More than 200 top-level delegates from around the world – including 20 cities from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) – will converge in Adelaide today for the inaugural Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference.
Organised by Adelaide Festival Centre, the first time four-day event, from October 23-26, brings together world-leading thinkers, creative practitioners and government officials to discuss topics including indigenous arts, language and culture, sustainable development, entrepreneurship, bilateral partnership and tourism and marketing in the Asia-Pacific creative industries.
The event will deepen regional collaboration and highlight cultural leadership in the Asia-Pacific region. A 2015 EY report (‘Cultural times: The first global map of cultural and creative industries’) found the Asia-Pacific region has the largest cultural and creative industries market and consumer base in the world, generating US $743 billion in revenues and 12.7 million jobs – 43% of the cultural and creative industries jobs worldwide.
International and Australian panellists include Craig Ritchie, CEO of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Pippa Dickson, Director of Asialink Arts, Patricia Adjei, Arts Practice Director First Nations Arts and Culture, Australia Council for the Arts, Eric Falt, Director UNESCO New Delhi and Dr Mat Trinca, Director National Museum of Australia.
The Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference takes place alongside OzAsia Festival and showcases the innovation and creativity of the Asia-Pacific region. Delegates will also have a chance to create new cultural and creative industry (CCI) opportunities and partnerships within the Asia-Pacific with a networking event attended by representatives from Adelaide’s arts sector.
Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says, “Adelaide Festival Centre is proud to be hosting this ground-breaking gathering of so many Asia-Pacific Creative Cities and we welcome artists, speakers, participants and supporters to our vibrant city. This is an outstanding opportunity for delegates from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network to share ideas and create partnerships and connections, all while experiencing Adelaide’s richly diverse culture.”
Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor says, “Adelaide’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music enables us to showcase our music culture, music industry, local artists and cultural heritage to the rest of the world during the Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference. It will create links and pathways for artists to connect with other Creative Cities, and delegates will be able to collaborate in support of creative industries.”
The City of Adelaide will host a civic reception for conference delegates and a meeting for visiting mayors taking part. These events will present an opportunity to demonstrate Adelaide’s vision and leadership in incorporating creativity and live music into sustainable urban development.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The network of 180 cities covers seven creative fields: Design, Literature, Music, Film, Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts and Gastronomy.
Adelaide was designated as a City of Music in 2015, and is Australia’s first and only City of Music. Australia’s UNESCO Creative Cities include Adelaide City of Music, Sydney City of Film, Melbourne City of Literature and Geelong City of Design.
The program can be viewed here
Find out more about Adelaide: UNESCO City of Music here
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