Keep Sydney Open calls on the creative community to join the fight for a thriving Sydney

With just 16 days until the NSW Election, Keep Sydney Open is calling on the advertising and creative community to show their support for a more creative Sydney.

Keep Sydney Open, which began as a movement five years ago in response to the failed lockout laws, has evolved into a political party with its sights on winning seats in the NSW Upper House on 23 March. KSO will also contest 42 seats around the state.

By offering an important counter-balance to the current ideology and close-minded thinking of the NSW Government – which is costing the Sydney economy $16bn annually – Keep Sydney Open is fighting to create a global city that is open to ideas, open to opportunity and open to new ways of working.

Says Jess Miller (above centre), who is a candidate on the Upper House ticket for Keep Sydney Open, and who has worked in agency land for the past 10 years: “The close-minded approach to city and place-making by the NSW Government is damaging Sydney’s global competitiveness and economy. It is causing many of our colleagues in the creative community to move to LA, London… and Melbourne.

“This has significant knock-on effects to the creative and media sector, which is why we are asking the members of our community, people who are as frustrated by the culture and brain suck as we are, to join the fight.”

To express your support for an Open Sydney, we ask you to do one or all of the following:

●      Donate whatever you can to supporting the campaign – Keep Sydney Open needs to raise at least $30K to give this a decent shot.

●      Participate in the Keep Sydney Open T-shirt day – buy your whole team a Keep Sydney Open t-shirt, jumper or tote-bag (for the bargain price of $20) and have the team wear them in support of a more open Sydney on Friday March 22, the day before the election. Don’t forget to post a selfie on social media (#keepsydneyopen).

●      Share Keep Sydney Open content and stories on your social media channels, in your newsletters, put some posters on the wall – you’re all professional communicators and creatives – make the campaign your own and get the word out there!

There is plenty of evidence backing Keep Sydney Open’s message that keeping Sydney closed is damaging our economy, our access to talent, our community and our global standing.

The Deloitte Access Economics Report, released in February, found that Sydney’s underdeveloped night-time economy means the city is missing out on $16bn annually. The report’s creators made the point that a more innovative workforce is built on exposure to the arts and culture, and the richness of the city’s arts sector is crucial to attracting and retaining talent.

In addition, a recent report by the Committee for Sydney, Sustaining the Advantage, found that the limited opportunity to access night-time and after dark activities is risking Sydney’s international reputation as a city, and is a major factor in holding Sydney back from being one of the ‘Best Cities in the World’.

Adds Miller: “Through the lockouts, festival decimation and ‘nanny state’ mentality, this government is trashing the global perception and competitiveness of Sydney as a brand with global appeal.

“We understand and care deeply about what ‘brand Sydney’ represents locally and globally, and what the economic impact of being known as the ‘Nanny State’ does to our emerging artists, creatives, and local businesses.”

A vote for Keep Sydney Open is a vote for a fresh approach to politics all over NSW.

(Pictured 1. Jess Miller, candidate on the Upper House ticket for Keep Sydney Open; 2. L-R candidates Tyson Koh, Jess Miller, Jesse Matheson; 3. L-R: candidates Dan Mac, Art Vs Science; Tori Levitt (front) DJ; Jesse Matheson, Mardi Gras Board Member; Tyson Koh, KSO founder; Jess Miller, Allison Sims, Scott Singh)