SYDNEY.- City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP and writer and performer Jonathan Biggins are teaming up to tackle some of Sydney's big questions in a seminar on arts in the City on Wednesday 8 July 2009.

Run by the Sydney Arts Management Advisory Group (SAMAG), a not-for-profit organisation that raises awareness of important arts issues, and supported by the City of Sydney, 'Vision and value: The role of the arts in a sustainable City of Sydney?' will explore the challenges and opportunities currently facing Sydney's arts community.

Followed by an audience Q&A, the seminar aims to answer questions like: what value do the arts have in contemporary cities, and what will be the role of the arts in a sustainable Sydney twenty years from now?

Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP said that the SAMAG seminar will provide an opportunity to discuss some of the key themes of the City's Sustainable Sydney 2030 vision.

"Sustainable Sydney 2030 is all about how we can transform Sydney into a cultural and creative hub, and Sydney's arts community has a major role to play in this revitalisation" Ms Moore said.

SAMAG Chair Penny Miles said that the seminar would provide a forum for discussion of exciting and innovative ideas.

"With a vibrant and varied arts community calling the City home, how the arts can contribute to a sustainable Sydney is of key importance. We are delighted that the Lord Mayor has agreed to share her thoughts and ideas at this special SAMAG event," Ms Miles said.