of input from stakeholders through tailored and responsive engagement.

2.4. Public engagement on the draft documents was undertaken from
11 May to 3 June through the following mechanisms:

· City of Hobart Your Say website

· Distribution through a broad range of community networks

· City of Hobart social media page

· Verbal sharing with community reference groups and networks

2.5. There were 29 submissions received through Your Say and five formal submissions received via email. 32 submissions were broadly supportive of the commitments with suggestions for improvements. Two respondents were not in support.

2.5.1. Informal feedback from reference groups and networks was highly positive, highlighting the City of Hobart’s leadership on inclusion and equity and providing suggested changes to strengthen the commitments.

2.6. Many of the suggestions for changes included in the submissions were minor in nature and have been able to be incorporated into the documents.

2.6.1. Further feedback was operationally focussed and will provide officers with strong guidance in the delivery of the commitments.

2.7. A full overview of engagement findings and officer responses is shown at Attachment A.

2.8. The final documents, incorporating the suggested amendments are shown at Attachments B – G in this report.

2.9. The community commitments will guide the City’s work in creating a city for all, with actions to support truth and reconciliation, participation and access, wellbeing and knowledge and safety and resilience.

2.9.1. All work relating to the community commitments is undertaken with current budget allocations.

3. Recommendation

That:

1. The Council formally adopt the following six draft community commitments:

(i) Community Safety Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment B)

(ii) Equal Access Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment C)

(iii) LGBTIQ+ Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment D)

(iv) Multicultural Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment E)

(v) Positive Ageing Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment F)

(vi) Youth Commitment 2021-23 (Attachment G)

4. Background

4.1. In parallel with the development of Hobart: A City for All, adopted by Council at its meeting of 10 May 2021, City of Hobart officers have worked with community partners to develop a suite of community commitments.

4.2. The community commitments outline the City of Hobart’s commitment to inclusion and equity in Hobart within six key focus areas and include the tangible deliverables.

4.2.1. Five of these community commitments are revisions of previous commitments or strategies. The LGBTIQ+ Commitment is a new document.

4.2.2. It is noted that there is no longer a specific document relating to the Children and Families program area. This is a result of there no longer being specific resources allocated to this program area. The Youth Commitment has been expanded to capture some of the broader initiatives.

4.2.3. The Aboriginal Commitment and Action Plan was the first community commitment to be completed and was endorsed by Council on 16 December 2019.

4.3. The community commitment format allows for accessible and succinct documents with the capacity for regular review to ensure they are contemporary and responsive to emerging issues and trends.

4.4. These six community commitments align with the new Hobart: A City for All - Community Inclusion and Equity Framework and with the other community commitments.

4.5. Following extensive early engagement in the development of the commitments, further, public engagement was undertaken from 11 May to 3 June through a range of mechanisms.

4.5.1. The purpose of the engagement was to consult with the broader community on the six draft commitments. Each draft commitment had an online survey on the City’s Your Say Hobart engagement website. The surveys asked respondents to answer the following questions:

· Have they read the Commitment?

· Their level of support for the Commitment and why they feel this way

· If they have any suggested changes to the Commitment

· If there are any gaps in the Commitment

· Their relationship to the Commitment, if any.

4.5.2. There were 29 formal submissions received through Your Say and five formal submissions received via email. 32 submissions were broadly supportive of the commitments with suggestions for improvements. Two respondents were not in support.

4.5.3. Informal feedback from reference groups and networks was highly positive, highlighting the City of Hobart’s leadership on inclusion and equity and providing suggested changes to strengthen the commitments.

4.6. Specific background information and engagement outcomes are provided for each commitment below.

Community Safety Commitment 2021-23

4.7. The Community Safety Commitment 2019-20 was first endorsed by the Council in February 2019 and has proved to be a flexible, adaptive and sound guiding document for our work in community safety.

4.7.1. An updated commitment was drafted with input from community safety partners and stakeholders to include a new suite of initiatives and goals for delivery over the following two years.

4.8. Feedback called for a number of language changes and a number of respondents wanted the document to include safety responses in the built environment.

