Ballarat to enhance Creative City reputation on the world stage

Ballarat’s reputation as a UNESCO Creative City will be further enhanced in Türkiyé later this year.

At an ordinary Council meeting on Wednesday night, Ballarat City Council approved an officer’s recommendation to send two City of Ballarat delegates to Türkiyé to take part in the XV UNESCO Creative City Annual General Meeting in September.

A Councillor and Officer will travel to Istanbul to represent the work of Ballarat as a UNESCO Creative City and report on the first four years of our UNESCO designation.

Ballarat was awarded the designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Crafts and Folk Art, however, has not been able to attend an AGM due to the pandemic.

Ballarat is one of four UNESCO Creative Cities in Victoria, with Bendigo, Geelong and Melbourne are also expected to send delegates to the AGM.

It is compulsory for member cities of the network to regularly participate in the annual conference to maintain the designation, with more than 350 representatives from more than 250 countries attending the AGM.

City of Ballarat Mayor, Cr Des Hudson said it was crucial Ballarat was able to physically attend the conference in alignment with Bendigo, Geelong and Melbourne.

"The UNESCO Creative City AGM is a vital part of the mechanism of taking the creative energies of our great regional city to the world,” Cr Hudson said.  

“Together with Bendigo, Geelong and Melbourne, Victoria punches well above its weight in creative output. In Ballarat, culture and creativity is seen as one of our core offerings, and the creative sector one of our fastest growing parts of our economy.

“By attending the UNESCO Creative City AGM we secure a rare opportunity to advocate on behalf of our creative community and individual practitioners – many of whom are micro-businesses and sole traders.

“The importance of the four Victorian cities working together as a network cannot be underestimated."

The anticipated cost for the trip to Istanbul is $10,500. This makes provision for a Councillor and a Council Officer to travel and includes flights, transfers and accommodation.

A Travel Report is required to be provided following international travel, as per the Councillor Expenses Policy.