Local Giants is an ambitious program with long-term aims to promote resilience, sustainability, accessibility, diversity, and vibrancy in the performing arts sector.
This report covers the first phase of program deliverables; those being three Regional Artist Residency (RAR) programs held in different regions across Australia, and a 10-week online professional development Regional Producers Platform (RRP) that concluded with an in-person meeting in Sydney.
This interim report finds:
Great desire amongst national stakeholders for a program like this, particularly as delivered by a consortium of national bodies with shared organisational and strategic interests.
A perception amongst participants that there are structural barriers that impede a national approach to touring and performing arts development.
Praise by participants for the management and delivery of the program; particularly where that delivery has facilitated the creation and support of networking opportunities for participants.
Reflections from participants that suggest that deliberate activities that contain appropriate time for contemplation and response are greatly appreciated.
Local Giants is a multi-project, multi-year program. The delivery and design of the program is intentionally staggered so as to encourage a formative outcome that can bilaterly align with the strategic intentions of the delivery consortium, while also meeting the multitude of expectations of each of their respective stakeholders. This should be recognised as an almost impossible task to balance, given the incredible width and depth of the performing arts sector.
To this end, the work of Year One serves as an appropriate canvas on which the consortium can chart their path together, while drawing from their relative strength. The Regional Arts bodies coupled their local knowledge into three artist residency programs, that kept Performing Lines as the common thread between them. This decision appears to have ensured that residencies grew over the course of their delivery and were continually responsive to the needs of participants.
There was widespread praise by participants for the integration of mentors in both the RAR and RRP programs. RAR participants noted the perceived value of interdisciplinary mentors and guests that could further their practice, while RRP participants particularly noted the value of those connections in helping them further their individual career paths. While some participants came into Local Giants with set ideas of where they wanted to go, others did not. In some cases, those that thought they knew what they wanted ended up changing their minds through the course of their program, while others who did not know, found clarity. The overall focus on the Local Giants participatory programs not to focus on an output per se (i.e. a creative work), but an outcome (i.e. "what are your next steps") makes it unique amongst other professional development programs in the cultural sector.
While the programs delivered so far have been formative for participants, they've also allowed the delivery consortium to find their footing with each. The next stage of the Local Giants project will likely contain challenges for conceptualisation and delivery. Based on the results so far, we recommend:
Ensuring enough time is available to build towards a formative outcome
Providing opportunities that support reflection and reflextion
Partner where possible to facilitate new and undiscovered networks and outcomes
The delivery of Local Giants has leveraged the respective strengths of each consortium member; whether that be through the delivery of APAX conference, the residency models from Performing Lines / Regional Arts bodies, or the professional development program for regional producers.
The positivity however appears to be that each consortium member has sought to run each activity in a manner that is different to the way in which they would have done so independently, which created positive outcomes that were not initially expected by the consortium members. In moving into the next stage, consortium members should ensure to continue challenging themselves to build on their shared knowledge and allowing space for new discoveries and potential outcomes that come through as a results of this.
Local Giants is an ambitious new program delivered through the national partnership of Performing Lines, PAC Australia, and Regional Arts Australia, with the long-term aim to grow resilience, sustainability, accessibility, diversity, and vibrancy in the performing arts sector.
The Program consists of several intersecting parts. This includes a Regional Producers Career Development Program, Regional Artist Residencies, and New Regional Work Co-Commissions. It works seeks to enable regional performing arts centres across Australia to act as "cultural connectors" within their communities and explore new co-commissioning, co-producing, and investment models.
It is a multi-tiered creative project which aims to provide support to regional practitioners, connecting artist residencies and producer training with creative development, presentation of new work, and short-form touring.
The following report outlines the interim results for Local Giants project, in three distinct sections:
The Regional Producers Platform (RPP)
The Regional Artist Residencies (RAR)
Mentor Feedback and Market Fit Case Study
Performing Lines, PAC Australia, and Regional Arts Australia engaged Culture Counts to conduct an evaluation of Local Giants, to assess the expectations, outcomes, and perceived benefits of its Producer Platform and Artist Residency programs. The evaluation was conducted by surveying participants of both streams of the program across multiple hosted locations. Surveys were delivered through email interviews organised by Culture Counts and distributed to participants. In partnership with Culture Counts, this survey was designed and developed to evaluate the strategic goals and outcomes of Local Giants.
68 responses were collected from participants via online surveys sent out before (Regional Producers Platform only) and after the programs were delivered.
Surveys contained a range of ‘dimension’ questions, asking stakeholders about their experience of the event. These dimensions have been developed and tested in collaboration with industry, practitioners, and academics to measure the impact and value of arts and cultural events and activities.