4.8.1. A number of changes have been made to the language in the document to reflect feedback.

Equal Access Commitment 2021-23

4.9. The City of Hobart developed its first Equal Access Action Plan in 1998. Subsequent strategies have guided work over the years with the most recent being the Equal Access Strategy 2014-19.

4.9.1. The Equal Access Strategy has worked to ensure that the City responds to all the relevant United Nations declarations relating to the rights of people with a disability and meets its requirements under the Commonwealth Disability Discrimination Act 1992, (DDA) and the Tasmanian Anti-Discrimination Act 1999, as a provider of goods and services and as an employer.

4.9.2. The draft Equal Access Commitment has been drafted with input from the Access Advisory Committee, community partners and stakeholders. A new suite of initiatives and goals are included in the commitment for delivery over the following two years.

4.10. Feedback on the draft Equal Access Commitment, both formal and verbal, was detailed and highly operational. Responses provided useful ideas for the implementation of the Commitment.

4.10.1. An easy read version of the Equal Access Commitment will be developed upon approval in response to feedback and community expectation.

4.10.2. Further feedback that was more operational in nature will be considered during delivery of the Commitment.

LGBTIQ+ Commitment 2021-23

4.11. During early engagement on the draft Community Inclusion and Equity Framework, a number of community sector representatives requested that the City of Hobart consider the development of a specific LGBTIQ+ Commitment to sit alongside the other community commitments that support the framework.

4.11.1. Based on this feedback and ongoing engagement with community partners, an LGBTIQ+ Commitment was drafted to include a suite of initiatives and goals for delivery over the following two years.

4.11.2. The LGBTIQ+ Commitment builds upon existing work, formalising our approach and creating a visible statement of support.

4.12. Feedback on this Commitment was more significant than each of the others. This is likely because it is a new commitment, and the opportunity to engage in the early stages was limited. The level of feedback also highlighted the significance of this new commitment to the LGBTIQ+ community.

4.12.1. Feedback related to language conventions including the name of the document, and called for increased action and commitment from the City.

4.12.2. It is noted that this is the first document of this kind for the City and there is no dedicated staffing resource for delivery. As such, it is not considered appropriate to expand the scale of actions at this stage. Consideration will be given to further delivery over-time, in line with feedback.

4.13. A number of language changes have been made to the document, including the change to the title to reflect the terminology used within the State Government’s Whole-of-Government Framework for LGBTIQ+ Tasmanians.

4.13.1. An action relating to City of Hobart Staff training has been included in response to feedback.

Multicultural Commitment 2021-23

4.14. The City of Hobart has been actively working to create a more welcoming and inclusive city for multicultural communities for many years. The Multicultural Strategy 2014-19 has guided this work in recent years.

4.14.1. During 2020 and 2021 engagement was undertaken to update the previous strategy with input from the Networking for Harmony Multicultural Advisory Group, community partners and stakeholders. A new suite of initiatives and goals were developed based on feedback and are included in the commitment for delivery over the following two years.

4.15. As with other commitments, feedback provided further direction on the most appropriate language to use in the document. Feedback also suggested a number of further actions to strengthen the commitment and work in this area.

4.16. A range of language changes have been made to the document and a number of new actions added in response to feedback. Further feedback that was more operational in nature will be considered during delivery of the Commitment.

Positive Ageing Commitment 2021-23

4.17. The City of Hobart implements a range of initiatives and programs that support and encourage positive ageing in Hobart. The Positive Ageing Strategy 2014-19 has guided work in recent years.

4.17.1. During 2020 and 2021 engagement has been undertaken to update the previous strategy in partnership with the community sector and the Hobart Older Persons’ Reference Group. A new suite of initiatives and goals were developed based on feedback and are included in the commitment for delivery over the following two years.

4.18. Feedback provided operational guidance for delivery of the Commitment and also suggested a range of new actions for inclusion.

4.19. Feedback will be considered in the delivery of the Commitment and in the development of future Commitments.

Youth Commitment 2021-23

4.20. The City of Hobart has been actively working to create a safe and inclusive city for young people for many years. The Youth Strategy 2014-19 has guided work in recent years.

