LTI TEMEHT ' 3Y T1E FfRI M MINIST31,
TYNE RT. HCII-. 1 CLD HCLT, M. N* t
IN THE HCUC3 CF R FRESNTATIV3'.
. ct icvernber, 1c67.
CULTURA L ACTIVITIES
I wish to inform the H! ouse of two decisions by the Government
and a n-nmber of other develo;, ments in the field of cult'. lral activities.
The Covernm:: ent, for some time, has been actively considering
ways to increase, at natona level, Commonwealth atronage of the Arts
without creating a monclithic structure which could inhibit the free play
of our cultural interests and enthusiasms at all levels.
For some years now Government encouragement for the
arts in g0e neral has been increasingLL . a nd we feel that financial aid prcperlyj
directed on the best advice is one significant area where the Commonwealth
Government can provide material assistance.
V. e need to ensure that we have a system for giving financial
assistance which takes full account of the important role played, not only
by State Governments, but by municipal governments and a host of professional
and amateur organisations throughout the country.
ith this in mind the Government, in its first decision on
cultural activities, has decided to establish an Australian Council for the
Arts to be its financial agent and adviser on the rerforning arts and other
activities connected with the jirts in general.
The Council v! f1L co-operate closely wivth the Elizabethan
Thea; tre Trust and with e: ict-ng Commonwealth Governm-ent agencies
resrcnsible for music, u. intng and literature.
At this stage the C! ouncil will be concerned primarily with the
perforr1ing arts but it should not be assumed that the concept of an allembracing
Council, whic> I know has some advocates in this country, has
been rejected. The Council we -ropose to set up could conveniently be enlaroged
to rerform such a function if experience showed t7. e need.
This decision means that Government financial assistance for
the arts in general will in future be given through two main channels:
1. The new Ccuncil, which will be concerned with the theatre arts
( drama, oi: era and ballet) and film making for television with
an educational and cultural emphasis.
2. xisting agencies i. e. the A ustralian -roadcasting Commission,
the recently formed Music Board, the Cormironwealth Art
Advisory ? card and the Commonwealth Literary Fund.
The Council w! ill also advise the Governi-ent on special
requests for aid in cultural activities not already covered by Government
agencies and which, in the . East, have been dealt v. with on an ad hoc basis.
I should add here that the inclusion of filmr-making for television
in the activities to be ccvered by the new Council is not a substitute for full
consideration by the C-cverninent of submissions it has received for the
estailishmnent of a Filrm Cor-oration to assist the film industry at lar'e.
The intention to give further aid to fili1-rnaking for television
is ipart of the Government's continuing effort to help in increasing the
Australian content of television programmes in this country. The question
of a Film Corporation, or some similar organisation, is a separate
proposition which needs more study.
The new Council will not, as a norrm. tal rractice finance carital
works for the arts in the Ctates because this is not considered to be within
the siphere of Commonwealth responsibility.
The ElizaLbethan Theatre Trust will remain as a servicing
organisation and entre. reneur and will continue its fund raising activities
in the States. The Council willd'stribute financial aid for the performing arts
pirimrarily, but not exclusively, through the Trust. Both the Council and the
Trust will be supported by advisory committees in all States.
Before deciding to establish this two-channel system of aid
for the arts a close study was made of the foundations and councils for the
arts in thle United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.
The names of the Chairman, members of the Council and the
Director will be announced -n due course. The Council will be associated
with the Frime Minister's D: eartment.
The Comnonvealth Government has also studied the work o6
its existing agnecies and as I have already indicated they will continue to
functica broadly in the samie way as they have in the ;, act, and the level of
any increase in financial assistance will be considered in the Budget context,
as will the grant to be made available to the new Council. There will be,
of course, a close liaison between the new Council and the existing agencies.
I might mention here that the Government already has under
consideration increased azssste'nce to writers in A ustrajia as a result of
recent dfscussions between the Advisory Board of the Commonwealth Literary
7 und and the Fund's Farliaimentary Committee.
The House vwl! also recall that we recently set up a Music
Board . ecifically for the Au! rpose of advising the Commonwealth Government
on assistance to Australin comiosers. This 3oard has been active since
its inception and has just had a1-roval for a new rroject designed to promote
the work of Australian czmrosers, nationally and internationally, and
atterr-; t to remedy the lack of knowledge of our own music. The details
of this roject are the uobject of a statement by me to thile press today.
I turn now to the second important decision the Government
has taken to encourage the arts in Australia.
The House ! ill recall that my predecessor Sir Robert Menziec:
and his administration decided that a national art gallery should be est lished
in Canberra and in 1M L -x. cinted a committee of enquiry to consider vhat
form it Chould take, what its function should be and how it should be controlled.
This Committee, under the distin2uiished Chairmanship of
Sir Deryl Lindsay, com-ileted its work last year and I would like to
acknowledge here how comi-rirehensive the report is and how valuable it !-has
been to the Government. It has contributed significantly to the Governmient's
latest decision on the art gaillery and is tabled in this Farliament for the
information of -lonourable Membners.
The Government has decided that work on the establishment
of this national gallery will begin immediately.
The National Capital Development Commission expects the
planning, design and costing stage to take about two years. I site for
the gallery is being considered.
The Gallery will house the National Collection which at
: resent consists of nearly 2, QCC works of art. -uture acquisitions will
include A ustralian art tast -nd -: resent, art of the I sian and Facific
areas and art on a world-wide basis, beginning with the 2Cth century.
The Government believes the new gallery will add significantly
to the cultural life of Australa and the national capital.
It is hoped that this will be an added incentive to owners of
art collections to consider bequeathing their collections to the Commonweslth.
The Commonwealth has been active in recent years in acquiring
new works for the national collection. It is also develocing an exchange of
art exhibitions with other countries.
The existence of an art gallery in Canberra will add materially
to the dic-splay opportunities for visiting exhibitions and also for exhibitiens
from the galleries in the various ctates.
The Gallery will be named " The ustralian National Gallery"
and will be controlled a Council, with a full-ti: e director. The C-uncil
itself will be associated with the Frime Minister's Derartment. The Council
members and the Director will be appointed in due course.
These decisions will, I am sure give encouragement to t1hoe
who have for so long given thir time and energy to advancing our ovwn
distinctive cultural activities. I also hope that the growing public
recognition of what our actors, our artists, our viriters, our musicians
and others in a varied field af cultural interest are see. ing to do will add
much to what the Government is doing.
In the leaner years of the past, in the face of hardship and
little encouragement yotung . u. ctralians have risen to fame and brought
distinction to their country over a wide range of cultural activity. Given
the suvx-ort of Governments, * ederal and Ctate, and the backing of tilhe
peo) e, I am sure the talent is there for us to rise to new heights and give
our , eo; 1e a growing pleasure and satisfaction.