Comments on: The problem of scale http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/ my life. on the internets. Mon, 16 Aug 2010 01:01:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Initiativism http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-702 Initiativism Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:56:35 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-702 [...] Ultimately it is about a cultural policy approach that begins with thinking about the  viability of initiative at the smaller scale and that accumulates a cultural richness from a fertile ground of viable small scale things. As i’ve noted before, the viability of small scale initiative has been under assault from both the public and private sect.... [...] [...] Ultimately it is about a cultural policy approach that begins with thinking about the  viability of initiative at the smaller scale and that accumulates a cultural richness from a fertile ground of viable small scale things. As i’ve noted before, the viability of small scale initiative has been under assault from both the public and private sect…. [...]

]]> By: Feargus http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-450 Feargus Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:29:31 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-450 Ian, apologies for the expletive Marucs, grab a copy of the doco Garbage Warrior by Oliver Hodge. Covers a lot of what u r talking about here. Very interesting in that u get to follow a guy (architect/builder Michael Reynolds - sustainable housing visionary) through the whole process of getting something done about these sort of problems. Ian, apologies for the expletive

Marucs, grab a copy of the doco Garbage Warrior by Oliver Hodge. Covers a lot of what u r talking about here. Very interesting in that u get to follow a guy (architect/builder Michael Reynolds – sustainable housing visionary) through the whole process of getting something done about these sort of problems.

]]> By: kath melbourne http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-447 kath melbourne Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:52:24 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-447 Hi Ian... thanks for the life tip... and yes, if you in any way knew me you might back away from that statement regarding thick skin just slightly i think. :) But that said i am a big fan of old fashioned things like manners; with people don't feel need to be used when dealing with people in government- maybe they forget that we are human beings and you are right, often working towards similiar goals. May Lane is an interesting example and i think we would be hard pressed try to "crack down" with such a community swell behind it, nor do we want to . I agree, sometimes it is better just to allow things to happen; even guerilla gardeners. Have a nice weekend. Kath Hi Ian… thanks for the life tip… and yes, if you in any way knew me you might back away from that statement regarding thick skin just slightly i think. :)

But that said i am a big fan of old fashioned things like manners; with people don’t feel need to be used when dealing with people in government- maybe they forget that we are human beings and you are right, often working towards similiar goals.

May Lane is an interesting example and i think we would be hard pressed try to “crack down” with such a community swell behind it, nor do we want to .

I agree, sometimes it is better just to allow things to happen; even guerilla gardeners.

Have a nice weekend.
Kath

]]> By: Ian Milliss http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-440 Ian Milliss Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:07:15 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-440 kath, of course it's not personal, I don't know you, I'm just trying to describe the very negative experiences many artists (and others) have when dealing with councils. It often boils down to the fact that council's almost never have the resources to actually assist projects even with a bit of advice or additional information about how they might comply. That doesn't mean there are not many excellent people trying very hard to improve the situation, no doubt you are one of them, but you'd better get a thicker skin. Right now the best result is usually when authorities tacitly look the other way while non-compliant activities take place, all a bit like Claude Rains immortal line about Ricks Bar from Casablanca, "I'm shocked, shocked that gambling is going on in these premises!". Marrickville Council will no doubt one day be shocked, shocked to discover there is graffiti in May Lane. Personally, I'd like to see all new councillors and council officers given a copy of Richard Florida's "Rise of the Creative Class", you would think it would be really old conventional wisdom by now yet still it seems most of them don't get it. kath, of course it’s not personal, I don’t know you, I’m just trying to describe the very negative experiences many artists (and others) have when dealing with councils. It often boils down to the fact that council’s almost never have the resources to actually assist projects even with a bit of advice or additional information about how they might comply. That doesn’t mean there are not many excellent people trying very hard to improve the situation, no doubt you are one of them, but you’d better get a thicker skin.

Right now the best result is usually when authorities tacitly look the other way while non-compliant activities take place, all a bit like Claude Rains immortal line about Ricks Bar from Casablanca, “I’m shocked, shocked that gambling is going on in these premises!”. Marrickville Council will no doubt one day be shocked, shocked to discover there is graffiti in May Lane.