Appropriate dimensions were chosen based on their alignment with the program's strategic objectives.
| Domain | Dimension | Dimension statement |
|---|---|---|
| Cultural | Insight | It helped me gain new insight or knowledge |
| Social | Confidence | It made me feel more confident about doing new things |
| Friendship | I felt close to other people involved in the project | |
| Civic | Belonging | It helped me feel part of the community |
| Economic | Skills | I gained new skills |
| Networks/td> | It connected me with other people in my field | |
| Collaboration | It provided opportunities for collaboration | |
| Opportunities | It opened up new opportunities for me | |
| Quality | Responsiveness | The organisers responded well to the needs of the group |
| Participatory | Clarity | I was clear about what we were here to achieve |
Dimensions are assessed on a Likert scale, in which respondents move a slider to a point that indicates whether they agree or disagree with the dimension statement. An example of a dimension question in the Culture Counts survey tool is presented below.
Survey respondents were asked to provide their age, gender, and identity. This data identifies the demographic sample of people who responded to the survey and took part in the programs, as well as their their current living location and postcode.
The following charts show the proportion of survey responses captured for each of the age, gender, and identity demographic questions.
The largest age group of respondents overall were in the 20-29 age bracket, making up 40% of the Producers Platform sample. This was followed by those aged 30-39 and 40-49 (27% each) and 50-59 (7%). The majority (87%) of respondents were female, with males and those who identified their gender in another way making 7% of the sample each.
43% of the overall sample identified as LGBTQIA+, with 7% identifying that they were born overseas and 7% identifying as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.
Respondents travelled from all over Australia to participate in the Local Giants Producers Platform. No two respondents reported being from the same location, therefore, all postcodes are represented on the above chart as making up 6.7% of the sample each.
Respondents were asked to indicate whether they had participated in a range of professional development and other industry-led programs and activities in the past. They were also asked about their primary interests of participating, prior to having taken part in the program. This was asked as a multiple-choice question and participants could cite as many options as they wished. A freetext response was combined with this question to provide additional qualitiative information.
Responses for these question are provided below.
The most common themes cited by the participating producers related to networking and connecting with others in the sector, and learning and developing their skills. A selection of comments have been highlighted below.
"Networking and having some space to evaluate and think deeply about where my practice is at. Practical skills around producing too." – Participant
"Learning new producing skills and connecting me to a network of producers, artists and arts buyers. Gaining a greater understanding and confidence of the arts terrain in Australia." – Participant
"I am looking forward to connecting with other producers from across regional and remote areas. The touring models on a national and international scale are vastly different to touring or producing in remote regions" – Participant
"I am looking forward to learning and understanding how regional producers are able to use their skills to impact their community and grow arts and culture awareness amongst communities. I am looking forward to making new friends, meeting new people and hearing stories from them." – Participant
A vast range of issues were raised by the participating regional producers prior to their participation in Local Giants. Common themes included a lack of fair pay for artists/arts workers and access to resources, as well as a lack of opportunities provided for producers in regional communities. A selection of comments have been highlighted below.
"Connection to the nationwide performing arts scene, ability to recognise my abilities as an independent artist/producer, seek clarity of ways of developing my work for touring to regional communities, avenues for seeking funding towards creative development and ways of engaging presenters" – Participant
"Being across a nation wide performance landscape and working out how to combine multiple funding possibilities to create large scale events. Building a bridge between my regional area out into the world." – Participant
"How to know if "I'm doing the right thing". Paying artists correctly." – Participant
"Work tends to exist only in the regional silo I live in. There doesn't seem to be a critical discussion about the work nor an opportunity for it to live beyond an initial season in the place it was created." – Participant
"Understanding my community more. Finding out what I can do to support the growth of arts practitioners in my region. How to engage with stakeholders." – Participant
Participants were most likely to have previously engaged with 'Artlands' (29%), 'Professional development program delivered by a Regional/Country Arts body' (25%), 'Professional development program delivered by a Performing Lines' (17%) and APAX (13%). 38% of respondents have not participated in any of the provided options.
The majority (40%) of participants reported hearing about the program via word of mouth, making it the most effective channel through which participants discovered the program. This was followed by 'Other comms or social media' (33%) and 'Performing Lines Website / comms' (33%).
Prior to the commencement of the program, the aspects of the Producers Platform that interested participants the most were 'Skills Development' (93%), 'Supporting regional artists' (93%), 'Regional touring' (82%), and 'Engaging regional presenters' (73%). This was supported in freetext comments, where participants said they were interested in learning and skills development, which was coupled with responses about the challenges they faced as being regionally-based producers, with notable focus on the lack of opportunities available to them.
Before attending the program, participants were asked to indicate whether they agreed or disagreed with the included dimension statements in relation to their expectations of the Local Giants program. Conducting evaluations before and after the program allows organisers to compare the expected outcomes to the realised outcomes. The following chart contains the response data collected before and after the program, showing the average result for each dimension.
