The nexus of workforce development, the visitor economy, economic development, and community development is a powerful one. They aren’t isolated efforts but interconnected pillars that support thriving communities and robust economies. And, if we really want to support thriving communities and economies, we need to stop working in silos. But why does Australia and the organisations and budgets that support these sectors still work in silos? Why aren’t we working all hands together?

The arts, culture and creative industries sector in NSW has the largest creative workforce in Australia. The creative industries are an important part of the economy, accounting for a fifth of services exports and 10% of the state’s workforce and with great potential to grow. Australia is facing a big issue with our creative trade – for every dollar we make by selling creative stuff, we end up spending eight dollars on importing similar things. This deficit shows the potential growth that the arts, culture, and creative industries could have to bring in a lot more money and boost our economy as well as the profile of the sector. To support this growth opportunity, the 'Creative Communities Policy was introduced by the NSW Government late last year to maximise the opportunity this sector presents and enhance the cultural and creative sectors. Sparrowly Group’s Justine Sinclair provides a practical framework for realising the opportunities of this policy.

We as a society are moving into a new era of advancement, but one thing is for sure, if we don’t remain truly connected, we will never be truly connected; never be truly fulfilled. Sparrowly Group’s Giovanna Lever shares how she recognises and captures those micro moments to create meaningful connections and moments in life.

Social science delves into the complex and intricate realm of human behaviour, society, and culture. But it can be overlooked by many or avoided as being something that is hard to understand, boring or something left to the experts. Yet, without realising it, we are using it, or discussing it in some shape or form in our everyday lives.

“Going out at night”…this phrase can conjure up different images and perceptions. Typically these words more times than not are correlated with images usually involving dining, drinking and perhaps performances. The phrase “Going out at night” however, when linked to the night time economy extends way beyond just the ‘having fun’ sector. Sparrowly Group’s Justine Sinclair explains how to support vibrant communities by reimagining the night time economy.

In a world that thrives with human connection, why do we design our houses to live at the back of them? As we look towards optimising the natural assets of our towns and cities and building better public spaces to connect for residents and visitors, how can we take that same energy and better connect the streets we live in? Sparrowly Group’s Giovanna Lever provides solutions to connecting communities closer to home.