Our History and Mandate
The Sunshine Coast Arts Council (SCAC) is a volunteer-based society founded in 1966 to raise the profile of local artists and artisans. Our mandate is to broaden the opportunities for the citizens, artists and artisans of the Sunshine Coast to enjoy and participate in local cultural activities. We are a vital resource for the artistic and cultural life of the Coast community. In addition to operating the Arts Centre which includes two exhibition spaces, a music and visual arts studio, the SCAC hosts ongoing free cultural events. Our mission is to provide opportunities for Coast citizens to enjoy and participate in cultural activities, and to increase platforms for artists and artisans to share their work. We achieve this in a variety of ways including hosting exhibitions, developing public programs, delivering professional development workshops, finding platforms for young people to engage, hosting readings, screenings and talks, and providing accessible space for cultural groups to gather and work. Our annual craft fairs contribute economically and culturally to the creative sector and the broader. We work to make the Arts Centre a welcoming and open gathering place, that is community-minded and accessible for all. We seek to be a creatively vibrant and culturally relevant organisation for audiences and citizens across the Sunshine Coast.
Our Values
We are guided by the following values:
- Access and Engagement: we develop programs and events that seek to meaningfully engage with a range of audiences, providing opportunities for diverse communities to find a connection with our work.
- Diversity and Inclusion: we promote cultural understanding and inclusiveness. We endeavor to make our organization safe for the artistic exploration of diverse perspectives and experiences, and we seek to remove barriers to greater diversity within our organization and within the audiences and communities that we serve in a respectful and supportive manner.
- Artistic Excellence: we support a professional community of artists and seeks robust and varied platforms to present their work.
- Good Governance: we demonstrate financial responsibility, transparent decision making, sound human resources practices and role clarity among board, staff and membership.
- Integrity & Commitment: building on our successful history of creating community through the arts on the Coast, we strive to reflect our membership and community. Service to Community: we are a vital community service that communicates with its membership and the public effectively, proactively and is responsive to the changing needs of its members.