“The creative citizen is already active in the sphere of blogging on the Internet and via initiatives like digital storytelling,” says Professor John Hartley, a keynote speaker at Charles Darwin University’s Creative Citizenship symposium this month.
As research director at Queensland University of Technology’s new Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation, Professor Hartley is a pioneer in the brave new world of creative possibilities.
His keynote address at the Alice Springs symposium will explore the different uses of creativity—from the computer enthusiast at home who uses the Net for entertainment to the small business innovator whose creativity can be developed as a commercial enterprise.
“The big challenge now is how these different uses of creativity can be combined,” he says. “Is it possible to bring together consumer entertainment with business innovation and civic engagement? What is the role of creative experts and artists in an open, innovative knowledge system?”
The creative industries have been identified as any enterprise with creative outcomes—everything from publishing to software, the arts, fashion, film, new media and even heritage activities.
Professor Hartley was previously head of the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies at Cardiff University in Wales and has written or co-written more than a dozen books on the media and cultural studies.
Charles Darwin University’s Creative Citizenship symposium will bring together experts who will chart the future for this rapidly-growing field of innovation. They will also take part in panel discussions, with CDU academics providing case studies of their own work in the creative industries.
Another keynote speaker is Professor Malcolm Gillies, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at the Australian National University. Next month he becomes ANU’s Vice-President (Development), based for the next two years at Yale University.
A musician and linguist by training, Professor Gillies will explore how funding the community arts can foster a sense of identity.
Creative Citizenship: Community, Creative Industries and the Future is at the Araluen Centre, Alice Springs on September 27 and 28. Registration for the public is free. For more information or to register log on to www.cdu.edu.au/cdss, or email cdss@cdu.edu.au or phone 8946 6529.