In a big year for the AICV, we held our conference Finger on the Pulse in September, featuring the leaders of the three main political parties speaking to their arts platforms, as well as running the Support Victoria’s Vibrant Arts Campaign in the lead up to the Victorian election.
While the conference gave the arts sector an invaluable opportunity to hear arts policies of Labor, the Coalition and Greens first hand, it also provided participants an opportunity to ask questions and to hear the views of cultural commentators such as Marcus Westbury, Ben Eltham and Jon Hawkes.
The Support Victoria’s Vibrant Arts Campaign highlighted the need for further funding to Arts Victoria’s Arts Development Fund and ran a successful media and Facebook campaign.
Further to these two major events, the AICV has met throughout the year with politicians, arts leaders and representatives from peak bodies as well as developing submissions to major sector consultations and strengthening our internal structures. Our new website was launched early in 2010 and a new format of electronic news bulletins developed for our subscribers.
Arts Industry Council Victoria (AICV) and ArtsPeak Victoria are leading a campaign requesting tripartisan support for Victoria’s vibrant arts.
We are making a simple request, $5 million over three years (2011-13) to invest in Arts Victoria’s Arts Development grant rounds allowing and supporting independent artists, small organisations, companies and community groups to determine and propose their own creative projects. We want an investment in arts projects, not just buildings.
The Arts Industry Council Victoria Conference 2010, Finger on the Pulse, was held at the North Melbourne Town Hall, Tuesday 28 September.
Brook Andrew opened the conference with a keynote address from the persepctive of a contemporary practising artist. Minister Peter Batchelor, Leader of the Opposition Ted Baillieu and Sue Pennicuik of the Australian Greens each spoke to their respective arts platforms while Marcus Westbury, Ben Eltham, Magdalena Moreno and Jon Hawkes took part in a dynamic panel discussion on the future of the arts in Victoria.
Minister Peter Batchelor has advised that he will retire at the November state election for family reasons.
Mr Batchelor said his biggest regret was leaving the Arts portfolio after only nine months.
“I’m a passionate supporter of the Arts and have loved every minute of working on this portfolio
and building strong relationships with the sector,” he said.
“The arts sector is highly valued by the Brumby Labor Government and I know the great work
and plans, such as laying the foundations for the Southbank Cultural Precinct and supporting
and recognising the live music scene, will continue under a Labor Government.”
To read the formal media release, please see below.
Ted Baillieu, Leader of the Victorian Opposition and Leader of the Victorian Liberal Nationals Coalition, has accepted an invitation to speak at the Arts Industry Council Victoria’s Conference Finger on the Pulse, Tuesday 28th September at the North Melbourne Town Hall.
Representatives from the three major political parties have been invited to speak to their respective policies and take questions from AICV members. For more information please click here.
Peter Batchelor MP, Minister for the Arts, has accepted an invitation to speak to Labor’s arts platform at the Arts Industry Council Victoria’s Conference Finger on the Pulse, Tuesday 28th September at the North Melbourne Town Hall.
Representatives from the three major political parties have been invited to speak to their respective policies and take questions from AICV members. For more information please click here.
Sue Pennicuik MLC, the Australian Greens, has accepted an invitation to speak to the Greens arts platform at the Arts Industry Council Victoria’s Conference Finger on the Pulse, Tuesday 28th September at the North Melbourne Town Hall.
Representatives from the three major political parties have been invited to speak to their respective policies and take questions from AICV members. For more information please click here.
The Arts Industry Council Victoria is an active member of ArtsPeak, a confederation of 25 Australian national peak arts organisations.
Media Release: Thursday 5th August 2010
ArtsPeak Calls for Cultural Policies
At its meeting yesterday, ArtsPeak, the confederation of 25 Australian national peak arts organisations voiced its concern at the invisibility of the arts in the federal election campaign.
Today ArtsPeak has released its vision for the arts and cultural commitments needed from all political parties. ArtsPeak calls for all political parties to develop and, if elected, implement policies that will accelerate the contribution being made by Australia’s cultural creators to productivity, innovation, social cohesion and the economy. ArtsPeak criticises the lack of imaginative strategies to capitalise on Australian creativity. It asks governments to implement an arts and innovation agenda that will complement key areas of public policy (eg the
recent commitment to digital book publishing).
While nine out of 10 Australians participate in the arts, the federal government invests in this area less than one per cent of its expenditure overall. The arts make a major contribution to Australia’s image overseas as an intellectually and culturally sophisticated nation. However, according to the just completed Throsby research report, artists’ incomes continue to fall well below average incomes, with a high percentage living below the poverty line.
“We live in a world where creativity and innovation are transforming our lives. At crucial times like elections, it becomes obvious how effectively or not Australia is positioning itself, and what should be done to improve our track record,” said Tamara Winikoff, Executive Director of the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) and co-convenor of ArtsPeak. “Cultural policies must be part of this election.”
Julie Dyson, National Director of Ausdance, said “For Australia to be competitive, governments need to substantially enhance the capacity of artists to contribute within a national innovation system.”
ArtsPeak says that all political parties should develop coherent national cultural policies which explore and respond to issues such as:
connecting cultural policy into all key aspects of government policy e.g health, education, the economy, social cohesion
expanding support for the creation and presentation of new Australian work, artistic risk-taking and international sales, touring and exchange
giving effect to International Conventions on the rights for all people to receive an adequate education in the arts and culture and to have opportunities to make a creative contribution to and/or participate in the cultural activities of their choice
recognising and expanding the key contribution made by Australia’s creative industries to the national economy by establishing a support framework for arts micro businesses and SMEs, and adopting a national design strategy
ensuring the protection of artistic creators’ rights within a human rights framework, including freedom of expression, fair industry practices, copyright and moral rights and protecting Indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights
introducing policy to facilitate artistic enterprise including providing tax incentives and tax relief for artists
and organisations, and reform of social security arrangements to genuinely assist artists to build their careers
forging a national research agenda for arts and culture based on collecting and analysing adequate
statistical and qualitative data that identifies both economic and social return on investment to support wise
policy development and private investment
applying the principles of the UNESCO Convention for Cultural Diversity both within Australia and by
protecting Australian culture in the context of international trade agreements
Late 2009, the AICV restructured its staffing and committed to upgrading its website and communications. The new website includes an updated look as well as new pages and information. We welcome your feedback