Note that the 'Friendship' dimensions was only included to the post survey, as this was an unintended outcome of the project that was observed during its delivery and added afterwards.
All nine of the prior/post dimensions exceeded participant expectations for those outcomes, which is an excellent result.
Even though participants had high expectations for the Local Giants Producers Platform, they were exceeded throughout the duration of the program. The highest results overall could be seen for 'Networks' (97/100), 'Responsiveness' (97/100) and 'Insight' (96/100). This demonstrates that of all the outcomes achieved, participants were most likely to agree that the program connected them with other people in their field, that the organisers responded well to the needs of the group and helped them gain new insight or knowledge.
When compared with the pre-program results, the dimension statement that most significantly exceeded expectations was 'Responsiveness' (+9/100), demonstrating that the organisers went above and beyond throughout the duration of the program to support and respond to the needs of the group. All post-program results achieving an average dimension score of 84/100 or higher is considered to be an excellent result for the Local Giants Regional Producers Platform.
Respondents were asked about their overall experience of attending Local Giants, with a choice of five options - Excellent, Good, Neutral, Poor, and Terrible. They were also asked whether they would recommend Local Giants to a friend or colleague. These results can be used to calculate a Net Promoter Score (NPS).
This chart shows the percentage of respondents that rated the program overall across and proportion of respondents that would or would not recommend Local Giants, followed by the calculated NPS below.
All participant respondents reported having an excellent experience while participating in the program, an outstanding result reinforcing the benefits felt towards the Regional Producers Platform. 100% of respondents rated the Regional Producers Platform a 10 out of 10, indicating they would be classified as Promoters.
An NPS that is positive (i.e. higher than zero) is felt to be good, and an NPS of 50+ is excellent. The Local Giants Regional Producers Platform's NPS of 100, the highest possible result, is considered to be outstanding and demonstrates the participant's strong likelihood of promotion when speaking with others about their experiences.
All respondents who expected their involvement in the Regional Producers Platform to affect their future thinking or practice over the six months following the program were asked to elaborate on how they thought this would happen.
"It already has informed me of best ways to approach potential presenters, giving them all the information required to start up a conversation about the works I'm producing. " – Participant
"As previously mentioned I have already started putting into practice the templates, and I am reached out further into the industry to make new contacts. Even just mentioning that I went through this program is gaining me new advantages." – Participant
"For me, I think this timeframe is where the benefits will really come into play. I am certainly using elements in what I am doing now and being constantly informed by the insights I have gained. Mostly though, I am pondering, planning and getting excited as to how I will tackle a new project from start to finish using these learnings. I already know that how I approach producing will be so much more streamlined rather than a slightly chaotic grab at a task that needs to be done. Practicing patience in setting up the groundwork thoroughly rather than leaping into action based tasks." – Participant
"I've begun putting into practice some learnings from the course. I've also reframed my thinking about certain topics, now that I have some insight into what my peers, and other industry organisations put into practice. I still feel like I have a few questions, but most are specific to my circumstance, and I now have the resource or a mentor I can get in touch with to follow up" – Participant
"The way I approach funding will be completely different. I usually create a show, and during the rehearsal period try to find funding, to pay for set, venue hire, etc. but through this program I have learned that I should be finding most of my funding first! I've already begun changing this structure within the company. There was some fantastic advice on marketing that I have already taken back to my company and we are currently working on to make our advertising and marketing more efficient. The ability to package a show and make it sellable! I have now done this with all my shows that I already have, and will be making a package for new ones during the process of creating them to make advertising, selling and tech specs easier and more efficient." – Participant
The majority of participants thought the program would strongly influence their practice over the next 6 months (86%). Freetext responses indicated that the program provided meaningful and practice ways that participants could grow and develop their career, and that the program clarified the next steps they wanted to take in the career as a regional producer of performings arts.
Participants were asked to which extent they agreed that the Local Giants Producers Platform was a valuable program to continue into the future, beyond 2022. At the end of their experience, participants were asked an open-ended question about what they perceived to have been the main benefits for them as a result of their participation.
