Australian Cultural and Creative Activity: A Population and Hotspot Analysis: Geraldton

Grassroots arts connected to economy through start-up culture Geraldton is a regional centre in Western Australia, with 39,000 people and a stable, diverse economy that includes a working port, mining services, agriculture, and the rock-lobster fishing industry (see Appendix). Tourism, though small, is growing rapidly. The arts and culture ecosystem of Geraldton is notable for three characteristics: - a strong publicly-funded arts and cultural strategy, with clear rationales that integrate social, cultural, and economic objectives- a longstanding, extensive ecosystem of pro-am and volunteer arts and cultural workers- strong local understanding of arts entrepreneurship, innovative business models for artists, and integrated connection with other small businesses and incubators