Shaping the future of arts, culture and heritage
24 Feb 2025The community is invited to help shape and strengthen the future of arts, culture and heritage in the Barossa.
The Barossa Council is seeking community input into an Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy to help support a vibrant creative sector in the region.
Manager Community Services Carly Hennessy says the arts means something different to everyone, so every contribution and voice is welcome.
“Arts and culture is not something that only happens in a gallery or at a workshop – everywhere we look, the Barossa is a rich tapestry of local history, traditions and creative enterprise,” Carly says.
“We’re talking about festivals and the arts, including music, visual arts, film, public art and literature, as well as the many other informal creative activities that community members enjoy.
“Even the stories we tell, the places we meet and the traditions we share provide opportunities for creativity and collaboration.”
Barossa Mayor Bim Lange says community feedback is critical to help inform local priorities and areas for investment, to help the sector thrive in the future. The Strategy will also support program delivery at the new Barossa Creative Industries Centre, which is set to open in 2026.
“We know creative communities support the economy, enhance wellbeing and contribute to positive social outcomes,” Mayor Lange says.
“That’s why we invite people to share their ideas, big and small, about how we can strengthen the diversity of activities we already enjoy here in the Barossa, and create new opportunities for the future.”
Local food identity and chef Pete Clarke believes the Barossa’s culinary traditions are a great example of what’s unique about the region.
Preserving traditions in food and culture around the Barossa is highly important, because they are slowly dying away.
“It’s important for people to experience food made the old traditional way, and pass that knowledge down," he says.
People can participate in the consultation in a variety of ways, including taking this short survey or participating in a public workshop on 12 March (daytime), 18 March (online) and 27 March (evening).
Targeted sessions with business, community and industry plus artist-led creative workshops with arts practitioners will also be held during the consultation period, which runs across March and April.