"The breadth that was covered in such a short amount of time. I thought we'd have more conversations during the online sessions, but actually appreciated the time spent on the practical tools and templates, leaving room for the conversations to have when we were together in person." - Participant
"The connection to a group of diverse but likeminded people. This was evident in the zoom meetings but it was really noticeable when we came together. The opportunity to share our own experiences, concerns and to pick each others brains. An outline of a clearer, more streamlined process when beginning a new project. Learning from those be they facilitators or invited presenters - their experience and knowledge hit the nail on the head every time. >The templates! They are gold. APAX was a great experience and I look forward to attending again and putting learnings into practice" - Participant
"APAX! It was amazing to meet the cohort in person plus experience APAX as a collective. I would have never been able to attend APAX otherwise and it was an amazing experience plus networking opportunity. The templates as well!" – Participant
"Connections with professional producers within the industry. Accessibility by using Zoom for most of the lectures/tutorials. Sharing of resources, experiences and templates. Speaking to guest speakers each week and listening to their experiences, knowledge and learning what resources they find helpful. The broad range of topics we touched on e.g. funding, social media, touring, budgeting, creating a show, etc. It was great to touch on all the different areas of producing. Going to APAX and meeting in person, was a fantastic way to solidify connections made within the program, make new connections within the industry as well as put a lot of what we learned over the 12 weeks in to practice. The two producers from Performing Lines who ran the program Jen and Bree, were so friendly, approachable, knowledgable and were so open to focusing on areas that the whole group felt they needed more time on." – Participant
100% of respondents strongly agreed that they thought the Regional Producers Platform is valuable to continue into the future. This reinforces the strong advocacy of the program felt by participants. Many freetext responses support the stong dimension results, particularly in terms of networks, new knowledge and insight.
Respondents were asked to leave any additional feedback about their experience participating in Local Giants. Feedback allows the organisers to understand where the value of participant experiences lie and how they can be improved and strengthened in the future. A selection of comments have been highlighted underneath.
"Jen and Bree did an amazing job at facilitating this process. They made us all feel welcome and connected from day dot, no matter our past experience/regional context. It was a well thought through program with great presenters throughout." – Participant
"The Performing line team are Amazing. I think this program should continue into the future." – Participant
"I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of this program. It really cemented the fact that I enjoy producing, and that I have the mindset and many of the skills required to do it. The program has, and is, helping me to finesse these. The facilitators, the presentations by experienced people in the industry were invaluable and the group of RPP that I got to spend time with was A1!" – Participant
"This was an amazing program and I am so grateful that I was chosen to be a part of it. Another helpful aspect of this program was that we were paid. This meant I wasn't losing money by taking time off my other jobs and I was able to focus on the tutorials and not worry about any financial strain." – Participant
"I really love being a part of programs like this. They helped me immensely in my early career so I was so happy to be invited to be involved." – Participant
I think it's a great program that should be greatly beneficial for the participants and the mentors." – Participant
"It would be ideal if the sessions with mentors were held at times that didn't clash with lunch or break out times - earlier in the mornings would be better." – Participant
"I find being in an online structure inherently difficult, and I appreciate the connection and effort made by the mentors to facilitate in this way in an interesting and engaging way. Though difficult, I appreciate it being an online structure, as between living regionally and touring, I have rarely been able to access this kind of development before. Finishing with an in-person week was essential to tie together the networking and connection with the cohort, but also with the mentor arts organisations, and the further industry." – Participant
Participants of the Artist Residencies were asked to rate different elements of the program on a scale from one to ten. This allows the organisers to better understand the successes of the program and potential areas for improvement.
Aggregate??
BARN participants of the Regional Artist Residencies were most positive in their responses towards 'Group sessions with mentors' (10/10, 69%) and 'Roslyn Oades Verbatim workshop' (10/10, 69%), however, all aspects of the program were rated highly. Similarly, FNQ participants were most positive in their responses to 'Group sessions with mentors' (10/10, 73%), demonstrating that it was one of the strongest elements of the program across multiple locations.
FNQ participants were the least positive in their responses when considering the 'Information/details provided in the lead up to the weekend', with multiple respondents rating this a 3/10 or lower. In addition to 'Group sessions with mentors', another favourite aspect amongst SA Retreat participants, was the smooth implementation of the weekend's activities (10/10, 80%).
Participants of the Artist Residencies were asked to indicate how relevant they thought the program was to their art practice. A selection of comments have been highlighted below.
