Australian and overseas research shows that direct involvement by communities in arts activity can contribute significantly to individual and community wellbeing and can enhance the efforts of government agencies in realising their policies for community wellbeing and ecologically sustainable communities.

Australian and overseas research shows that direct involvement by communities in arts activity can contribute significantly to individual and community wellbeing and can enhance the efforts of government agencies in realising their policies for community wellbeing and ecologically sustainable communities.

The case studies presented here demonstrate that community-based creative processes, when embedded into an agency's policies and strategies, can be very powerful in strengthening the knowledge, engagement, social capital and leadership required to achieve policy objectives.

The case study material is grouped under seven themes, which represent key priorities for governments in Australia in achieving community wellbeing:

• Health
• Ecologically sustainable development
• Public housing and place
• Rural revitalisation
• Community strengthening
• Active citizenship
• Social inclusion and cultural diversity.