Creative Barkly

RDA NT partnered with Griffith University, Barkly Regional Arts, and other stakeholders to deliver the Creative Barkly project.

Creative Barkly was a three-year research project looking at arts and creativity across the Barkly Region (2016-2019). The project aimed to understand how artistic and creative activities contribute to cultural, social and economic development in Barkly communities and the Region as a whole.

Over a total of ten field trips to the region, the researchers administered a survey to 120 individual artists and creative producers (representing 1.6% of the population), and conducted interviews and consultations with representatives from 36 key organisations. Our ecological approach to the arts and creative sector in the Barkly recognised relationships and patterns between traditionally separated domains such as commercial, amateur and subsidised. This made the Creative Barkly study unique, incorporating cross-cultural, cross-art form, and cross-sector perspectives.

This study represents the first independent evidence base of its kind to be generated for arts and creativity in the Barkly. This evidence base and comprehensive set of 48 recommendations will be helpful in planning the future of arts across the Barkly.

The research team included: Professor Brydie-Leigh Bartleet (Lead Chief Investigator); Dr Sarah Woodland (Research Fellow); Professor Naomi Sunderland (Chief Investigator) and Professor Sandy O’Sullivan (Chief Investigator). The partner organisation representatives included: Alan Murn (Barkly Regional Arts) and Dr Robin Gregory (Regional Development Australia, NT). The project also has an Advisory Group of Elders, leading Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, policy makers, industry professionals, academics, and two international experts.