ACT Positive Impact Report 2025

growth DELIVERING

AND ENABLING

The Arts, Culture and Tourism team continued to deliver growth, creativity and connection. With passion and determination they delivered programs and experiences that not only enriched lives but also strengthened our city’s identity and reputation as a vibrant cultural destination.

Arts and culture continue to be powerful drivers of community engagement and economic vitality. This year we welcomed more than 620,000 visitors to our cultural venues and supported more than 950 artists. I’m proud that through public art, performances, exhibitions and inclusive programming, we continue to build a culturally rich environment that reflects the voices and values of our community.

The dynamic calendar of events, including major festivals, live music, inclusive programs and heritage celebrations brought community together and activated public spaces. Initiatives like the Creative Cart, My Little Library, FabLab and the Live and Local music program showcase our commitment to accessibility, innovation and supporting local creative talent.

Tourism in Lake Macquarie continues to be a focal point, with strategic partnerships and seasonal campaigns aiming to drive direct bookings and raise the profile of the city’s experiences.

creativity

Looking ahead, we are excited to continue building on this momentum with projects such as the revitalisation of Awaba House, the launch of the West Lake Macquarie Centre for Music and the expansion of self-access libraries in the pipeline. Thank you to our partners, artists, volunteers and community members, who together we are shaping a culturally rich and welcoming Lake Macquarie.

Jacqui Hemsley Manager Arts, Culture, Tourism

GROW ENGAGEMENT

Engaging AUDIENCES

AND DELIVERING RESULTS

$1,007,812 external funding secured

$268,823 gross ticket sales 271 event licenses approved

26.5million economic impact of events

59 events sponsored for more than $256k

7113 tickets sold across 183 ticketed events

620,000 visited a library, theatre, museum or gallery

956 artists and creatives engaged

20,630,284 total digital reach across social media and websites

EVENTBRITE TICKETING

Booking data:

Analysis of six years of Eventbrite ticketing data highlights trends in bookings, sales and performance across ACT venues:

• Events increased from 51 in 20192020 to 183 in 2024-2025, showing consistent growth in programming.

• Prices dropped to $11.54 in 2022-2023, then surged to $83.96 in 2023-2024 – highlighting the experimentation with pricing models and that premium events do work

• Strongest months for events (across all years):

• April – highest overall with 94 events

• July – consistently strong, totaling 90 events

• January – popular summer month with 87 events

• March – strong lead-up to autumn with 86 events

• June – end-of-financial-year programming with 82 events

• Seasonal peaks:

• Summer (Dec–Feb): High activity in January, moderate in December and February

• Autumn (Mar–May):

Strong performance, especially March and April

• Winter (Jun–Aug): July is a standout; August and June show moderate growth

• Spring (Sep–Nov): More variable, with October and November gaining strength in recent years.

Number of tickets sold: TICKETS

Succesful EVENTS

Delivered a dynamic calendar of major events, including Lake Mac Festival, Fast and Loud, Float Your Boat, Let’s Fish, Pop Bam, and Lake Mac Carols which drew strong community participation and regional attention.

High-profile events including the AusCycling BMX National Series, Let’s Surf Lake Mac, and the World Ocean Series and World Nippers brought national broadcast coverage to the city. While support was provided for key events, to drive visitation and economic impact, including the Lake Mac Triathlon Festival, National Windsurfing Championships, Max Adventure Race, Red Hot Summer Tour, Quad Crown Black Pearl, and the UCI Pump Track World Championships Qualifiers.

$26.5 MILLION ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COUNCIL EVENTS

291,505 PEOPLE ATTENDED EVENTS

271 APPROVED LICENSED EVENTS

Creative LAKE MACQUARIE

620,000 VISITED A LIBRARY, THEATRE, MUSEUM OR GALLERY

65,000 VISITORS TO THE MAC yapang AND MAP mima

956 ARTISTS AND CREATIVES ENGAGED

756 LOCAL

143 NATIONAL

48 INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS

51 PROGRAMS OFFERED ACROSS LIBRARIES AND GALLERIES,

52,387 WITH ATTENDANCE OF

6

ART WORKS ACQUIRED FOR THE MAC yapang COLLECTION,

$

95,000 VALUED AT

8 PUBLIC ARTWORK COMMISSIONS, VALUED AT $136,000

Supporting creative industry growth

A commissioned audit of the Creative and Cultural sector in Lake Macquarie assessed the changes since 2017 and revealed substantial growth across multiple dimensions, including a 74% increase in creative and cultural businesses employing staff, now totalling 447.

Council has actively supported the sector through strategic planning, resulting in new venues, maker spaces, events, and expanded public art and heritage collections.

Economic contributions from the sector have risen significantly, with output reaching $351 million, a 20.8% increase, representing 1.2% of the city’s total output.

Employment and wages have also surged, with $83.54 million paid in salaries, marking a 48.1% rise.