4.20.1. Extensive engagement with young people and the youth sector was undertaken during 2020 and 2021 using a wide variety of engagement tools and methods. A new suite of initiatives and goals were developed based on feedback and are included in the commitment for delivery over the following two years.

4.21. Feedback on the draft commitment included a call for more ‘youth friendly’ city spaces, greater monitoring/supervision of youth behaviour in public spaces and diversifying the reach of youth programs to connect with young people from diverse back grounds and those who face barriers to participation.

4.21.1. Feedback also called for stronger links between other youth services, in particular with youth leadership programs, to support program participation, supported referral pathways, strategic advocacy and connected leadership groups in southern Tasmania.

4.22. A number of new and amended actions have been included in the commitment in response to feedback. These include actions relating to, sector partnerships, youth leadership and advocacy for young people in built environment projects.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that the Council adopt the six community commitments for operational delivery.

5.2. If adopted, the Community Programs team will work to deliver each commitment over the next two years in collaboration with other areas of the organisation and with the community.

5.3. The community commitments will be reviewed in partnership with community stakeholders during 2023 and revised documents will be presented to Council for consideration at the appropriate time.

6. Strategic Planning and Policy Considerations

6.1. The suite of Community Commitments are designed to cascade down from the community vision, strategic plan and community inclusion and equity framework and will directly support these guiding documents.

6.1.1. The documents all take their guiding principles directly from Hobart: A community vision for our island capital.

6.1.2. All deliverables included in the community commitments are aligned with Hobart: A City for All - Community Inclusion and Equity Framework which was specifically aligned with Pillar 2: Community Inclusion, participation and belonging.

7. Financial Implications

7.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

7.1.1. There is no financial impact from this report. All work relating to the community commitments is undertaken within current budget allocations.

7.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

7.2.1. There is no anticipated future financial impact directly arising from this report.

7.3. Asset Related Implications

7.3.1. There are no asset related implications.

8. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

8.1. The community commitments support the City’s obligations under the Tasmanian Local Government Act which says that the role of local government is:

(a) to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the community;

(b) to represent and promote the interests of the community; and

8.2. The commitments are likely to reduce the City’s reputational risk as they deliver upon the community’s expectations as articulated in Hobart: A community vision for our island capital.

9. Environmental Considerations

9.1. The suite of commitments promote community resilience and capacity building and are aligned with the community principles of the Sustainable Hobart Action Plan 2020-25.

10. Social and Customer Considerations

10.1. The community commitments respond directly to community aspirations as articulated in the vision and through the input of the City’s community advisory groups and networks.

10.1.1. The documents guide the City’s work in creating a city for all and include actions to support truth and reconciliation, participation and access, wellbeing and knowledge and safety and resilience.

11. Marketing and Media

11.1. The community commitments support the City to better communicate the role of Local Government in community inclusion and equity.

11.1.1. Opportunities for media exposure will be considered following the endorsement of the draft commitments.

12. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

12.1. Highly tailored and responsive engagement was undertaken to inform the approach, format and content within each of the community commitments.

12.2. Engagement methods were designed to build engagement and ownership with key internal and external stakeholders and effectively inform the development of the commitments.

12.2.1. City of Hobart advisory and reference groups were instrumental in developing each of these commitments. These groups collaborated on the content, format and approach of the commitments, many over multiple engagement opportunities.

12.2.2. Other engagement mechanisms ranged from ‘street chats’ with young people in public space, to Town Hall forums and surveys.

12.2.3. What was heard during engagement has been summarised in each of the community commitments attached to this report.

12.3. Further community engagement was undertaken on the draft document and included online, face-to-face and email engagement.

12.3.1. Engagement showed strong support for the documents and confirmed the City’s role in community inclusion and equity. Feedback was provided relating to language and actions in the Commitments.

12.4. Many of the suggestions for changes included in the submissions were minor in nature and have been able to be incorporated into the documents.

12.4.1. Much of the feedback was operationally focussed and will provide officers with strong guidance in the delivery of the Commitments.