Personally, I’d like to see all new councillors and council officers given a copy of Richard Florida’s “Rise of the Creative Class”, you would think it would be really old conventional wisdom by now yet still it seems most of them don’t get it.

]]> By: kath melbourne http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-439 kath melbourne Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:14:27 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-439 ....particularly if my efforts to be helpful and of assistance to your cause are responded to in that way. geeze... no wonder people like me get turned into the people you just spoke about eh?... ….particularly if my efforts to be helpful and of assistance to your cause are responded to in that way.

geeze… no wonder people like me get turned into the people you just spoke about eh?…

]]> By: kath melbourne http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-438 kath melbourne Fri, 27 Feb 2009 07:12:55 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-438 ;o i will try not to take it personally then ;o i will try not to take it personally then

]]> By: Ian Milliss http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-436 Ian Milliss Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:01:38 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-436 kath, most people who believe local government is the enemy have come to that conclusion because they have had to deal with local government. The mass media is simply tapping into popular dissent. The wider issue here is the result of decades of right wing propaganda aimed at diminishing the role of government at every level that has left many areas government with nothing but a petty policing role, and not much of that even in areas where it was most needed eg banking. My experience of working as a consultant with local government has been one of substandard systems, obsessive and negative bureaucratic attitudes, defensiveness and hostility to the public and a rejection of even the mildest criticism. A lot of this comes from the fact that the majority of those working in councils have never worked any where else and so have drunk the kool-aid all their lives. They genuinely believe that by constant pettifogging they are doing a good job. And of course it is always easier for them to pick on the little guy than the big one, which is where this gets back to the problems faced by most arts initiatives. It will take a generational change within government bureaucracies, hopefully hastened by financial crisis infrastructure spending, to bring about the necessary cultural change within those organisations. Interestingly, not all government bureaucracies suffered the same cuts over the last few decades, nor did they develop the same negativity. The ACT mostly retained the benevolent government of the post war years with the result that one initiative was studio complexes funded by government but self managed by the resident artists, http://www.anca.canberra.net.au/ ANCA is one of the least publicised cultural initiatives in the country but a fantastic model for other places and proof that government can be supportive without being controlling. And feargus I do agree about taking on the risk yourself if you mean that we should all be able to agree to "enter at our own risk" if we wish, rather than have a bureaucrat decide that we should not be allowed to make our own decision. kath, most people who believe local government is the enemy have come to that conclusion because they have had to deal with local government. The mass media is simply tapping into popular dissent.
The wider issue here is the result of decades of right wing propaganda aimed at diminishing the role of government at every level that has left many areas government with nothing but a petty policing role, and not much of that even in areas where it was most needed eg banking.
My experience of working as a consultant with local government has been one of substandard systems, obsessive and negative bureaucratic attitudes, defensiveness and hostility to the public and a rejection of even the mildest criticism. A lot of this comes from the fact that the majority of those working in councils have never worked any where else and so have drunk the kool-aid all their lives. They genuinely believe that by constant pettifogging they are doing a good job.
And of course it is always easier for them to pick on the little guy than the big one, which is where this gets back to the problems faced by most arts initiatives.
It will take a generational change within government bureaucracies, hopefully hastened by financial crisis infrastructure spending, to bring about the necessary cultural change within those organisations.
Interestingly, not all government bureaucracies suffered the same cuts over the last few decades, nor did they develop the same negativity. The ACT mostly retained the benevolent government of the post war years with the result that one initiative was studio complexes funded by government but self managed by the resident artists, http://www.anca.canberra.net.au/ ANCA is one of the least publicised cultural initiatives in the country but a fantastic model for other places and proof that government can be supportive without being controlling.
And feargus I do agree about taking on the risk yourself if you mean that we should all be able to agree to “enter at our own risk” if we wish, rather than have a bureaucrat decide that we should not be allowed to make our own decision.