"It helped inspire me to get back out there and start working on all kinds of projects. It created a platform to meet with other regional artists. Especially the staff and mentors who have had long careers and such patience for us all. I have a new love and appreciation for my state and region. I am excited to start making all kinds of work in my community again instead of rushing to try and move over seas" – South Australia Participant
"It was a wonderful chance to flesh out something that I hadn't really worked out structurally and meet and connect with other artists" – South Australia Participant
"Hugely crucial, both to this project as well as in connecting me with potential industry connections for my artistic career." – Hugely crucial, both to this project as well as in connecting me with potential industry connections for my artistic career." – South Australia Participant
"Totally relevant. Performing arts, installations, lifesized puppets, projection and lighting, all relevant, it was wonderful!" – South Australia Participant
"Very, as I was just about to give up on my dreams of being an Artist before this weekend. – South Australia Participant
"Very. It was awesome. I so needed it. I didn't even know how much i needed it. It was like giving water to a person dying of thirst. I feel like i can pick up the threads of my life, my arts practise, the intercultural company I am co-responsible for sustaining. The interdisciplinary focus was relevant and the embodied work was spot on what I needed personally and relevant." – Far North Queensland Participant
"The program allowed a veil to lift over the development of my own project, while allowing a rare insight into the projects being developed by peers nearby. The program allowed time to reflect on my creative development process and for my assumptions and creative directions to be immediately tested in a nurturing and safe embrace for critical discussion." – Far North Queensland Participant
"Very relevant and much appreciated. This has been by far the most helpful, positive, inspiring, arts affirming and practical experience I have had, especially since the pandemic." – Far North Queensland Participant
"Really relevant great timing great opportunity to be exposed to other ways of learning about art industry support from expert and knowledgeable mentors" – Far North Queensland Participant
"When we have been through a time where everything and nothing happened. Lack of support for the arts in general is very discouraging. The residency was validating, for myself as an artist and that the project I put forward was exciting and interesting" – BARN Partcipant
"Extremely relevant. Coming from uni with this project, being set deadlines and outcomes by other more experienced members of the industry was highly reassuring and allowed me to trust my process. The mutli-day block also helped to maintain focus." – BARN Partcipant
"Perfectly aligned with a wonderful breadth of experience across the mentors, facilitators and co-participants. The people present locally and from outside the region were very special; attributes of the co-artists/mentors/facilitators were key" – BARN Partcipant
"Prior to the BARN I felt extremely lost & disillusioned in relation to my own artistic practice outside of the structured environment of uni. BARN revitalised me & gave me the confidence/energy to explore/play with my practice without the fear of failure." – BARN Partcipant
"Very valuable in three ways: prgressing my thinking about my project, boosting my confidence generally as an art practitioner, and building relationships with other art practitioners." – BARN Partcipant
Participants of the Artist Residencies were asked to answer questions about their facilitating mentors and guests of the program. After identifying who their key mentor for the program was, they were asked to rate the mentors and guests in terms of the value they added to the experience of the program or their project.
79% of respondents reported either a 9 or 10/10 for their experience and perceived value of the mentors and guests as part of the residencies. Participants in the South Australia residency were the most positive, while those in the BARN residency were the least positive. It should be noted that respondents were asked to provide experience results for each mentor/guest, so the typically high results suggest that the majority of mentors and guests that were part of the program were seen as highly valuable by participants.
Artist Residency participants were asked to leave any specific comments relating to the mentors and guests who facilitated various aspects of the program. Feedback helps organisations understand where the value of participant experiences lie and how they can be improved and strengthened in the future. A selection of comments have been highlighted underneath.
"I thought there was a great mix of mentor expertise and experience, not just relating to performance, but also to visual art and the less easily-defined projects involving mixed media and multimedia." – South Australia Participant
"Honestly it was a dream team and I could spend a lot more hours talking and connecting with everyone there!" – South Australia Participant
"The generosity of time and compassion from the mentors and staff was wonderful - I was also hugely appreciative of the offers of connections to contacts within the industry. It's also always an honor to enter an event and get to bond over Taylor Swift, thanks Jade" – South Australia Participant
"All of the mentors were great, I had more to do with Ros than the others and she was so helpful and generous. I had a one on one with Deb and she was supportive , generous and incredibly helpful. Matthew > view points workshop was fun, poignant and useful. I only really spoke to him on the last day in a one on one which I enjoyed immensely, and was sad not to have had more time. Gentle, generous and had interesting and above all interested in what I had to say and the project" – BARN Participant
"The main reason for the variety of ratings would be based on the amount of time we were able to spend with each individual. We also arrived at the residency with the intention of learning as much as our brains could handle, and growing our collective practice. Due to this, we gained the most from the mentors who worked mostly in the producing or management side of the industry, as well as those who work on less traditional and more comedic works. Although, even just in short conversations over dinner or while making tea with people outside of our mentor group was highly beneficial. Even having so many other artists there and having conversations with them were valuable, as we are realtively young, and still have so much to learn from those with far more experience than ourselves." – BARN Participant
"At first I was surprised we were matched with Roslyn but I soon discovered she was the perfect match. Her questions, and the space she held for us was revolutionary, not only creatively but also personally, as much of the conversation revolved around unpacking the anger, disappointment and grief associated with the last 2 years of the Pandemic. Roslyn is an incredible mentor and without her probing questions and her ability to make everyone at the table feel heard, I don't think our project would have have developed in the overwhelmingly positive way it has." – BARN Participant
"Margi was an incredibly key mentor in our face to face session, she really helped us to consider aspects of our collaboration and partnership which we hadn't previously considered. Nathan was incredibly supportive and excited by our project which gave us confidence. He also was so instrumental in shaping our groups conversations so that we didn't get way too overwhelmed." – Far North Queensland Participant
"The mentors we had one on ones with were excellent at giving us clear and specific ideas and answers to our questions. The other mentors and guests we didn't have one on ones were excellent to meet and have more general conversations with. I realised in the process that it is hard to ask for support (outside a funding application) and it took a while to be able to feel comfortable in asking the mentors specific questions and for advice." – Far North Queensland Participant
"The diversity of experience and personal perspectives was a huge boon. This multi-facetedness had an effect of a matrix download of concept exposure. I feel that these few days were highly concentrated and have armed me with a much clearer picture of the landscape my project exists within, what people connect with and what needs clarification. I had more contact with certain mentors and people so I would like to give them a higher score but I feel everyone's contribution was essential to my experience. The balance was very good." – Far North Queensland Participant
Participants of the Artist Residencies were asked to rate a number of elements relating to the program venues on a scale from one to ten. This allows the organisers to better understand the successes of the program and potential areas of improvement.
