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June 2011

Welcome to the June newsletter for Positive Solutions, featuring updates on our activities so far this year.

RECENT NEWS

Foster + Partners win WKCD Conceptual Plan

The Board of West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) selected City Park designed by Foster + Partners as the preferred option for the development of the future arts and culture hub. Positive Solutions are a sub-consultant on the City Park project.

The City Park concept, relaxing atmosphere, and various green features in Foster's scheme earned the most public support in the Public Engagement exercise. The plan integrates arts and cultural facilities with other uses to improve visitor experience and enhance vibrancy in the district. For more information, click here.

Foster + Partners City Park aerial view

North Queensland Residency
Non-profit organisations in Cairns and Townsville, particularly arts organisations, had an invaluable opportunity to build the capacity of their boards when BoardConnect spent five days in Far North Queensland from 11-15 April 2011. BoardConnect is an initiative of Positive Solutions dedicated to building non-profit board governance, and is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.

During the Regional Residency, BoardConnect's Director David Fishel and Program Manager Kirsty Veron met with individual boards to discuss issues of particular interest or concern, and were then joined by local arts and business leaders to present free public workshops on board-related topics such as Developing Entrepreneurial Arts Companies, Talking About Art, Conflicts of Interest and Turning Strategy into Action.

Legal compliance workshops were also presented by guest speakers Barbara Bogiatzis, Senior Associate of McCullough Robertson Lawyers (in Cairns), and David Grace, Partner of Cooper Grace Ward Lawyers (in Townsville).

Participants have provided great feedback about the event, with comments including:

"Information was new and inspiring, I found all sessions useful - thanks!"
"The sessions empowered me in my creative industries role."
"I came away from every session with something useful."

Workshop reports from the Residency are available at BoardConnect.

Cairns Esplanade

Trainworks Launch

The most comprehensive display of railway history in Australia was unveiled on 3 March with the launch of Trainworks at Thirlmere, NSW. Positive Solutions were engaged to develop the business model for the upgraded facility, including stakeholder consultation, advice on corporate structure, management arrangements, business planning and assistance with board, CEO and senior management recruitment for the Centre. The environmentally sustainable complex will be a major regional tourism destination, as well as a centre for the conservation of NSW heritage.

Trainworks Opening, April 2011

NEW CLIENTS

Australia Council Creative Leadership
In order to effectively support succession planning and leadership development in the sector, the Australia Council for the Arts has engaged Positive Solutions to assist with creative leadership research. The project aims to better understand the characteristics of effective creative leaders, taking into consideration issues of artistic and creative leadership and how this differs from effective leadership in other sectors.

The research will encompass two key areas: identifying effective creative leadership characteristics through consultation with the sector, and mapping and reviewing current opportunities for creative leadership development available to arts sector participants, including programs at tertiary institutions.

Katherine Cultural Precinct
The Interim Board of Management for the Katherine Regional Cultural Precinct has contracted Positive Solutions to assist in completing the Business Plan for the purpose-built Katherine Regional Cultural Precinct. We have been associated with this project for the past seven years and it is exciting to see the work of a dedicated group of individuals in the Katherine Region now coming to fruition.

Work has started on the first stage of the Precinct, which will open in 2012.

Topology
Contemporary performance ensemble, Topology, engaged Positive Solutions to assist with organisational development of the company. The aim is to support Topology's evaluation as an ensemble that offers sustainable employment to its artists.

ACT Cultural Facilities Corporation
Following on from a recent board review of the Corporation, Positive Solutions is assisting the board and senior management with their strategic planning process - both for the Corporation as a whole and for the constituent elements - Canberra Museum and Gallery, Canberra Theatre Centre and the several historic properties which are the responsibility of the Corporation.

PROGRESS REPORTS

New Models New Money: A Foundation for the Artist
In June 2010, the Centre for Social Impact and Arts Queensland released a Discussion Paper, New Models New Money, proposing the establishment of a Foundation for the Artist - the first of its kind in Australia - to bring together public, private and corporate funding for artists and the creation of new work.

