Mine the Creative Riches in Boom Landscape

Stephen Bevis wrote an interesting article today discussing Perth’s investment in the Arts during this mining boom.  Premier Alan Carpenter allocated $73M last year to government-supported cultural activities and compares himself to Adelaide’s Don Dunstan.  As a city and a state we definitely need to work out how to build a cultural base here; after each of the last mining booms were over St Georges Tce turned into a wasteland (it just needed tumbleweeds to complete the picture).  It’s possible to develop our non-mining industries but we need to focus on them.

As one of the “Tsars” nominated as someone that might be play some part in developing a sustainable artistic and cultural ecosystem in Perth, I would call on everyone that has any thought to helping on this front to focus on infrastructure. Fast internet access, support services and decent workspaces are difficult in Perth at the moment.  This is a temporary effect caused by the boom–soon fantastic office space with amazing views will be given away again–but it is having a terribly deletorious effect on Cultural activities.

Incidentally, to all those that say that this boom will be different to the last boom, I point you to the first Internet bubble.  Pundits were claiming that due to the friction-reducing effects of the ‘net the business fundamentals were different.  The Internet has changed business dramatically but every boom still has its bust.

It’s just a matter of time, so lets be prepared.