Did you know that this year is UNESCO’S ‘Year of the Creative Economy and Sustainable Development’? 

A creative economy is based on people's use of their creative imagination to increase an idea's value and broadly includes audiovisual products, design, new media, performing arts, publishing and visual arts.

During the past two years of pandemic, the impact on some areas of the creative economy has been enormous while at the same time climate change is causing an increasing underlay of anxiety in many communities.

The recently shown series ‘Fires’ on the ABC is an example of the involvement of creativity and the creative economy in raising the issue of climate change.  A project which provided the employment and cultural engagement of writers, actors, filmmakers and many more, it will hopefully be recognised and nominated for many awards.

If I were asked to submit nominations for an imagined ‘Inaugural Benalla Sustainable Futures Group Benalla and District Creative Economy for Sustainable Development Award’ which recognises the use of creativity to raise the issue of and the value of sustainability, six nominations come to mind:

Artist Tim Bowtell – for his ‘Cornography’ mural on the side of the Seniors’ Centre facing towards the library (Wall to Wall 2018); and for his portraits of Greta Thunberg (2019) and David Attenborough on the Council Office’s window in (2020) as part of the Window to Window.  Tim’s tenacity and courage in using his practice to provoke a deeper consideration of sustainability is inspirational.

Sculptor – Tony Levy, for a creative outlet during retirement using recycled objects to create accessible, sustainably created sculptures

SCRAP Art Festival – for developing a concept which not only validates and disseminates the work of artists working with recycled materials, but advocates for recycled art and a circular economy.

Swanpool Environmental Film Festival – for so effectively linking finely crafted films on environmental issues in a program which deepens understanding in a package which includes film, inspirational and well-informed speakers, and good food and company.

Benalla Art Gallery – Bush Fire Posters exhibition

Luke Davies and the Recycled String Band – for their song ‘Recycle and Reuse’. 
​
Who would you nominate and why?    
 
Bev Lee

Further reading: 
https://en.unesco.org/commemorations/international-years/creativeeconomy2021
https://research.qut.edu.au/creativehotspots/defining-the-creative-economy/
https://unctad.org/news/creative-economy-have-its-year-sun-2021

​Tuesday 7th January, 2020
 
To - Mayor and Councillors, Benalla Rural City                                                                     URGENT
 
Dear Danny and fellow councillors,
 
I am writing on behalf of Benalla Sustainable Future Group, and many of the other people in our community who share our views, to earnestly request that Tim Bowtell’s painting of Greta Thunberg is retained on the Council Customer Service Centre window.
 
We view this painting as a powerful statement that here is a community that cares, not only about the present wellbeing of its citizens, but the future as well. Greta is a beacon of hope for millions of people, both young and old, around the world, and a hero for them as she challenges the world’s leaders to take immediate and urgent action to mitigate climate change.
 
Climate change action is not a political issue, as some would have us believe. It is an environmental, social, economic and ethical issue, and we are right now experiencing one of the most devastating effects predicted long ago by climate scientists, as a result of the warming and drying of our part of the Earth.
 
We need to take a stand on the issue of climate change, and what better way can there be for Council to demonstrate their support for action, than to leave Greta’s image on the window.
 
We understand that the “Window to Window” festival invites artists to paint images related to Christmas, and that those images remain on windows for a period of time at the discretion of the various establishments. We are asking Council to exercise their discretion on this occasion to allow this image to remain. The messages of Christmas are love, joy, peace and hope. What Greta symbolizes is a message of hope for the future and a great love for the wellbeing of the Earth and her fellow humankind.
 
Yours sincerely,
 
Peter Holmes
President - BSFG