A full feasibility study into the Foundation for the Artist has recently been completed funded by the Australian Government and matched by State and Territory Governments and independent sources. This process was managed by Positive Solutions, with a team of arts, finance and legal consultants. The final report has recently been submitted to the Office for the Arts and the findings from the research will shortly be available. The recommendations will be considered in the context of the proposed National Cultural Policy and the Harold Mitchell Review into private sector support.

Hong Kong Performing Arts Funding
A discussion document with draft recommendations has been prepared as the next step in the review of funding for major performing arts companies in Hong Kong. Positive Solutions Director David Fishel will lead sector consultation during the next stage of the project, gathering responses to the proposed model to inform the final report. The project has been commissioned by the Home Affairs Bureau of the Hong Kong Government.

Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park
Positive Solutions recently presented the board of Indigenous Business Australia with a draft business plan and financial forecasts for a redeveloped Tjapukai. This followed a process of benchmarking against other cultural tourism attractions, and developing - in conjunction with Neil Anderson and other team members - new approaches to Tjapukai's interaction with customers. Design and business modelling are continuing.

Board Development
A governance workshop for the Cairns Chamber of Commerce was conducted by Positive Solutions in April. David Fishel also presented the Australian Business Arts Foundation's Better Boards Workshops in Melbourne and Sydney in May and June 2011, specifically tailored to board members and CEO's of arts organisations. In future these workshops will be presented under the banner of BoardConnect.

Maze purple.jpg

INITIATIVES

BoardConnect Launches into 2011 with a New Identity
After two and a half years as a program within Positive Solutions, BoardConnect is in the process of cutting the umbilical cord. In December 2010, it became an independent company limited by guarantee with its own board of directors.

While still housed in the office of Positive Solutions, BoardConnect is expanding its operations beyond Queensland. It has already presented a pilot program on behalf of Arts Victoria and discussions are continuing with regard to further work with them in the next few months. BoardConnect will also support the Australia Council for the Arts' objective of strengthening the boards of arts organisations nationally.

Building and maintaining high standards of governance is a long-term task, calling for dedicated resources. Accordingly, BoardConnect has appointed a Business Development Manager, Merryn Carter, who will work with the team to ensure a sustainable future for the company. Merryn starts with BoardConnect in July and will continue to be based in Melbourne, working with BoardConnect clients and stakeholders nationally.

Visit www.boardconnect.com.au for more information.

Breakfast Briefing - Thursday 28 July
How did you feel about your last CEO appraisal? Who was involved? Was it constructive? Or is it a long time since a CEO appraisal occurred?

Put this date in your diaries now so you don't miss BoardConnect's Breakfast Briefing on the topic of Appraising the CEO, something that CEOs often request but many board members, particularly voluntary board members of organisations that are responsible for professional staff, are not confident about undertaking.

An effective CEO evaluation process benefits both CEO and board by providing clarity, scope and direction.

Join David Fishel and Theodora Le Souquet to garner some ideas on how to make your next CEO appraisal process efficient, effective and mutually rewarding.

Visit www.boardconnect.com.au for details.

COMPLETIONS

2high Festival
Positive Solutions has completed its engagement with Backbone Youth Arts, which involved providing advice and recommendations for the preparation of the festival's business plan as a result of consultation with board and staff.

Chinese Museum
Proposals for future governance arrangements for Melbourne's Chinese Museum have been adopted by the Museum's Trust. Positive Solutions is continuing to support the Museum in their implementation, and with aspects of strategic planning and board development.

OTHER NEWS
Positive Solutions' Office Manager, Megan McCormack, has left after four years with the company to take up a new challenge with AECOM, global provider of professional technical and management support services, as Project Administrator - Marketing, Design + Planning. We wish Megan every success in her new role.

Positive Solutions' casual administrator, Sara Bannon, has been appointed to a permanent part time role as Company Administrator, four days a week, commencing in May.