Southern Moreton Bay Island (SMBI) residents have voiced their ideas for change through a 12-month research project supported by Redland City Council and the State Government.
The SMBI Research Toolkit is a result of the work by Community Cultural Development Producer, Jeremy Staples. After collecting the ideas, concerns and creativity of the island’s residents, Mr Staples has launched the results of the project, set to benefit the island’s clubs, creatives, community groups and the wider public.
Mr Staples said the year-long project was developed to gauge community interest for a future community arts project known as a CULT-ure Map.
Mr Staples sited that 82.9 per cent of all responders said they were either interested or keen to be part of the CULT-ure Map project.
Examples found via the SMBI Research Toolkit show that September is the most suitable month for island events and Karragarra Island was the most visited island for recreational purposes.
Mr Staples said he would now work with island residents at a series of workshops to create the CULT-ure Map publication. These publications tap into the myriad of artists, event organisors and ‘creatives’ on the islands to highlight their contribution to the diverse region.
“The SMBI Research Toolkit was a feasibility study that highlighted the diversity of the island’s community, culture and history, and showed the need for a dedicated publication, the CULT-ure Map, to reflect this,” Mr Staples said.
“The findings of this research project aren’t just beneficial for the CULT-ure Map project but are an invaluable tool for community groups, clubs and individuals planning events across the islands.”
The SMBI Research Toolkit was previewed at Aunty Alice’s Café on Russell Island late last year with he project set to take place now.
SMBI Community and Wellbeing hub coordinator Jan Elston said the research from the Toolkit was beneficial for both the island and mainland communities.
“The final Toolkit isn’t an academic report, it’s an accessible resource that provides an insight to the island communities and their wants and needs, prefect for creative and business endeavours across the Southern Moreton Bay Islands” Ms Elston said.
Redland City Mayor, Karen Williams said the CULT-ure Map SMBI Feasibility Study Project laid important groundwork for developing tools that arts and non-arts organisations on the Southern Moreton Bay Islands could use to build the creative character of the islands.
“It’s great to see grant funding going into grassroots activities such as this, that support and promote the role and value of the arts in our City, and in particular in our island villages,” she said.
SMBI Research & CULT-ure Map Toolkit Survey received funding from the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Redland City Council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.
SMBI Research and CULT-ure Map Toolkit is free and available to download at: http://bit.ly/2qzkTIV
