About Us
Creative Island is an alliance of cultural and creative professionals with the shared aim to connect, develop, promote, and advocate for Tasmania’s creative community.
Our mission is to make Tasmania a cultural and creative powerhouse.
Where we’ve come from
In August 2012, 60 creative professionals attended a workshop in Hobart that was co-ordinated by David Schloeffel from the Creative Industries Innovation Centre. The purpose of this gathering was to build creative alliances and to test the need for a collective voice to speak on behalf of the Tasmanian cultural and creative industries. There was a consensus at the meeting that there was value in a collective voice and people from different creative fields volunteered to form an initial Steering Committee that became the inaugural Tasmanian Creative Industries Council.
The need for a united creative industries voice was again confirmed at a public sector forum at Salamanca Arts Centre in September 2013. It was agreed that the Steering Committee continue in its current form to determine an appropriate organisational model. In late 2015 the steering committee was incorporated as Tasmanian Creative Industries Pty Ltd Trading as Creative Island. At this time, the existing committee agreed to volunteer to act as a Board until the first Annual General Meeting when all positions become vacant.
Our Ethos
We believe in a confident, dynamic, and unified creative industries sector that is celebrated both locally and abroad.
We aim to provide a conversation space, between culture and commerce, where creativity can flourish.
We know that collaboration leads to innovation.
We welcome all of Tasmania’s creative community to join our alliance. Together we are inspired and unstoppable.
Creativity is Tasmania’s future. We are the thinkers, makers and doers of this future.
We are Creative Island.
“Beware of artists – they mix with all classes of society and are therefore the most dangerous”
Queen Victoria
How do I get involved?
We are committed to advancing the value and impact of creativity, and strive to be a collective voice for the diverse Tasmanian cultural and creative sector. Join us as we work together to help creative people and businesses connect and develop at every stage of their careers. Creative Island is a community that strives to increase the capacity of people and businesses to create, innovate and succeed.
Do you run a creative business in Tasmania? We want to showcases the people, businesses, events, spaces and projects that make our island extraordinary. Get in touch with us.
If you’re a creative and want more information, you can contact us.
Keep up-to-date on our social media channels:
Facebook | Linked in | Twitter
We’re actively collecting input from people, businesses and industry organisations on what a peak body for the arts, screen and creative sector should look like, and the best ways it can help our creative community. To provide feedback or arrange a discussion, contact us.
Our Goals
ADVOCATE: Promote, raise the profile, and increase understanding of the value of the creative economy.
CONNECT: Encourage and strengthen connection, collaboration, and community, within and beyond the sector.
DEVELOP: Work with others to increase opportunities for the development of the sector from a creative perspective.
PROMOTE: Develop the Creative Island brand to champion Tasmania’s creative and cultural industries, locally and abroad.
What we’ve achieved so far
2014
Successfully lobbied the State government to recognise the Creative Industries as a growth sector and have it included in the State Economic Development Plan.
Successfully lobbied the State government to recognise the Creative Industries as a growth sector and have it included in the State Economic Development Plan.
Coordinated and hosted a Creative Industry Forum held in the Spiegeltent in March 2014, just prior to the State Election.
2015
Lobbied alongside Arts Peak during the Federal funding cuts to the Australia Council for the Arts.
Attended and made a submission to the senate enquiry on arts funding.
Assisted in the development of the State Government Cultural and Creative Industries Strategy.
Successfully negotiated a Memorandum of Agreement with the Tasmanian Government to access seed funding of $50,000 to formalise our structure, resource initial operations and develop a plan for future sustainability.
Developed a Constitution and moved to a to an incorporated business structure.
2016
Employed an interim Executive Officer (10 hours per week) to oversee operations.
Undertook a research project to assess the contribution Tasmania’s cultural and creative businesses make to our economy.
Commenced a strategic planning process to determine future priorities.
Coordinated and hosted an Arts and Cultural Policy Forum held at the Hobart Town Hall in June 2016, just prior to the Federal Election.
Facilitated round table discussions between Arts Peak representative and NAVA Executive Director, Tamara Winikoff, with Tasmanian arts and cultural leaders on the future of funding.
Contributed to the Screen Workforce Development Plan.
“I am seeking. I am striving. I am in it with all my heart.”
Vincent van Gogh