The City of Ballarat’s ‘Be Kind, Be Creative’ cultural response and support of the local sector during COVID-19 has been documented in a UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN)publication, released in Beijing. M
The (UCCN) reached out to its member cites from around the world, to collect and learn from the local measures that were, and still are, being undertaken in the face of the pandemic.
Melbourne is the only other Australian City to be profiled in the e-publication, viewed by decision makers within each City and throughout the UNESCO network of Creative Cities.
The document highlights the incredible diversity of how cities across continents and regions have made culture and creativity a core component in their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and has been released as an incentive for other member Cities.
As a Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, Ballarat commissioned eight local artists across a wide selection of genres, from music to poetry, ceramics and visual arts, to document the current global crisis and the city’s place within it.
The collaboration amongst artists took place online, to encourage them to positively respond to the challenge through cooperation and teamwork while respecting social distancing.
The outcomes of the works will be exhibited at the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 2021.
Ballarat Mayor, Cr Ben Taylor said the ‘Be Kind, Be Creative’ initiative met the criteria of offering local communities with opportunities to creatively adapt to the new and evolving circumstances.
“This is great recognition for an innovative, creative collaboration between a Council and its talented creative community, that can be replicated on platforms around the world,” he said.
