The Coalition';s plan for arts and culture is to encourage excellence in, and access to, all areas of the arts in Australia, and to encourage all Australians to celebrate our culture and creativity.
That';s why my government has worked to broaden the reach of arts and culture in Australia, through audience and market development and through a strong focus on the arts in rural and regional areas.
Artists and audiences in rural and regional Australia want to participate in and experience the arts as much as those living in urban areas. Accordingly, the Coalition has enhanced access to our National Cultural Institutions through improved online access, and an increase in the number of exhibitions and performances travelling to rural and regional Australia.
The Coalition recognises that for the arts to thrive, the environment in which they operate needs to provide the right type of support. The Coalition';s recent $92.7 million film initiative and its $45 million response to the Nugent Inquiry into the major performing arts has provided significant targetted support. The Myer Inquiry has also been established to examine whether changes are needed in the way governments support the visual arts and craft sector.
Our plan will build on the successful programs already in place through additional funding of $19.56 million, and extend our policy reach through continued discussion and consultation with the arts and cultural sectors.
We will provide an additional $10 million to the Australia Council comprising:
- $5 million over four years for the Young and Emerging Artists Program, providing new and younger artists with greater opportunities for career development and public exposure of their work;
- $3 million over four years for the Major Festivals Fund, supporting the development and production of new Australian work; and
- $2 million over 2 years for a national media festival of youth culture and arts – a follow up to the successful LOUD and noise festivals;
The Coalition will also provide $1 million over four years to renew the Contemporary Music Touring Program, to assist individual musicians and groups tour Australia.
$6.4 million over four years will enable the Australia Business Arts Foundation to build on its successes in encouraging and facilitating business support for the arts.
In order to preserve Australia';s rich cultural heritage, a re-elected Coalition Government will provide $1.2 million over four years to build on the work of the Heritage Collections Council, addressing the needs of the custodians of our heritage.
We will also provide $960,000 over four years to continue Australian Museums On Line, which uses new technologies to bring Australian heritage to all Australians and the world.
And to safeguard the future work of creative Australians, we will consult key stakeholders on proposals to amend the Copyright Act to grant new rights to film directors.
We will work with the performing arts community to develop workable performers'; rights legislation, and will introduce an amendment to the moral rights legislation to give further protection to indigenous communities.
The duration of copyright in photographs will be extended to bring it into line with the protection afforded to other creators.
Impact on the Forward Estimates (Cash estimate)
2002-03 $m
2003-04 $m
2004-05 $m
2005-06 $m
Total $m
Contemporary Music Tour';g Prog
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
1.00 Major Festivals Fund
0.75
0.75
0.75
0.75
3.00 Young/emerging artists initiative
1.25
1.25
1.25
1.25
5.00 Youth Media Festival
1.00
1.00
0.00
0.00
2.00 ABAF
1.60
1.60
1.60
1.60
6.40 Heritage Collections Council
0.30
0.30
0.30
0.30
1.20 Australian Museum Online
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.24
0.96
Total
5.39
5.39
4.39
4.39
19.56