12.5. A full overview of engagement findings and officer responses is included at Attachment A.

13. Delegation

13.1. This is a matter for the Council’s determination.

Sophie Calic

Community Participation Coordinator

Kimbra Parker

Manager Community and Culture

Tim Short

Director Community Life

Date: 18 August 2021

File Reference: F21/55183; 16/118

Attachment a: Community Commitments Engagement Report ⇩

Attachment b: Community Safety Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Attachment c: Equal Access Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Attachment d: LGBTQI+ Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Attachment e: Multicultural Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Attachment f: Positive Ageing Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Attachment g: Youth Commitment 2021-23 ⇩

Item No. 6.3

Agenda (Open Portion)

Community, Culture and Events Committee Meeting

Page 160

26/8/2021

REPORT TITLE: Tasmania's Own Market - Site Fees

REPORT PROVIDED BY: Senior Commercial Advisor Salamanca Market

Manager Activation Programs and Tourism

Director Community Life

1. Report Purpose and Community Benefit

1.1. This reports seeks the Council to delegate authority to the Chief Executive Officer to set fees and charges for the interim market known as Tasmania’s Own Market (TOM) for the remainder of 2021-22.

1.2. Tasmania’s Own Market was established as an alternative to the restrictions of Salamanca Market stallholder licenses, to have the freedom to design a footprint and trading terms and conditions that would offer stallholders and the City greater flexibility in response to COVID-19. The establishment of TOM has enabled the market to trade since August 2020, producing economic and social benefits for Tasmania.

2. Report Summary

2.1. Tasmania’s Own Market (TOM) is the interim, smaller market that is operating while Salamanca Market is suspended due to COVID-19.

2.2. TOM has provided the City with agility for stallholder site placements and given stallholders flexible trading options to suit their business needs and their individual assessment of risk.

2.3. The Council, at its meeting of 24 May 2021 resolved the schedule of fees and charges for the Community Life Division for the 2021-22 financial year, including the site fees for TOM.

2.4. The Council is required to set its fees and charges for the ensuing financial year as part of the annual budget preparation process.

2.4.1. Under Section 22 of the Local Government Act 1993, the Council is able to delegate authority to the general manager to set a fee or charge.

2.5. Trading conditions for stallholders have changed since the adoption of the 2021-22 fees and charges due to the rolling border closures with NSW, Victoria, ACT and parts of Queensland.

2.6. It is anticipated that borders will remain closed with key visitor markets for at least the next two to four weeks, but likely longer.

2.7. There remains continued uncertainty regarding the trajectory of the current pandemic and as a result, it is suggested that further flexibility in the operation of TOM is required so that the City can respond quickly when it is necessary to do so. As a result, this report requests Council to delegate to the Chief Executive Officer the authority to set fees and charges for Tasmania’s Own Market.

3. Recommendation

That the Council delegate to the Chief Executive Officer the authority to set fees and charges pursuant to section 22 of the Local Government Act 1993 for Tasmania’s Own Market for the remainder of the 2021-22 financial year.

4. Background

4.1. Tasmania’s Own Market (TOM) is the interim, smaller market that is operating while Salamanca Market is suspended due to COVID-19.

4.2. TOM has provided the City with agility for stallholder site placements and given stallholders flexible trading options to suit their business needs and their individual assessment of risk.

4.3. TOM has been successfully operating since 8 August 2020, having progressively grown its footprint in line with a reduction of public health restrictions and the gradual growth of visitor numbers to Tasmania.

4.3.1. More than 70 per cent of visitation to the market traditionally originates from the eastern states of Australia.

4.4. The Council, at its meeting of 24 May 2021 resolved the schedule of fees and charges for the Community Life Division for the 2021-22 financial year, including the site fees for TOM.

4.4.1. Site fees for TOM have been approved for $71 for a single stall and $131 for a double stall (all figures include GST).

4.4.2. These fees are an increase to the fees applied to TOM during 2020-21.

4.5. Trading conditions for stallholders have changed since the adoption of the 2021-22 fees and charges due to rolling Tasmanian border closures with NSW, Victoria, ACT and parts of Queensland.

