Project objective
Bayside City Council is developing a Libraries, Arts and Culture strategic plan 2023 - 2027, which will have two action plans (one for Libraries and one for Arts and Culture).
Each strategy will set the direction for the next four years, guiding Council’s efforts to partner with and support our community to promote, support and grow arts, culture and libraries in Bayside.The strategy will be developed through a wide-reaching community engagement process with the wider Bayside population and key Council committees. Within this, we will ensure that the strategy aligns with Council’s new community vision and Council Plan.
Project impacts
The Library Services Strategic Plan 2018-2022 was developed based on the recommendations brought forward in the Library Services Strategic Service Review Parts One and Two, which was conducted in 2016 and 2017 and endorsed by Council in 2016 and 2018.
This review and the subsequent strategy could not have anticipated the impact on our community due to COVID lockdowns during the lifetime of this strategy.
The next strategy will need to focus on contemporary library offerings in a post-lockdown environment.
The 2018-2022 Bayside Arts Strategic Plan was developed to guide the future arts programming in Bayside and connected people to each other and their community through the celebration of art and the sharing of ideas. The future plan should build on the achievements of the last four years including the transition to deliver services online due to the impacts of COVID 19.
Art has the ability to connect diverse groups of people across a variety of ages, ethnicity and backgrounds and one of the roles of Council is to facilitate and provide an arts program that builds social connection and creates opportunities for enjoyment and expression.
The Bayside Gallery and our Libraries, in addition to our arts events, are all places where the community can connect with each other in an atmosphere of learning, creativity, celebration and the sharing of ideas, building a resilient Bayside community that can meet the challenges of the future.
What information do we need from the community?
We are looking for feedback on what our community thinks we should focus on to promote, support and grow arts, culture and libraries.
This includes feedback:
- On the current arts programming and Library programming; are we on the right track?
- Ensure the library is meeting the needs of community through being accessible when the community needs it
- On the areas Council’s arts and culture activities could have greater impact
- To understand if there anything Council do more of to support the arts and culture of Bayside
We'll also be using the data collected in the Victorian public library survey to understand more about the people who currently use the the library and what they would like to see more of.
What can the community influence?
- Priorities and themes of the Libraries, Arts and Culture strategic plan 2023 - 2027
- What deliverables are that Council commits over the next four years.
What can’t the community influence?
- Any major existing or new infrastructure upgrades e.g no new libraries or gallery buildings
- The budget allocation by Council for the libraries and arts and culture programs
Stakeholders and community
This stakeholder assessment is a generalised understanding of sections of the community that have a connection to the project or matter. This information is used to understand the types of tools and techniques that will achieve the strongest and most effective outcomes for engagement and communication.
- Impact: What level of change the stakeholder / community segment may experience as a result of the project / matter
- Interest: What level of interest has been expressed or is anticipated
- Influence: Reference to the IAP2 Spectrum
Stakeholder / community | Impact | Interest | Influence |
| Arts Advisory Committee | H | H | Involve |
| Bayside residents who do not currently access library & arts services | L | L | Consult |
| Bayside
U3A (Brighton Court House) | L | M | Consult |
Beaumaris Theatre
Company | M | M | Consult |
Beaumaris Art
Group | M | M | Consult |
Brighton Art
Society | M | M | Consult |
| Brighton
Historical Society | M | M | Consult |
Brighton Theatre
Company | M | M | Involve |
Current library & arts users | H | H | Consult |
| Friends of Black
Rock House | L | M | Consult |
| Sandringham
Street Art Crew | M | M | Consult |
| Schools and students/teachers | L | L | Consult |
| Kindergartens | M | L | Consult |
General Bayside community | L | L | Consult |
Sandringham
Historical Society | L | M | Consult |
Council’s committees including Bayside Healthy Aging Reference Group, Reconciliation Advisory Committee, FReeZA and Bayside Disability Access and Inclusion Committee | M | H | Involve |
Selected tools and techniques
The tools and techniques selected for this project are informed by the project content, stakeholders and type of feedback sought. The impact of COVID-19 may restrict our ability for face-to-face communication, as well as slower distribution of printed mail.
Key tools for communicating the project
- workshops with Council committee groups
- Flyer handouts at libraries, gallery and Bayside City Council Corporate Centre
- Signage Installed at libraries, Bayside gallery, playgrounds and in activity centres
- direct email to key stakeholders
- website news stories and This Week in Bayside e-newsletter
- advertising via News Corp
- Let’s Talk Bayside magazine.
Key methods for gathering feedback
Project timelines
Decision-making process
Feedback for this project will be open between 4 April – 1 May 2022. Stakeholder meetings will be undertaken to gauge qualitative feedback. The information and data gathering from both the survey and focus groups will inform the development of the Draft Plan. Interested parties can subscribe to a mailing list to be updated about the project by selecting the blue +Subscribe button at the top of this page.
Strategic alignment
Bayside’s Libraries, Arts and Culture strategic plan is guided by the Bayside 2050 Community Vision, Council Plan 2021-2025.
Arts and culture directly aligns with the themes and key priorities in the Bayside Community Vision 2050:
- Theme 5: Nurturing Creativity
5.1 Bayside will nurture a vibrant and connected community by promoting creativity in the arts in all its forms. - Theme 6: Promoting Innovation
6.1 Innovative methods, ideas and products to drive Council’s future planning. - 10.3 Create more events and facilities focused around or beside the foreshore - eg. Sculpture by the Bay, night food markets, outside gyms a la Muscle beach in Venice Beach, Los Angeles
The project will also deliver on the goals and strategic objectives in Bayside’s Council Plan 2021 – 2025:
- 1.1. Lead and influence change to address the Climate Emergency and strive to reduce its impact on the health of our community, environment and the planet.
- Goal 2: Our People
2.1 Nurture healthy people and resilient communities ensuring services and programs are adaptable to meet diverse and changing need
2.2 Engage with our diverse communities to improve access and inclusion in Bayside
More information
Giacomina Pradolin
Acting Manager Libraries, Arts and Cultural
Bayside City Council
76 Royal Ave, Sandringham 3191
9599 4371