]]> By: kath melbourne http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-432 kath melbourne Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:20:23 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-432 p.s- i think the decision to enable rather than enforce often happens on an individual level in my current field (you can probably guess which side of the fence i reside on).... and we do what we can within the restrictions of what our responsibilities require of us... p.s- i think the decision to enable rather than enforce often happens on an individual level in my current field (you can probably guess which side of the fence i reside on)…. and we do what we can within the restrictions of what our responsibilities require of us…

]]> By: kath melbourne http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-431 kath melbourne Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:17:38 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-431 hey Marcus, i tried not to generalise... and i don't think it disregards the debate... just maybe it's about the communication of it so that people on both ends of the spectrum will listen; as certainly the solution will come from a collaboration involving both. Ee've had a hard week of being told that local government is the enemy ... bless mainstream tv and a few presumptive others huh? I think it would be really essential to involve people on the other end of the spectrum in your thought making, artists seem to be banging down your door wanting to speak with you; i hope that you also have others in the community development sector, local government and perhaps even people in the attorney general's office contributing to the conversation... although all those sectors are facing staffing freezes, pressures and cut backs in the same way that art is too. Let me know if you are in Sydney, happy to make some introductions, but i suspect you are probably networked up to your eyeballs already :) Kath hey Marcus, i tried not to generalise… and i don’t think it disregards the debate… just maybe it’s about the communication of it so that people on both ends of the spectrum will listen; as certainly the solution will come from a collaboration involving both. Ee’ve had a hard week of being told that local government is the enemy … bless mainstream tv and a few presumptive others huh?
I think it would be really essential to involve people on the other end of the spectrum in your thought making, artists seem to be banging down your door wanting to speak with you; i hope that you also have others in the community development sector, local government and perhaps even people in the attorney general’s office contributing to the conversation… although all those sectors are facing staffing freezes, pressures and cut backs in the same way that art is too.
Let me know if you are in Sydney, happy to make some introductions, but i suspect you are probably networked up to your eyeballs already :)
Kath

]]> By: Louise Duff http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/comment-page-1/#comment-430 Louise Duff Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:43:36 +0000 http://www.marcuswestbury.net/2009/02/23/the-problem-of-scale/#comment-430 Check out the poet, writer and farmer Wendell Berry's book "the Turn of the Crank." IN one essay, "Conserving Communities" Berry proposes seventeen rules that must be followed in order for a community to reach sustainability-- defined in his own words as "to cohere, to flourish, and to last." The connection between ecology and economics, which is at the root of the survival of the community, must be established. Berry says there are two political parties taking shape: the global economy party versus the local community party. The local community party has two objectives: to preserve ecological diversity and integrity, and to re-establish the principles of culture and ecology of local economies and local communities. The local community party has a vested interest in the survival of the environment and the community. The global economy party acts to exploit, undermine, and destroy both the environment and the community on the premise of profit. To reinforce itself, the local community party should follow various guidelines as outlined by Berry, for example, including local nature within the concept of community, keeping money circulating within the community, and building an economy based on cooperation. He emphasized the importance of regenerating local food and forestry economies to sustain the land and to sustain the people of the land. Establishing a sound local community affords protection against global economic and environmental dissolution. Check out the poet, writer and farmer Wendell Berry’s book “the Turn of the Crank.” IN one essay, “Conserving Communities” Berry proposes seventeen rules that must be followed in order for a community to reach sustainability– defined in his own words as “to cohere, to flourish, and to last.” The connection between ecology and economics, which is at the root of the survival of the community, must be established. Berry says there are two political parties taking shape: the global economy party versus the local community party. The local community party has two objectives: to preserve ecological diversity and integrity, and to re-establish the principles of culture and ecology of local economies and local communities. The local community party has a vested interest in the survival of the environment and the community. The global economy party acts to exploit, undermine, and destroy both the environment and the community on the premise of profit. To reinforce itself, the local community party should follow various guidelines as outlined by Berry, for example, including local nature within the concept of community, keeping money circulating within the community, and building an economy based on cooperation. He emphasized the importance of regenerating local food and forestry economies to sustain the land and to sustain the people of the land. Establishing a sound local community affords protection against global economic and environmental dissolution.

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