Additionally, 2,726 creatives were registered in the city, up 29% since 2017. With notable growth observed in sectors such as Computer Systems Design, Arts Education, Furniture Manufacturing, and Creative and Performing Arts, highlighting the sector’s expanding influence on the local economy and community engagement.

INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT & ENGAGEMENT

LiveSUPPORTING

Council partnered with the Live Music Office and the Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (APRA AMCOS) to initiate the Lake Mac Live and Local music program.

A comprehensive capacity-building program aimed at strengthening the ecology of the local grass roots live music community within the city by improving regulatory conditions and developing lasting, strategic growth in the local music sector.

With over 50 live music venues in the city, an audit found 1200 gigs took place across the city between February –October 2025.

MUSIC

These local initiatives complement the large outdoor concerts held at Speers Point Park, including the Red Hot Summer Tour and Lookout, which attracted over 11,000 attendees. Combined with the ongoing popularity of Music at the Podium, these events demonstrate significant community demand for live performance experiences.

Delivered community workshops

Arranged micro-festivals at Rathmines, Speers Point and Toronto delivering

14 performances across seven venues

Launched a community business directly linking artists and venues.

620,000

visited a library, theatre, museum or gallery

Supporting local creative artists and organisations

Our cultural venues, Warners Bay, Rathmines theatres and MAP mima, supported the broader development of the local performing arts community through memorandum of understanding agreements with Tantrum Youth Theatre, Catapult Dance and Opera Hunter. These agreements enable collaboration on annual programming elements and joint development of new initiatives.

Winning PUBLIC ART AWARD

Eight new public artworks were commissioned for the city, valued at $136,000. All works have historical, social and cultural significance to Lake Macquarie, representing the identity of Lake Macquarie. The public artwork, Awabakal Campsite as part of the Fernleigh Awabakal Shared Track was part of the award project which received a Highly Commended recognition at the Local Government Annual Awards.

The Awabakal Campsite was a collaboration between Awabakal artist Shellie Smith, Sculptor Julie Squires and Lake Macquarie Aboriginal community members, including elder Aunty Daniella Chedzey.

Wangi Wangi now has five new artworks, including two new Owl sculptures created by local artists for the Wangi Wangi Owl trail project.

Belmont now features a mural of unique local birds, delivered by the Wall Station and local artist Mitch Berrigan.

The new wing of the Hunter Sports Centre showcases a suspended illuminated sculpture by Melbourne artist Alexander Knox; adding a vibrant uniqueness to the new foyer space.

8 NEW PUBLIC ARTWORK COMMISSIONS

$136,000 WORTH Highly Commended

AWAKABAL CAMPSITE AWARDED AT LOCAL GOVERNMENT ANNUAL AWARDS

Cultural Development

Several programs across Lake Macquarie have been developed to build the capacity of our Creative Community. These include annual programs such as Open Studios, Meet the Makers, Make & Create Week and the new Made in Mac professional development series.

The new Creative Business Directory provides the community a platform to share their information increasing the visibility of our creative industries across Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region.

Performing AND CREATIVE ARTS

134 PERFORMANCES AND EXPERIENCES

8,612

ATTENDEES

$190k IN REVENUE

Lake Mac Arts theatres delivered sold-out performances, including the Sydney Comedy Festival, Vince Jones and Ben Lee concerts, and commissioned performances from Opera Hunter and the annual One Act Play Festival. Inclusive programming expanded with productions such as Crips and Creeps comedy, Eishan Ensemble, and Ngaiire as part of the Great Southern Nights Tour.

MAP mima hosted Unfurl celebrating LGBTQIA+ arts and culture, and Catapult’s Duel presented across five performances, drawing a combined audience of 69 people and receiving positive feedback for its innovation and local relevance.

Over the summer months, MAP mima established Twilight Fridays, a multi-arts series aimed to activate the precinct during the warmer months. Each evening attracted an audience of approximately 20–35 attendees, contributing to a steady and engaged local following.

Lake House Residency

Two artists from the Lake House residency program presented their exhibition ‘Catchment’ alongside the popular annual First-Class HSC Art exhibition. Programming for young people also saw over 1000 attend the gallery on the first weekend of June with the Young Dobell Art Competition.

MAP mima Artist Commissions

MAP mima delivered a dynamic and diverse visual arts program featuring eight commissioned exhibitions that explored a wide range of themes, practices, and cultural perspectives. The program demonstrated MAP mima’s commitment to presenting contemporary and thought-provoking work by both emerging and established artists, attracting a consistent audience with daily visitation averaging between 35 and 50 people per exhibition.

Inclusive programming

Artplay and diverse storytimes including bilingual, rainbow and Auslan storytelling

541 Senior community members attended digital literacy programs across five libraries

Two libraries offered BaRK, a free program that allows primaryaged children to practice reading on a one-to-one basis to a trained therapy dog

HEAD2ART provides a safe space for students to explore their thoughts, feelings and themselves through Art

IncludingYOU program at MAC yapang provides artists living with disability a vibrant space to create artworks resulting in an exhibition at the gallery

The Launchpad program annually supports over 40 local creatives to develop and deliver their exhibitions in our 6 launchpad spaces in our libraries. We support the participants in installing their works, promoting their exhibitions and developing their creative profiles to build their skills and confidence.

