Read on Twitter
What is the value of Australia’s creative and cultural industries and institutions? Today the Standing Committee on Communications & the Arts is hearing from artists and industry leaders who've made submissions to the Inquiry. Here's the live stream – https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament
Speaking now: Rupert Myer AO and @Kate_Fielding from @HumanitiesAU's A New Approach. Their research shows that arts and culture are essential to learning and adapting, to national identity and pride, and also, to what it means to be human.
Here's the Inquiry's full details including its terms of reference, committee members, and all the submissions made public to date, with more submissions being uploaded by the week: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/Arts/Submissions
Here are the reports by A New Approach, which was created to address a shortfall in up-to-date, independent and accurate data and research on the trends for investment in Australia’s arts and culture: https://www.humanities.org.au/new-approach/
Rupert Myer AO: These are sunrise industries. These are aspirational jobs. These are the jobs of the future. 5.9% is a very significant part of the nation's workforce. Bigger than mining, construction… COVID19 has hit hard; by focusing here, we can rebuild for all of Australia.
Kate Fielding: The model of a National Arts, Culture and Creativity Plan affords Australia a valuable opportunity to set targets, build confidence and pride, enable better participation for all Australians, and take advantage of the successes of the cultural and creative economy.
Next up it's Professors David Throsby and Julian Meyrick, two of Australia's leading researchers on the arts, culture and creative industries:
A cultural policy for Australia is long overdue, says Prof Throsby. We need better coordination across jurisdictions, says Prof Meyrick. While many regional councils do have cultural plans, there needs to be a larger national framework to maximise benefits for all Australians.
Why is national coordination relevant, asks @DaveGillespieMP? Because arts and culture *are* Australia. Because education policy, content quotas, tax incentives, copyright regimes etc. don't align. Because we're neglecting one of our most jobs-and-growth-generating industries.
I'm following the live audio of today's first day of hearings for the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry Australia’s Creative and Cultural Industries and Institutions: https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/Arts. Here's the link if you're keen to follow too: https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament
Prof Meyrick: Art is unstable, and wants to shoot off in many directions. It's not about governments managing the arts; it's about ensuring optimal conditions for the arts to thrive. The value questions are important ones for us to grapple. Generosity and respect on both sides.
Prof Throsby: There's plenty of scope for improving the ways in which authors are paid for their work. Electronic, public lending and moral rights legislation, for example, need constant vigilance. Far too often, authors don't receive the returns they have earned.
Prof Throsby: Trade negotiations happen far more smoothly when there's a strong cultural understanding – "culture leads and trade follows". Culture isn't the icing on the cake; it's the foundation of our international relations. Conflicts arise due to cultural misunderstandings.
Next up it's @RosAbercrombie, Executive Director, @Regional_Arts Australia. Arts in regional communities is as much about unique cultures as it is about the economic multipliers of tourism and place. The @PPS_Placemaking Power of 10 outlines opportunities: https://www.pps.org/category/power-of-10
Fantastic to hear @RosAbercrombie give examples of how the Regional Arts Fund is supporting superb new work and new approaches to their practice during this difficult period. 236 'Relief' projects nationally. 7 three-year 'Renewal' projects.
Chair @DaveGillespieMP asks how great it would be if arts attractions were also marketing to urban and national audiences. The prohibitive cost of this for small regional programs is a major reason why a national approach to policy is needed, linking regional arts and tourism.
Committee member @KatieAllenMP asks about achieving critical mass to share ideas and opportunities, as distinct from a top-down approach of providing frameworks. Again the prohibitive cost for isolated regional communities is exactly why a well-funded national approach is needed.
. @RosAbercrombie: Regional artists and arts leaders look less to urban centres for direction-setting and more to one another. There's a huge diversity of practice. An important @regional_arts role is to be that connector, alongside the state-based regional arts organisations.
. @RosAbercrombie: One of the most impactful COVID19 changes has been the increased ease of access for regional arts practitioners to appear on panels, to present their expertise alongside other national leaders. It's vital to see this work continue.
And now it's some of Australia's greatest writers. Helen Garner, Charlotte Wood, Christos Tsiolkas and @SydReviewBooks. MPs are incredibly grateful for the presence of such important and impactful artists.
Charlotte Wood: The government's #COVID19 rescue package offers nothing to writers, nor to any artists not connected to organisations. @SydReviewBooks: We've also been unable to access this funding. We're beyond bums on seats; our value, audiences, income streams are different.
Christos Tsiolkas: Emerging writers are hard hit. I've spent hours guiding emerging writers about how to access support, how tax works, because they're desperately trying to work out how to support their families. How we make a living from this thing called writing.
Christos Tsiolkas: Writing is the apprenticeship that has no end. Great mentorship is vital, especially for writers from diverse backgrounds. Charlotte Wood, Helen Garner: The best help is access to grants to buy our time. That was crucial to the success of all of us here today.