'General vibe/atmosphere' recieved the most positive ratings across all three residencies in aggregate. 81% of respondents rated this aspect as either a 9 or a 10.
Participants of both the BARN and SA Retreats were most positive in their responses regarding the venues when it came to the catering, while FNQ participants were most positive in their responses regarding the 'General vibe/atmosphere' (10/10, 53%). 'Accommodation and catering' was additionally regarded as the lowest out of all aspects listed for the FNQ venue. Overall, all venue aspects were typically regarded highly for both the BARN and SA Retreats, with FNQ responses presenting more varied results.
Participants were asked to describe what three next practical steps they planned to implement or action for their project/concept that was influenced by participating in the Local Giants Artist Residencies, and to provide a timeframe of when they thought this action could be achieved.
A selection of highlighted responses have been presented below to illustrate how participants sought to use the residencies in a variety of ways, as well as how the residencies encouraged practical 'next steps' as and outcome for participants, rather than the direct development of a creative work.
"Research - The mentors identified a number of artists/theatre groups who's practice strongly related to the essence of our revitalised project idea. We plan to watch, consume and research these artists work to help inform and strengthen our own project." – BARN Participant
"Assemble a killer team of performers. I will start by asking for suggestions from Alicia and Shania, whom I met on the retreat, sometime this year." – South Australia Participant
"Buy 2 notebooks: one for ideas and one for writing. By 20.10.22" – Far North Queensland Participant
"Gather 'CRONISMS' - source materials of well known and not so well known lines that HAGS say from fairytales, myths, legends and folk tales. Next six months" – BARN Participant
"Reach out to other artist in the state (Adelaide Cabaret Festival or Circa) to see if workshops/performances can be involved. 6-9 months" – South Australia Participant
"Decide how I may proceed with the aboriginal Bible. Make a plan timeframe, possibilities, realistic expectations, etc." – Far North Queensland Participant
"Dive in - start writing a scene to test the major challenge of how the old and new language will fit together - by the end of May." – BARN Participant
"Finish off the draft game text I started in November and negotiate fee/resources needed with Sam to package into small Twine game. Ideally have ready to launch mid 2022." – South Australia Participant
"Consult with project artists and Production Manager by zoom/phone by Friday October 28th." – Far North Queensland Participant
Notably, despite a creative work not being an explicit outcome of the residency, many participants opted to report that a creative work was their aim, and described steps that would assist in the generation of that work. This suggests that the decision for the residencies to focus on soft-skills and other forms of personal development, rather than the creation of a direct work by artists, did not ultimately discourage the generation of work, but likely rather supported it implicitly, rather than explicitly.
Followup analysis may wish to consider how participants actioned their next steps and may wish to consider asking participants if the discussions that were had at the residencies helped them navigate issues that were part of their creative development that they were unable to plan for, until those issues became apparent. Such a finding could support the continuation of resideicies like this, in lieu of shorter workshop style 'skills development' programs that are more typical within the cultural sector.
Participants were asked to indicate if there was anything that the respective resdiency host organisation and Performing Lines could have done to improve their overall experience.
