Adelaide will play host to world-class speakers along with top-level delegates from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) for the first ever Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference from 23 – 26 October 2019.
Organised by Adelaide Festival Centre and supported by the Government of South Australia through Arts SA, the inaugural four-day conference will give delegates the opportunity to take part in panels and round table discussions, artistic showcased and study tours to deepen regional collaboration and highlight cultural leadership in the Asia-Pacific.
“Adelaide Festival Centre is looking forward to welcoming attendees to the inaugural Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference,” said Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier AM. “It is an opportunity for delegates from the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the Asia-Pacific and creative practitioners to foster valuable new working relationships and create partnerships and connections, all while experiencing Adelaide’s richly diverse culture.”
The APCC Conference will feature delegates from the UCCN in the Asia-Pacific region, together with government officials, mayors, world-leading thinkers and creative practitioners. They will discuss topics including sustainable development, entrepreneurship, bilateral partnership, tourism and marketing strategies, and as well as panels honoring the UN International Year of Indigenous Languages.
The first line up of international and Australian panellists has been recently released and moderators include Pippa Dickson, Director of Asialink Arts, Dr Mat Trinca, Director National Museum of Australia, and John Carty, Head of Humanities at the South Australian Museum and Professor of Anthropology at the University of Adelaide. Additional panellists will be announced very soon.
The City of Adelaide will host a civic reception for conference delegates and a round table meeting for visiting mayors from the Creative Cities taking part. These events will present an opportunity to demonstrate Adelaide’s vision and leadership in incorporating creativity and live music into sustainable urban development.
“Adelaide’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music enables us to showcase our music culture, music industry, local artists and cultural heritage to the rest of the world during the Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference,” said Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor. “It will create links and pathways for artists to connect with other Creative Cities, and delegates will be able to collaborate in support of creative industries.”
The APCC Conference will take place alongside OzAsia Festival and will showcase the innovation and creativity of the Asia-Pacific region. It will also give delegates the chance to create new cultural and creative industry (CCI) opportunities within the Asia-Pacific, which has been described in a 2015 EY Report Cultural times: The first global map of cultural and creative industries as the world’s biggest CCI market, generating AUD$1068 b of revenue and 12.7 million jobs.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The network of 180 cities covers seven creative fields: Design, Literature, Music, Film, Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts and Gastronomy.
“As a UNESCO City of Music, Adelaide is committed to growing and sharing its vibrant musical culture, developing partnerships and prioritising international collaboration with the members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network,” said Chair of the Adelaide UNESCO City of Music committee Graeme Koehne. “The first Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference is an opportunity to outline a vision and strategy for regional cooperation and long-term partnership development within this important network.”
Adelaide was designated as a City of Music in 2015, and is Australia’s first and only City of Music. Australia’s UNESCO Creative Cities also include Sydney City of Film, Melbourne City of Literature and Geelong City of Design.
The 2019 Asia-Pacific Creative Cities Conference runs from 23 – 26 October. Delegates can register here. The provisional program can be viewed here.
Image: Adelaide Festival Centre at night (supplied)