Group plans to make art an election issue

A Dunedin arts advocacy group hopes to make arts and culture an issue at this year's local government elections.

Transforming Dunedin will hold a mayoral forum next week to give candidates a platform to share their vision for arts and culture in Dunedin.

''We believe this is the first mayoral forum with a focus on arts and culture to be held in Dunedin,''

Transforming Dunedin spokesman Paul Smith said yesterday.

''Candidates need to understand what the arts and cultural sectors are and what it can do for Dunedin in terms of quality of life and future economic development.

''This is an opportunity for people to gauge the level of support candidates have for arts and culture and to put their questions or concerns to them.''

The forum was timely, as the Dunedin City Council was in the process of developing an arts and culture strategy, Mr Smith said.

''Many of these issues fly below the radar and the forum is a chance to have an open dialogue about the future role arts and culture could play in the life of Dunedin.''

Transforming Dunedin was established to promote the development of creative and cultural communities in Dunedin.

The forum will be chaired by Otago Festival of the Arts director Nicholas McBryde and held at 7pm on Thursday, September 5, at the Fortune Theatre.

nigel.benson@odt.co.nz

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