"I know I wasn't technically eligible and was only able to attend because someone else pulled out, but I'm really grateful for that flexibility. Although I live in Glossop, the larger percentage of my work over the past four years has been on the Eyre Peninsula so my community is also there and I'm glad I was able to be with them for the inaugural residency. Also I didn't talk about it with anyone except Louisa, but I want to write something new for the Chaffey Theatre (with touring potential), so just planting that seed everywhere I can. Thank you all for all the behind the scenes work you do every day, and for this opportunity especially. I know how much of it is invisible, but it matters very much." – South Australia Participant
"I would so appreciate more/other opportunities like this for me and the other artists affected by Covid." – BARN Participant
"This retreat has been the single most generous, educational and activating experience I've had in my eight years in the north. THANK YOU" – Far North Queensland Participant
"I wasn't very clear about what to expect over the 3 days 'what would happen' but in hindsight I'm glad I didn't know the detailed schedule - some information about what to expect without giving away the surprise of the unfolding experience would have been helpful, perhaps." – South Australia Participant
"Really appreciated verbal reminders about what's happening next. Because of weekend's impact/shift to creative gear I struggled with time & place: went vague. Accept as likely in some participants rather than failure in anyone's comms. Goes with territory" – BARN Participant
"Arts Queensland should invest in the national sector and partner with performing lines. It would probably be a centralised solution (Brisbane), but producing for Torres, mainland and non-indigenous cultures in FNQ sees Cairns as a hub (CIAF is an annual institution for presenting already). Teach more people here to be producers. Assisting artists to make a strategy by mapping and connecting the dots already available within their practice, then assisting by identifying / suggesting pathways or opportunities toward realising the project would help the works journey." – Far North Queensland Participant
"Ensure observers only observe. Even if everyone there agrees to them talking, including the mentor, it impacts the group. It would be good if the 1 on 1 mentors were prepared to ask at least on question to participants to guide the discussion: e.g why did you feel like connecting to me or my experience? This was of interest to me about your presentation, why do you...? What other projects do you have on the go?" – South Australia Participant
"I felt very well taken care of and supported, the schedule was clear and I appreciated the space to have a lot of creative conversations. If anything, more flexibility of time, however I appreciate the tight timeframe we were working with." – BARN Participant
"Thank you to all involved! There was a bit of confusion at the beginning correspondence with dates and due dates and such, but it was still manageable " – Far North Queensland Participant
Mentors of the Producers Platform were asked to respond to a range of dimension statements in relation to their experience and perceptions of the Regional Producers Platform. They were also asked a series of freetext questions. Results and selection of these responses can be seen below.
Mentors and Guests that were part of the Regional Artist Residencies were not formally asked for feedback as part of the evaluation. There is an opportunity to review mentor feedback processes in the future.
"It was great to have that cohort at the conference and to see the energy they were bringing. Attending those events are just not achievable for independents (financially) let alone emerging indi's so the funded opportunity to attend and be exposed to the sector in that way, at that stage in their career is invaluable."
"The program worked well in connecting participants with mentors. This in turn gave mentors the opportunity to broker connections for the participants with their contacts amongst the APAX delegates."
"It seemed like the supporting program around the conference for the producers was amazing and so well supported. My mentees were loving their morning check ins, the tours, and special events. My particular mentees didn't really know what they wanted to get from the APAX experience but I think that's ok."
"There seemed to be a very big difference in some participants. One I was working with would have been more suited to the presenter training program. Maybe just really ensuring they are clear about what projects they work on that are related to producing."
"Very emerging producers did not have a clear idea of where they were heading or what they wanted to ask so just being available to process the day and talk about some of what they had experienced at the conference in relation to their own practice was valuable I think."
"The mentees are soaking up everything you're telling them - have a conversation and you don't know where it will lead and what relevance they will connect to what they want to know. But that's a good thing!"
Mentors were most likely to agree that participating in the program helped them gain new insight of knowledge about the needs of emerging regional producers ('Insight', 94/100). This was followed by 'Responsiveness' (84/100), demonstrating that mentors were also highly likely to agree that the organisers responded well to the needs of the group. 'Clarity' (71/100) achieved a slightly lower score, while still a high result, demonstrating that the mentors felt relatively positive when asked if they felt clear about what they were there to achieve, prior to participating in the program.
'Friendship' achieved the lowest score overall, demonstrating that mentors were least likely to agree that they got to know the producers in the program and connect with fellow mentors. This demonstrates a potential area of improvement for the organisers to address, however, the result may be investigated further due to the low number of responses.
The below anecdotal feedback was provided by a participating artist of the South Australia Retreat of the Artist Residency Program, to add context to the value proposition and the resulting impact of the program at an individual and sector level.
Prior to attending my practice has been neglected (by me) for a long time, I felt quite lost in it. The retreat allowed me to contemplate that surrounded by passionate, creative people and supportive mentors, staff and friends. I can see that it might be a turning point in my practice. I'm an interdisciplinary artist, and being able to speak with mentors who have such rich and diverse experience was fantastic. Perhaps more importantly, they're all very familiar with the process of devising and producing, and they're good at asking helpful questions. They literally guided me from a vague area of interest to a specific, achievable vision in two days. Having plenty of time to speak in depth about a concept was extremely helpful, and hard to find elsewhere.
As a regional artists, connecting with other performing artists is always hard and making work can be quite isolating, so forming connections in other communities is invaluable.
As a regional artists, connecting with other performing artists is always hard and making work can be quite isolating, so forming connections in other communities is invaluable.
