A new ten-year Founding Strategy for the Kingston Arts Precinct was released today by the future resident arts organisations.

Minister for the Arts Tara Cheyne welcomed the release of the Founding Strategy, which she said was the result of a collaborative process with contributions from resident organisations, artists, arts workers, and the community.

“The Kingston Arts Precinct will become the definitive destination for Canberra’s visual arts and culture,” Ms Cheyne said.

“It will bring together a new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art space, six visual arts organisations, resident artists, and a dynamic program of creative activity. 

“The Founding Strategy released today outlines the future operation of the Kingston Arts Precinct, its values, as well as its governance and staffing structures.

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“Principles of elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural arts activity, hospitality, access, capacity building, and cross-sector collaboration will be at the core of the future site,” Ms Cheyne said.

Dr Erica Seccombe, chair of the Megalo Print Studio Board, said she was excited by the strength and ambition of the new Founding Strategy for the Kingston arts precinct.

“Since we moved to our current premises on Wentworth Avenue in 2013, Megalo has experienced the tremendous potential of this site to bring our creative community together; and we very much look forward to working with all the partners involved in this project as we bring it to life.”

The Founding Strategy is high-level, and designed to evolve to the changing needs of Canberra’s visual arts sector over each stage, Ms Cheyne said.

artsACT has been appointed as a precinct facilitator before governance and management become independent of government.

The ACT Government will form an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reference group to guide the design and development of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art space.

The Founding Strategy has also guided the development of, and complements, the Kingston Arts Precinct Place Brief. The Place Brief will inform the design of the future site, and will be finalised soon.

Feedback on the Place Brief is open now through a visual survey. To have your say and help influence the opportunities that can be created within the overall Precinct Development, go to the YourSay website.

Engagement regarding future development of the Kingston Arts Precinct, which includes the historic precinct and the arts hub, is ongoing and managed by the Suburban Land Agency.