Thank you to everyone who completed a survey or came along to one of the drop-ins in October.

The community engagement report will be available soon.

Arts and cultural activity has an important role in creating an inclusive, connected and vibrant community for all ages and backgrounds. Creative outlets help us develop as individuals and as a community – from early childhood to our later years in life.

For children, creative play is an essential part of their development, and supports their sense of exploration and collaboration. The value of the arts in later years is increasingly being recognised in slowing the impacts of aging, and even in managing the effects of dementia. In our middle years, the arts are a source of stimulation, entertainment and learning.

Recognising the importance of creative pursuits in the health and wellbeing of our community, we are developing an Arts and Cultural Plan for the Shire. The draft Plan will link to our Community Strategic Plan, to Healthy Ageing Hornsby, and to our Community and Cultural Facilities Strategic Plan. It will address, amongst other issues, community participation, learning, facilities for making and presenting, and support for our creative practitioners.

The first stage of preparing the draft Arts and Cultural Plan is to find out from you how you currently interact with local arts and culture and what you would like to see in the future by completing the short survey.

• To receive a paper copy of the survey, please email Council at hsc@hornsby.nsw.gov.au (attention Neil Chippendale).
• For enquiries about the survey, please contact Melanie Tasker at Positive Solutions by email: admin@positive-solutions.com.au.
• For surveys translated into Chinese, Korean or Farsi, click on the links on the right hand side to download a copy. Please return completed surveys to the Library.

Survey closes: Sunday 22 October 2023.