I'm a regional artist who wants to work in regional Australia - I have no desire to relocate to the city for opportunities so creating space to connect with regional peers is really important to me. I've sat in too many rooms where everyone just tells you to move. Access to mentors and facilitators who respect my desire to stay and acknowledge the unique perspective and value that can bring to both urban and regional audiences and practice is really critical to me and this residency enabled that. Starting from that place meant I could actually really investigate my own work and where it's heading without having to slow down and convince anyone why I'm regional and why that matters. The biggest immediate impact for me was a renewed sense of community and connection, and a reminder that I do indeed know my shit and have something valuable to bring to the table. I'm very much in a transition moment with my practice and had been feeling a bit of a crisis of confidence, but the time spent at the residency has affirmed for me that I'm heading in the direction I want to be and that I'm not alone.
The opportunity to share our vulnerabilities in a supportive environment really encouraged me to believe in, and champion, core aspects of my practice and my personhood which I had sometimes sought to obscure in the past. I was also hugely inspired by the bravery that people displayed in sharing their stories.
In my own region, I'm often the most experienced person in the room and that means I'm very reliant on my own expertise and instinct (which I always doubt). It was such a gift to have access to big brilliant brains that know so much more than I do, and could stretch my thinking and ideas. Even the little things like mentioning companies and artists I haven't been exposed to is so valuable and I really appreciated the national context the mentors were able to bring. I also really loved the mix of mentors reflecting mainstage and independent avenues.
Knowing that such highly respected artists and very experienced people in the world of arts (the mentors) got to see my work and loved it was such an honour and invaluable experience for me. It motivated me to keep going.
It's incredibly inspiring and a privilege to be allowed extended access to arts professionals such as the mentors with their wealth of knowledge. The generosity of the mentors was a highlight of the weekend.
I thought the mentors were so generous with their time and advice. Speaking with practitioners from outside the region helped us feel connected to the national community of practice in Australia, and illuminated some of the systems through which works may be funded and produced on that level.
An excellent residency full of support, care and inspiration. It was refreshing to be among other artists, see what everyone is working on. I loved every minute of it. Thank you.
I think the gift of this retreat model will change the lives of so many south australian artists and am hugely thankful that I was able to be part of the inaugural SA retreat.
The supportive and caring environment was an amazing experience to be a part of. I felt that in sharing our vulnerabilities, we developed a real sense of compassion and regard for one another.
Thanks for creating this fantastic opportunity to develop as an artist! Everything I learned at the residency will help me to create better quality work
A magical experience that I will treasure forever.
Local Giants is a multi-project, multi-year program. This report represents the first stages of this program which builds on the strengths of each consortium member.
This method of delivery encourages the consortium partners to work together towards a formative outcome for the project; one that can align with the strategic intentions of each consortium member, while also considering the expectations of each of their respective stakeholders. Feedback in this evaluation suggests that this methodology has delivered positive results so far, with participants indicating strong and positive reception to the programs delivered. Participants indicated that the programs facilitated career clarity and helped to establish personal networks.
With these projects complete, the consortium faces the unique challenge of preparing for the next stage of the project. There may be lessons that can be taken from the work so far, that can transfer into the next stages of the project. These include:
While the programs delivered so far have been formative for participants, they've also allowed the delivery consortium to find their footing with each. The next stage will likely create challenges. Based on the work so far, we recommend:
Ensure enough time is available to build towards a formative outcome
Participants in the programs commented that some of the most valuable elements of their respective programs came from the allowance of appropriate time to reflect and respond. These moments also helped facilitate new networks and friendships. Where elements of the program felt rushed, participants asked for more time.
Provide opportunities that support reflection and reflexive practice
Where time is provided for reflection, participants enjoyed actioning on that reflection; whether that be through later discussions or other forms of reflexive practice that challenged their understanding, perspectives or conceptions.
Partner where possible to facilitate new and undiscovered networks and outcomes
Both participants and mentors commented on the value of the program, which suggests a wider sectoral interest in the outputs and outcomes of Local Giants. Networking was one of the most positive participant experiences of the project, along with friendship. These may not have been explicit outcomes of the process, but still created significant value for participants.
The delivery of Local Giants has leveraged the respective strengths of each consortium member; whether that be through the delivery of APAX conference, the residency models from Performing Lines / Regional Arts bodies, or the professional development program for regional producers. The positivity however appears to be that each consortium member has sought to run each activity in manner that is different to the way in which they would have done so independently, which created positive outcomes that were not initially expected by the consortium members. In moving into the next stage, consortium members should ensure to continue challenging themselves to build on their shared knowledge and allowing space for new discoveries and potential outcomes that come through as a results of this.
This report has been prepared by Laura Doyle, Tom McKenzie and Jordan Gibbs of Culture Counts. The authors would like to thank all stakeholders and staff for their participation in this research.
Approved by: Jordan Gibbs
Date of Approval: 2 December, 2022
We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present.