R|7.0 Showcase — One Month On
The R|7.0 Showcase photos have just been released, and with a small window of time to flip through and reminisce, I have to say... Wow!
There was something electric in the air that night. It was a culmination of months of curiosity, courage, and creative fire. A huge kudos to these incredible founders, each with a pitch so bold, and deeply personal.
As I think back on the program now, I’m again reminded why supporting creative development matters — not just for individual artists or entrepreneurs, but for the health and resilience of our towns, regions, and shared culture.
Why Creative Development Matters: People, Place & Future
Our creative industries are an economic engine:
In 2023-24, cultural and creative activity added $67.4 billion to the national economy. That’s 2.5% of Australia’s GDP.
In Queensland, live performance alone generated $539.3 million with 4.9 million ticketed attendances. And more than 100,000 Queenslanders are employed in creative occupations.
On the Sunshine Coast, the arts and creative sector is outpacing other industries in value-add growth.
When creatives grow businesses, they’re creating jobs, building tourism, and giving regions something to stand on.
Creative ecosystems build culture:
Unquestionably, essentials like houses, roads and public amenities are vital to community growth. But communities are built on more than these foundational pillars. People need places with spirit and character, that nourish, entertain and unite them in shared identity — creative businesses contribute to this ecosystem.
A recent study reports that 84% of Queenslanders say the arts make a strong positive impact on communities.
The Sunshine Coast’s Creative Arts Plan 2023–2038 backs this up, showing how creativity helps with placemaking, identity, and cross-sector innovation. 68% of creative participants in this study said their work connected them more deeply to the region.
Creativity and the arts are vital to our humanity:
In the burgeoning age of AI, fundamentally human capacities like imagination, empathy, lived experience and, yes, creativity, are irreplaceable.
A World Health Organization review of 3,000+ studies linking arts engagement to improved mental health, physical health, and social wellbeing.
A 2023 UNESCO study found arts and culture to be an essential ingredient to our sense of identity, social cohesion, and community resilience.
The World Economic Forum identifies creativity as one of the top capacities needed to thrive in 2030.
A celebration — and a call forward
To Liz Burcham, Aunty Helena Gulash, Naomi Price, Mayor Rosanna Natoli, and our sponsors — thank you for making such a momentous occasion, and a powerful program.
To our creative entrepreneurs: this is your starting line. The stage may be set, but the journey is yours. The world and the Sunshine Coast need what you have to offer.
A huge round of applause (again!) for our 2025 Refinery cohort:
Mia Gimenez – @gimenezvoiceacademy
Georgia Haupt – @gdocs.co
Ro Clark – @roclarkart
Mary McGilvray – @marymcgilvray_photography
Edwina Masson – @call.me.edde
Spencer Davids – @tinymountainsmedia
Jenny Wynter – @jenwynter
Kerrie Hart – @kerrieharthcreative
Showcase Highlights
Check out the Showcase Highlight Reel, made by The Refinery team: