A New Approach (ANA)

Meet Aakanksha Sidhu, Manager of Operations at A New Approach (ANA). Aakanksha joined ANA in 2021 with experience across various creative industries, such as contemporary fashion, music, performing arts, and arts education. Working and studying across regions in South, East and West Asia, Europe, and now a foothold in Australia, Aakanksha holds a unique cultural perspective that has cultivated her passion for independent artistry, cultural advocacy, design thinking, and socio-cultural equity. She has recently completed a Master of Arts and Cultural Management from the University of Melbourne, holds a Bachelors in Fashion Media and Industries from Lasalle College of the Arts, Singapore, and brings with her the experience of an artist manager working across music, visual arts, film and dance. 📷 Aakanksha is pictured at the National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra. Photo by Rohan Thompson. #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #staff

"At the close of the Paris 2024 Olympics, Australians celebrated our greatest performance at an overseas Games, coming fourth in the medal tally. But what few people know is that, just weeks earlier, Australia achieved another global fourth place: for our teens’ creative thinking." So begins an op-ed published last month in The Australian from A New Approach (ANA) Chair, Rupert Myer AO, on Australia's need for a long-term strategy for culture and creativity. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/g5ZK2cH9 Our fourth place in creative thinking came from "some unlikely heroes", Australia's 15-year-old school students. Creative thinking - that is, the capacity to generate, evaluate and improve original and diverse ideas - was included for the first time in the OECD’s 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment, which compares academic performance across 81 nations. While this shows Australia must be doing something right to foster creativity, Rupert's piece highlights a blind spot in our long-term strategy and planning. Australia's new National Sports Strategy, 'Sport Horizon', sets out a 10-year intergovernmental framework to support a thriving sports industry, recognising the social and economic benefits of sport and creating sustained opportunities for all people to participate and develop their skills. "What we need now is a national strategy for culture and creativity ... with this same level of ambition," Rupert writes. "Imagine what we could achieve across our community with a national cultural strategy that brings together all levels of government. Imagine if we had a 'Creative Horizon'." Evidence shows that, like sport participation, the positive impacts of creative and cultural engagement are far-reaching. It can help help us to lead healthy, safe and sustainable lives, as well as rebuild social cohesion, reconnect our communities and strengthen our economies. Rupert concludes: "We have a responsibility to ensure all Australians have access to cultural and creative experiences. Our new National Sport Strategy provides a model to take a deliberate, systems-wide approach to culture and creativity. Australia is already a sports powerhouse. With the right strategy and planning we can secure our place as a cultural powerhouse also." Read the op-ed: https://lnkd.in/g5ZK2cH9

Now is the time to accelerate action to secure Australia's place as a cultural powerhouse. A New Approach (ANA)'s Federal Pre-Budget Submission for 2025-26 outlines recommendations to help unlock the transformative contributions of cultural and creative engagement to Australian society, including to our prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability. With the approaching Brisbane 2032 Games and continued focus on cultural policy-making across the country, Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity for its jurisdictions to work together. Collaboration can unlock the benefits of arts and culture for all Australians and focus our international cultural relations efforts. ANA recommends developing an intergovernmental plan for arts and culture. Modelled on the new National Sport Strategy, this plan would set a collective vision and shared priorities for federal, state, territory and local jurisdictions to pursue with cultural and creative industries. Currently, fragmented government policies and funding result in missed opportunities to maximise returns on investments in arts and culture, while also hampering the industry’s investment in its own success. To support the development of this plan, our second recommendation is for a secretariat for Cultural Ministers to meet twice a year. This would allow them to progress urgent priorities in arts and culture that require action from all levels of government. Finally, we urge the Australian Government to explore options for an international cultural relations institution. ANA’s focus group research shows that everyday Australians care about the overseas perception and reputation of our arts and culture. But our cultural relations activities are currently fragmented across many agencies. Unlike almost all other major world economies, we lack an international cultural relations institution to focus these efforts. It would deepen cultural ties with our overseas partners, bolster our cultural reputation and expand our creative industry exports. Without one, Australia could squander the opportunity of Brisbane 2032. Read our Pre-Budget Submission: https://lnkd.in/gYZgzVqX #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #prebudget

It's been another big year for arts and culture in Australia, with significant policy development right across the country. But there is still more work to do. The Scanlon Institute's Mapping Social Cohesion report for 2024 shows that while Australia’s cohesion has remained steady over the last 12 months, it is still at the lowest level ever recorded. The report also highlights that Australians have a deep sense of belonging and connection to their local communities, which is a source of strength in difficult times. These results show that, now more than ever, Australia needs to plan and invest strategically to ensure all its people can participate in the cultural and creative activities that the evidence shows help to foster community connections and cohesion. Read more in our final newsletter for 2024: https://lnkd.in/gdq6SkWs Thank you for your interest in our ambition to secure Australia's place as a cultural powerhouse. The ANA team wishes you a happy and creative holiday season. #anewapproach #thinktank #creativity #artsandculture

Culture and creativity can impact environmental sustainability by building awareness, influencing attitudes and behaviours, and fostering resilience and adaptability. As the impacts of climate change are felt around the world, the ability to adapt and innovate is increasingly important. Culture and creativity can help people cope with change and develop solutions to emerging problems. In communities recovering from climate-related disasters, arts and culture can build resilience. A creative hub set up in Blackheath, NSW, in the wake of the 2019-20 bushfires helped people feel they could cope with emergencies and adapt to changing circumstances. Arts and cultural engagement can affect how we feel and act. For example, people’s support for climate policy was temporarily bolstered by viewing artworks at the UN climate summit in Paris. It can also diffuse knowledge about environmental issues and bridge gaps in public awareness. Children in India learnt about issues affecting their local ecosystem through craft, drama and journal-making, and shared this knowledge with their families and community. Creative production practices can support sustainable outcomes. A studio in Ghana used recycled plastic bags to create textile art, while raising awareness of the need to reduce their consumption. This highlights how scientists and governments can harness creativity in public communications, to ensure it is accessible, engaging and will inspire action. Cultural organisations can also support environmental outcomes by programming through a sustainability lens. Cultural heritage and arts amenities around the world can help protect nature and the built environment. Australia’s CSIRO found First Nations cultural burning is the best fire management for conserving the threatened Backwater grevillea, while a study linked arts amenities and sustainable transport use in Chicago, Paris and Seoul. Sustainability is one of 5 core themes in ANA’s new report, ‘Transformative Edge 2024’. It brings together fact-based insights on how culture and creativity can help people live well - with prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability - and tackle Australia’s deepest social and economic challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gQtcqjSA #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #sustainability

Arts, culture and creativity can help people to live healthy lives. New research from A New Approach (ANA) shows that creative and cultural engagement provides a cost-effective way to support health outcomes, and can help enhance the things that keep us healthy, such as our social connections. The evidence of the benefits of creative and cultural activities on mental health across all ages is particularly compelling. A UK study showed that music and art interventions have positive psychosocial outcomes for people with dementia and their carers, while an Australian review found ‘strong evidence’ of arts engagement improving mental wellbeing, including of new mothers, young people and older adults. These outcomes include increased happiness, self-esteem and resilience, and reduced stress. Creative and cultural engagement also has positive impacts on the determinants of health, such as our social and economic environment. An Australian review found moderate to strong evidence of the benefits of arts engagement on social health, including increased social connection and inclusion and reduced loneliness. Culture and creativity can generate positive returns on investment in health. A 3-year study in Pinnaroo, South Australia, found the net positive impact of an arts and cultural program for the community was $2.30 for every $1 invested, with 40-45% of this comprising direct and indirect health system benefits.  This highlights the opportunity for cultural and creative activities to provide cost-effective complements to health services, particularly in light of Australia’s projected rise in health spending. It also supports the Productivity Commission’s recommendation to help people remain active in the community to prevent strain on our future health system. Health is one of five core themes in ANA’s latest Insight Report, ‘Transformative Edge 2024’. The report brings together new fact-based insights on how culture and creativity help Australians to live well - with prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability - and tackle Australia’s deepest social and economic challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/geABFnWQ #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #health #socialhealth #wellbeing

Arts, culture and creativity can help Australians to live peacefully and feel safe. New research from A New Approach (ANA) shows how creative and cultural engagement contributes to security by fostering feelings and spaces of safety, enabling active citizenship and democratic participation, and advancing international cultural relations. Culture and creativity can help people feel safe in diverse and difficult circumstances. For example, Indigenous art-themed head caps for operating theatre staff at Royal Darwin Hospital improved perceived staff communication and the patient experience. Creative participation can provide spaces to build confidence. In community choirs, for instance, participants feel comfortable and free from judgment. Cultural institutions including libraries also improve the public’s media literacy by sharing information about online privacy and misinformation. Creative and cultural engagement could play a role in reducing violence. An Italian study related a 1% increase in cultural consumption to a 20% reduction in hate crime events. Cultural activities can combat extremism by enabling people to connect and socialise with those of different backgrounds and viewpoints. Arts and culture also provide opportunities to express dissent and opposition in non-violent ways, building democratic resilience. These benefits highlight a pathway for Australia to deliberately promote creative and cultural engagement as a protection for national security. At an international level, cultural relations contribute to peace and security through international mega-events, diplomacy programs and the trade of creative goods and services. Australia’s involvement in the Eurovision Song Contest, for example, allows us to present a contemporary image of our nation, and build relations on shared liberal democratic values. Security is one of five core themes in ANA’s latest Insight Report, ‘Transformative Edge 2024’. The report brings together new fact-based insights on how culture and creativity help Australians to live well - with prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability - and tackle Australia’s deepest social and economic challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gfJS2PAV #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #security #culturalrelations

With Australia’s social cohesion in decline, the need to support community connection, inclusion and belonging could not be more urgent. New research from A New Approach (ANA) shows that arts, culture and creativity build cohesion. Cultural engagement fosters a sense of belonging - to a place-based community, a group of like-minded people or the cultural activity itself. Along with belonging, building a sense of trust in the population is a cornerstone of cohesion. In Germany, Australia and the United States, museums have been rated among the most trustworthy of all public institutions. Feeling disinterested in or excluded from cultural experiences, however, may lead to feelings of ‘unbelonging’. Three out of 10 Australians agree that ‘the arts’ are not really for people like them. To foster cohesion, Australia needs to (re)invest in people and organisations that enable access to cultural experiences right across the community and right across the country. The creative industries can also build belonging by increasing the breadth and diversity of stories portrayed in Australian arts and culture. Cultural activities provide opportunities for people to connect and socialise. In fact, 46% of Australians in 2022 said that this was a motivation for attending arts events. Studies of place-based cultural and creative activities also show that their impacts reach beyond the individual and can help to shift social inequities and address disadvantage within communities. Cultural engagement counteracts loneliness and isolation, and played a critical role in supporting communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In prisons, when people’s social connections are disrupted, arts and culture programs have been shown to build relationships and increase wellbeing. Cohesion is one of five core themes in ANA’s latest Insight Report, ‘Transformative Edge 2024’. The report brings together new fact-based insights on how culture and creativity help Australians to live well - with prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability - and tackle Australia’s deepest social and economic challenges. Read more - https://lnkd.in/gpjHDZ6g #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #socialcohesion #wellbeing

Arts, culture and creativity contribute to the prosperity of people and communities across Australia and the world. New research from A New Approach (ANA) demonstrates that cultural and creative activities directly benefit the economic wellbeing of local communities in regional, suburban and city-centre locations, and attract investment that contributes to national income. For children and teenagers, creative and cultural experiences build the foundational skills that drive future prosperity, such as literacy and creative and critical thinking. These experiences can also help students feel safe in their learning environment, leading to more engaged learning and higher educational aspirations. Creative study and work generates employment opportunities, both within and outside the cultural and creative industries, along with non-financial benefits including community participation and job satisfaction. By addressing the known barriers to accessing these opportunities - cost and location - we can ensure they are available to all Australians, no matter who they are or where they live. Cultural and creative activities can help enable future national productivity, a marker of prosperity. For example, cultural institutions like museums can diffuse innovative ideas into the general population. The cultural and creative industries also contribute to growth in labour productivity. Prosperity is one of 5 core themes in ANA’s latest report, 'Transformative Edge 2024'. The research brings together new fact-based insights showing how arts, culture and creativity can help Australians to live well - with prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability - and can help our nation respond to its deepest social and economic challenges. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g4fgMEpB #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #prosperity

How can Australia cement its place as a cultural powerhouse - and what benefits would this deliver to our people, our nation and our region? These questions were explored by A New Approach (ANA) Chair Rupert Myer AO in his Address to the National Press Club, exactly one year ago today. Rupert's vision of a cultural powerhouse is a nation which cherishes its unique cultural inheritance, invests in its creators and cultural organisations, celebrates its creative industries and enables all its citizens to participate in meaningful cultural activities. If we can achieve this, Rupert said, "Australia can have a future in which our people are healthier and happier, our communities are more connected, our nation is more prosperous, and our region is more stable and sustainable". The impacts of arts, culture and creativity on our prosperity, cohesion, security, health and sustainability has been further demonstrated by ANA's latest report, 'Transformative Edge 2024'. This research brings together fact-based insights showing how culture and creativity can benefit the wellbeing of people and communities, and address some of Australia's deepest social, cultural and economic challenges. Watch Rupert's Address: https://lnkd.in/gaXzQgYs Read Transformative Edge 2024: https://lnkd.in/gNKinnuN #anewapproach #thinktank #artsandculture #creativity #pressclubaust