CHAIR’S REPORT - Tim Stackpool, Inner West Creative Network AGM 2022

As the outgoing Chair, this is a pretty proud moment. While the Inner West of Sydney is home to more artists and creatives per capita than any other local government area, until now there has been no overarching collective voice for those creatives to collaborate, confer, advocate, support or merely feel represented “as a whole”. But while it's been all hands on deck for the past 18 months to establish the Inner West Creative Network, the development of the network started almost exactly 3 years ago. It was in October 2019, the Economic Development section of Inner West Council invited interested people to a consultation meeting to discuss ways to boost economic development for the Inner West creative sector. Inspired by the idea of setting up a network or chamber for creative people, one of the attendees (Tamara Winikoff) began investigating ways to make this happen. Several others joined in, and an interim committee was formed to progress the idea. However, sadly COVID struck and the whole process slowed down. Nevertheless, the committee resolutely continued their efforts and to much satisfaction, the Inner West Creative Network was brought to reality and officially launched a month ago. We are greatly indebted to Billy Cotsis, Inner West Council’s Economic Development Team-Leader who has provided solid support through both administrative and financial assistance, and continuous encouragement when our spirits flagged. Over the past 18 months, Articles of Association have been authored, the association itself has been registered, bank accounts established, a brand mark developed, a membership and communications website established, and the relentless work required to reach-out to as many artists and creatives as possible. A task yet to be complete, but it has all been done-so on a voluntary basis, contributing hundreds of hours, and saving considerable dollars. But of course, it hasn’t been without cost, and we’re grateful for the support in this regard received from Inner West Council. We’re indeed fortunate to have a very supportive Council when it comes to the arts and culture in the municipality, and although this Network is an independent artist-run entity, we will continue to seek the support of council, and of course gratefully acknowledge that continuing support. We are actually a very lucky bunch when it comes to the number of art practitioners, the art studios, the art collectives … so many of them located in the Inner West, each doing what they do best, supporting their artists, contributing to the culture of the Inner West. And while some may articulate that “the arts” should never be regarded as “an industry”, sometimes that type of language is required to have the authorities, the government departments, the politicians, the general public, take notice and recognise exactly what the arts bring, not only to the country, but perhaps more importantly, what it brings to the neighbourhood. Our neighbourhood. In 2020 UNSW Art & Design Associate Professor Lizzie Muller told me in an interview “It’s time for the leadership in the cultural sector to be much bolder and braver about how we tell our story,” adding that “The culture wars are on.” The change in government since then doesn’t mean we now relax, but instead presents the opportunity to leverage any arts-friendly administration, at whatever level, and create such momentum, there’s no way of slowing it down in a hurry. We know that engaging with the arts has a huge positive effect on our brains. In the same way that listening to music can change our mood (it truly is Prozac without prescription), so too can getting lost in a painting, engulfed by the storyline of grand fiction, be inspired by a photographed vista, travel to distant lands by cinematography, or being moved by an epic sculpture. And there’s much more of course. But given all that, The Inner West Creative Network is not the silver bullet. It shouldn't seek to be all things to all creatives. It can’t. It will be rendered helpless and will self-sabotage if it tries. And there will be criticism in that regard. However, its position will always be shaped by those most active within it, and in that vein, I encourage the broadest diversity of representation to participate, to sit on the committee, to bring the most sensible - and the craziest ideas - to the table. Up to this point the network has been operated by an interim committee, putting the nuts and bolts in place. I must thank Tamara Winikoff, Rhiannon Hopley, Vasilie Tiano, Kat Farrugia and Lian Loke for keeping the fire stoked along the way. Your input has been tremendous, patient and nothing but community-spirited. And in closing, I also thank the community of creatives within the Inner West who, by doing what they love, what they feel compelled to do, make the Inner West of Sydney the most entertaining, vibrant, colourful and incredible place to call home. A link to the Treasurer/Financial status as tabled at AGM 2022.