4.5.1. Poor weather and border closures combined to contribute to low patron numbers on Saturday August 7 2021 widely reported in the media. Media interest highlighted small business concerns about the negative impacts of ongoing border closures and a need for financial hardship support.

4.6. The Tasmanian State Government has announced a new Border Closure Critical Support Grant targeted at businesses operating in the tourism, hospitality, arts and events, seafood and transport sectors, and other businesses that are impacted by the lock-downs and borders restrictions that are in place.

4.6.1. Grants of between $2 000 and $10 000 will be provided to successful applicants.

4.6.2. The support program will be available to businesses that have suffered a significant reduction in turnover as a direct result of lockdowns and border closures in other states.

4.6.3. It is noted that applications to this program will be assessed in order of receipt.

4.6.4. It is undeniable that some stallholders have suffered a reduction in turnover as a direct result of lockdowns and border closures in other states – a number of these have communicated directly with officers.

4.7. It is anticipated that borders will remain closed with key visitor markets for at least the next two to four weeks, quite possibly longer.

4.7.1. At the time of writing, the Northern Territory has entered into a three-day snap lock-down and the ACT has extended it’s lock-down by a further two weeks.

4.8. Officers have engaged with the Salamanca Market Stallholders’ Association (SMSA) that has requested a reduction in site fees be considered, as a clear gesture of support for stallholders.

4.8.1. The City is presently running a marketing campaign targeted at locals.

4.9. There remains continued uncertainty regarding the trajectory of the current pandemic and as a result, it is suggested that further flexibility in the operation of TOM is required so that the City can respond quickly when it is necessary to do so. As a result, this report requests Council to delegate the Chief Executive Officer the authority to set fees and charges for Tasmania’s Own Market.

5. Proposal and Implementation

5.1. It is proposed that further flexibility in the operation of Tasmania’s Own Market is required so that the City can respond quickly when it is necessary to do so in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

5.2. It is proposed that Council delegate the Chief Executive Officer the authority to set fees and charges for Tasmania’s Own Market.

5.3. It is proposed that as the owner and operator of the market, the Chief Executive Officer on behalf of the City may respond to changing and exceptional circumstances by adjusting fees up or down for varying periods of time, depending on the prevailing conditions of the pandemic, and while Tasmania’s Own Market remains operational.

6. Financial Implications

6.1. Funding Source and Impact on Current Year Operating Result

6.1.1. Any change to the fees and charges originally approved for the 2021-22 financial year will produce a change in the forecast budget outcome for Salamanca Market.

6.1.2. A reduction in site fees could possibly encourage more stallholders to trade on a weekly basis, thus offsetting any overall loss.

6.2. Impact on Future Years’ Financial Result

6.2.1. Not applicable

6.3. Asset Related Implications

6.3.1. Not applicable

7. Legal, Risk and Legislative Considerations

7.1. The Council is required to set its fees and charges for the ensuing financial year as part of the annual budget preparation process.

7.1.1. Under Section 22 of the Local Government Act 1993, the Council is able to delegate authority to the general manager to set a fee or charge.

7.2. All trading stallholders have a separate TOM Agreement.

7.2.1. The Agreement allows for changes in site fees, through written notification, without the need for stallholders to re-sign their Agreement.

8. Social and Customer Considerations

8.1. Any changes to market site fees would be communicated with all stallholders.

9. Marketing and Media

9.1. Recent media interest in the market has highlighted small business concerns about the financial impacts of lock-downs and borders restrictions that are in place.

9.2. The City is undertaking marketing to encourage visitation and support from ‘locals’.

9.3. Any further support provided by the City is likely to be well received by market stallholders while border restrictions with key markets remain in place.

10. Community and Stakeholder Engagement

10.1. Officers have engaged with the Salamanca Market Stallholders’ Association (SMSA) that has requested a reduction in site fees be considered, as a clear gesture of support for stallholders.

11. Delegation

11.1. This matter is delegated to the Council.

Taryn Townsend

Senior Commercial Advisor Salamanca Market

Iris Goetzki

Manager Activation Programs and Tourism

Tim Short

Director Community Life

Date: 18 August 2021

File Reference: F21/81607

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