Creative Sector Mapping with Arts Mid North Coast

Written By Patternmakers

As the most populated regional area of NSW, the creative industries play a huge role in the Mid North Coast culturally, socially, and economically.

In 2024, the region’s peak arts organisation, Arts Mid North Coast (AMNC), commissioned Patternmakers to help develop a new evidence base to support the region’s creative sector.

Data was collected via a combination of 7 stakeholder interviews, 3 public consultation/networking events, 5 online focus groups and a survey with 352 respondents.

Key findings

The Mid North Coast is changing, and the region is now home to over 3,000 cultural and creative sector workers.

  • Since 2016, employment and business counts in these industries both grew over 20%. Within this set of industries, there is a vibrant population of artists, including long-time locals (60%) and newcomers (40%) from places like Sydney and Melbourne which are becoming unaffordable for artists.

  • There is a sense that the region has ‘come a long way’ in recent years, with exciting developments like new facilities, increasing gallery sales in some places, and cultural venue redevelopments.

  • However, right now, the arts is suffering in the context of what some are calling ‘eco-social collapse’. The pandemic and cost-of-living crisis have taken their toll, and some people and organisations are downsizing or moving out of the sector altogether.

  • There is ambition in the sector not just to survive these tough times – but continuing growing a flourishing creative community in the region.

Download the Fact Sheet

Click the button below to read the community profiles and creative opportunities for the six LGA’s in the region: Kempsey, Bellingen, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Mid-Coast, Nambucca Valley & Coffs Harbour.

 

About the commissioning organisation

Arts Mid North Coast is committed to supporting and collaborating with government, communities, organisations, business, and individuals to build capacity and create opportunities for the arts and creative industries.

AMNC envisions a vibrant and diverse region that embraces the creation, understanding and appreciation of the arts on fostering economic, community, cultural and environmental opportunities, and benefits.

AMNC is now in a new chapter, with a new Director and working towards a new strategic plan. They want to develop strategies around projects and programs that are most needed, and know how to prioritise these moving forward.

Acknowledgements

Arts Mid North Coast and Patternmakers would like to acknowledge the participants in this research who took the time to contribute to this study.

If you have any thoughts or questions about the research, get in touch with us via info@thepatternmakers.com.au.

 

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