The transformation proposed to the structure of Auckland governance raises considerable concerns for the Auckland arts community. Alternatively, the restructuring offers the opportunity to re-evaluate the role that local government has in promoting the arts sector. This assessment is important in examining the contribution that the arts make to the economic development of the region and encouraging further progress in this area. Other cities and regions around the world are going through these same evaluations in order to discover how to improve their competitive advantage and maximise their prosperity. If Auckland fails to match these efforts, it risks losing talented human capital and international recognition and investment to those who are making stronger initiatives to attract them. By examining the progress made by the cities of London and Toronto, Auckland may be able to adapt and build on the real institutional arrangements which these cities have already employed and learned from.
This report was completed as part of an assessment for an honours programme course at the University of Auckland. The course, Policy Analysis and Evaluation, required a report to be produced that utilised policy analysis tools learned in the course within a policy topic of the researcher’s choice.
About the Author: Elise Sterback is a student at the University of Auckland, currently completing her honours in policy in the political studies department. Her research focus is in arts and the creative industries and she will be producing a dissertation on this topic in early 2011. Click here to contact her. View the dissertation proposal here.