The Clyde Street Precinct: A Case Study Exploring a Distributed Model of Arts Education within a Community- Based Creative Ecosystem
Authors: Paul Egglestone, University of Newcastle Australia
Mario Minichiello, University of Newcastle, Australia
Leicha Stewart, University of Newcastle, Australia
Braddon Snape ,Creator Incubator, Australia
Michele O’Shan, Clyde Street Studios, Australia
Jennifer Milam, University of Newcastle, Australia
Abstract: A step change is needed in the way higher education supports professional learning and development to ensure independent graduate artists are adaptable, resilient, and adequately prepared to build their creative practice. Adopting a social constructivist view, this study uses an advocacy and participatory framework to explore a distributed model of arts teaching and learning for creative industries students to work and study alongside a diverse community-based culture of artists and creative practitioners. This case study is a grounded example of a bottom-up approach examining the development of a creative ecosystem within which artists maintain a thriving, sustainable practice, and citizens are imbricated as co-creators of community facilities and liveable city landscapes. While the cultural and geopolitical context of this study is localised to the formerly industrial city of Newcastle, Australia, this area’s evolution from a coal-port towards a cosmopolitan city is part of a broader trend of industrial towns navigating their own progression towards thriving, liveable cities.