Creative juices were flowing as members of Dunedin's arts community gathered to discuss the future of the city's arts and culture scene over the weekend.
About 250 people, including Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, were at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Friday night for the launch of the Transforming Dunedin: Creative Arts and Culture Symposium 2012.
A further 300 gathered at the Dunedin School of Art on Saturday for a symposium of workshops and addresses by guests from around New Zealand.
Organiser and DPAG director Elizabeth Caldwell said the two events aimed to identify key issues facing the sector, and ideas for how each should be handled.
The results would be collated into a report by next month, and presented to all participants and the Dunedin City Council to consider.
One key message to emerge was the need to boost the profile of arts and culture activity already taking place in Dunedin, she said.
"People don't realise just how much work is being undertaken in this area, and how talented people are," she said.
Other ideas would also emerge once the report was compiled, and recommending ways forward.
"This is not just about saying to the council we want more money to do things. And in fact it's not necessarily about the council. There's a range of things we want to do."
The group was formed as part of the council's Your City, Our Future consultation initiative launched in 2010, but had continued in an effort to act as a conduit between the arts and culture community and the council.
"We know this is a time of change ... and we want to be a central part of the new vision that's shaping up for Dunedin. We think arts and culture has a very strong role to play in that respect."
