Collective Future: a consultation with the the Creative and Cultural Sector in Cairns 2011

This paper provides an overview of the Cultural and Creative industries sector consultation initiated by James Cook University, School of Creative Arts (JCU SoCA). The study's context the JCU 2011 Curriculum Refresh project is curriculum refresh and the continued development of the Bachelor of Creative Industries program in Cairns. Over twenty key stakeholders participated in substantial conversations during September - October 2011, this dialogue underpins the ideas of the paper and subsequent recommendations. Key stakeholders varied in scale and scope with the unifying traits of appropriate core sector business, and the geographic reach of Cairns and its surrounds. Those sampled include small to medium enterprises, leading tropical institutions, large events, and major commercial and government institutions. Three tiers of government were also sampled, and provide a context of the strata of local, state and federal perspectives.\ud \ud The study uses the 'Tropics' as a central notion and frames the relationship of those approached. Within the Far Northern Queensland framework many industry individuals sympathised with a local, national and international context, the region as a gateway to the Asia-Pacific and globalised outlook. A majority of those sampled are long-term residents or have a long investment in the region, the rest are newer residents with three being new to their role this year. The Australia Council representative had previously worked on the JCU Vincent Campus, but did not indulge in the second and third questions in relation to the tropics, and spoke from a national context