Greens’ arts policy: Funding cuts reversed, extra $270.2m

Image:Greens Arts spokesperson Adam Bandt MP

The Australian Greens launched the first part of their Arts Policy for the July 2 Federal elections – and promise to not only restore, but double, funding for the sector.

The Greens have always had the support of the music and arts community because they’ve put their work as an essential component of Australian life. This year the new Arts Party contests its first Federal election with a similar platform.

The party says it will reverse $104 million worth of funding cuts by the Liberals, and invest an additional $270.2 million into the arts sector. It is also committed to dismantling controversial “second” funding scheme Catalyst, which is administered through the Ministry of the Arts.

As a result, the Australia Council for the Arts will again be the sole Federal arts and music funding body. The OzCo will also have its funding doubled (from 2013/4 levels) for its Grants and Initiatives for small to medium arts organisations and individual artists.

The Greens promise to also reverse the ’efficiency dividends’ imposed on key cultural institutions and invest $1 million over four years in creating a National Arts Week. There’ll also be an artist in residence program at Australian Parliament House (at a cost of $1 million) and an advocacy body for Australian authors.

“A vibrant, well-resourced and independent arts community is core to any thriving society,” Greens Arts spokesperson Adam Bandt MP said. “Yet instead of investing in our arts and artists, the Liberal government launched an unprecedented attack on the arts sector under former Arts Minister George Brandis.

“When George Brandis was sacked, artists and art-lovers breathed a sigh of relief, believing the attack was over. But new Arts Minister Mitch Fifield refused to undo the damage his predecessor had done, only restoring partial funding to the Australia Council and shamefully decided to rebrand, not disband, Brandis’ personal slush fund from the NPEA to Catalyst.

“It is well and truly time for the attacks on our arts to come to an end. We must reverse the cuts and increase investment in our arts and artists. I am proud to release The Greens’ policy to revive the Australian arts sector and celebrate the role of the arts in our society.”

Other planks in the Greens’ arts platform include:

• Providing an additional $3 million to the ArtStart program over the next four years.

• Providing funding of $20 million over four years to pay artists when their works are publicly displayed.

• Increasing funding by $2 million per year for regional touring through Playing Australia until total funding reaches $10 million and then an indexed amount annually.

• Removing touring arts companies from the ’in Australia’ rule from July 1 2017 which would allow organisations to become tax exempt entities.

• Creating an Arts Research and Development grants program to encourage innovative arts projects with an initial funding allocation of $5 million over the next four years.

• Supporting national voices in the arts with a funding allocation of $1 million over the next four years.

• Providing $1 million to Tourism Australia to promote Australian art around the world and encourage visitors to engage with the arts in Australia.
• Ensure the National Curriculum provide all Australian children with a rich and varied arts education.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and their work represent cultures and heritage which are unique to Australia and must be supported, respected and appropriately protected through legislation, policy and funding priorities.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage including language, knowledge, rituals and stories must be recognised and preserved.
• Australia’s diverse multicultural artists and their work represent cultures and heritages, which are unique to Australia and must be supported, respected and appropriately protected through legislation, policy and funding priorities.

Arts executives have applauded the policy, for the way it will initiate new projects and inject a new confidence in the sector.

Norm Horton, Executive Director of Feral Arts, summed it up, “The Greens really stood up for the arts sector when it mattered. They have listened to what the sector needs and have come up with an outstanding policy that will both repair the damage done last year and kick start a new era for the arts in Australia.

“We are especially delighted to see the recognition of individual artists and the small to medium sector – the investment of $218.7m over four years will support the massive level of unfunded excellence exposed in the latest round of Australia Council grant results.”

Download the full plan at greens.org.au/arts. More arts initiatives will be announced in coming weeks.