Celebrating

HISTORY AND CULTURE

32,000 ATTENDED THE DOBELL FESTIVAL

850 PEOPLE ATTENDED WRITE HERE FESTIVAL

39,000 PEOPLE VISITED SUGAR VALLEY LIBRARY MUSEUM

1,067

36 ARTISTS INVOLVED IN MEET THE MAKERS

42 STUDIOS OPENED FOR OPEN STUDIOS

Dobell Festival

Attracted more than 32,000 attendees, with a program of 19 community-led activities, including the Wangi Lions Dobell Festival of Art and Craft, along with eight exhibitions and four key Council-led events: the Young Dobell Art Competition, Meet the Makers, Float Your Boat, and the Live and Local Music Micro Festival.

History Illuminated

More than 3,300 people engaged with 44 events across locations from Catherine Hill Bay to Cooranbong. The program included tours, workshops, author talks, special events, and community open days. Exhibitions were also featured at MAP mima, MAC yapang, Rathmines Heritage Centre, and Sugar Valley Library Museum, kirantakamyari.

Making History Accessible

Significant upgrades to the Lake Macquarie History website look place, improving both back-end functionality and the customer interface which saw a dramatic increase in engagement across the site. More than 54,000 users accessed the site, delivering 197,000 page views and more than 71,000 sessions on the website. In addition, online collection databases were updated, integrating both public art and history onto the one platform.

FabLab growth

The Fab Lab program and attendance has grown since moving to Windale Hub, with average monthly visitation tripling from 33 visitors per month in 2023-2024 to an average of 96 visitors per month in 2024-2025. FabLab achieved more than $19,000 in revenue, surpassing its target by 30 per cent. A rolling 12-month program of after-school and school-holiday workshops was devised and strong relationships being forged with local high schools.

Outreach launched new programs

The Outreach program connected with more than 2,500 residents through 26 Creative Cart activations at events, markets, and schools. The Home Library Service was streamlined to better serve more than 300 residents and 25 aged care facilities, achieving over 95% customer satisfaction. A new volunteer initiative added strength to the service, with seven dedicated volunteers now on board. The My Little Library project launched across eight preschools, sparking early literacy and a love of reading. While digital mentoring is still in development due to low demand and access challenges, the team continues to explore new ways to meet community needs.

Launched TechCreate Girls

The innovative and empowering TechCreate Girls Program, in partnership with the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub, was launched at the Fab Lab. The 10-week afterschool program for high school aged girls introduces STEM via creative disciplines, including digital art, fashion wearable technology, bioart, and interactive media, and merging technology with creativity. The program allowed participants to explore and develop a wide range of skills, such as coding, electronics, laser cutting and 3D printing, and encourages girls to become confident innovators and future leaders in both tech and creative industries.

Promoting OUR REGION

11,191,313 ONLINE REACH $19,000 IN REVENUE GENERATED 141 2,516 2

Engaging at the VIK ATTENDED 2 EXPOS 5,400 ENQUIRIES SERVICED MORE THAN

The power of public relations

• 4 million reach

• $1.5million advertising value

• Caves Beach listed in Tourism Australia’s best beaches announcement

• Profiled in national media outlets including Daily Telegraph, The Australian, Channel Nine, Daily Mail, Concrete Playground, Today Show and Sunrise on Channel 7.

Campaigns that drive bookings

Six broadcast segments aired on Sydney Weekender. Delivering a total of 1,558,000 views and direct bookings to operators.

Winter deals campaign developed, offering 16 deals and resulting in 56 direct bookings to operators

Campaigns promoted through editorial partnerships with TimeOut Sydney, Sydney Weekender, Sitchu Sydney and via Meta ads and owned channel amplification.

671,000 REACH

Supporting Industry

Hosted two tourism partner networking events featuring presentations from industry experts and panel discussions that encouraged knowledge sharing among operators.

Delivered two targeted mini workshops focused on working with online travel agents

LookingAhead

The future

The year ahead brings exciting opportunities to deepen creative engagement across Lake Macquarie, and cement arts, culture and tourism as key contributors to the city’s identity, growth and economic resilience:

2026-2027 Renewed 10-year vision for Arts and Culture in Lake Macquarie

Expanding self-access to Charlestown and Morisset Libraries

Expansion of the Lake Arts Precinct experience with the Launch of Awaba House restaurant and MAC yapang Sculpture Park

Expansion of performing arts and live music across community halls and venues

Launch of the West Lake Macquarie Centre for Music

Dedicated focus on programming and activation of the Textile Lab

Development of the Sugarloaf Studios

Revising the Destination Management Plan