EMBARGO: Saturday 1 May 1976 F76/ 76 / v/
2.41; n m. RjNI MAULTIr.
FOR PRESS 1 May 1976
CONFERENCE OF THE REGIONAL GALLERIES ASSOCIATION
The Regional Galleries Association Conference brings
togethcr the people most directly concerned with
' developing and managing Victoria's regional galleries.
The regional gaileries of Victoria represent a most
significant achievement in community artistic life in
Australia. They are important not merely because they arc
repositories of good examples of Australia art.
The active Association a~ id the annual activities of the
galleries in mourting exhibitions do much to encourage
Australians to a wider appreciation of the quality of
art in their own country.
I am of course particularly pleased that this Conference is
being held in Hamilton. The Hamilton Art Gallery is probably
the best provincial gallery in Australia. The Hamilton
. gallery's collection of decorative art is, I understand,
not only unequalled in Australia, but has many pieces which
are of international standard.
The Government in Victoria has of course been very active in
the promotion of the arts. The Federal Government has
also taken an active role through the Australia Council.
The Visual Arts Board of the Council has provided substantial
assistance for exhibitions which hav3 toured galleries throughout
Australia. There is to be an increasing emphasis on funds provided
; hrough the Australian Gallery Directors Council for
exhibitions to regional galleries. The exhibition " Sculpture
of Thailand" is to be shown at nine centres throughout Australia
including the Victorian Arts Centre in Melbourne and the
Mildura Arts Centre.
The Government intends to continue its support for the creative
and performing arts in Australia.
Australia has an extraordinarily rich artistic tradition.
There is hardly an area of the arts where Australia has
not excelled. ./ 2
Previous Federal Liberal aiid Country Party Governments
took a k-een interest in encou~ raging the cre~ ative and
per-forming arts in Australia. They established the
Commonwealth Literary Board, the Australian National
Gallery, the Arts Council, and they took the first steps
in the establishment of the Film Corporation. I am pleased
to recall that as Minister I took an active part in
establishing the Canberra School of MNusic.
A Government Parties Committee has now been established
under the Chai-manship of David Hamer to assist it in developing
the arts in Australia. During the Parliamentary recess this
Committee will be visiting all States and meeting with
people involved in the arts.
i have been personally concerned that the Government's
activities in promoting' creative artists endeavour
in Australia should remain with the Department of Prime
Mi-nister and Cabinet and the committee I have just referred
' to will be reporting directly to me.
You will all know that the Government is very concerned at
thie present time that the Federal Government operates within
the limits of the resourcos available to it. We are
particularly concerned to eliminate wasteful expenditure.
Every area of Government spending is being examine-d in the
enquiry we are presently making. I need hardly say that
Government activities in the arts area are under very
close examination at present. I do not want to -pre-empt
r'he results of that examination which is still. proceedingby
being too specific in my comments todlay.
It may however hRlp to ease any concern there may be if I
re-emphasise the broad purposes of the Government in this area.
The Government fully intends -to encourage the contiaued growth
and development of the arts-. in Australia. In particular,
it is our intention to encourage the development of Australian
art rather than costly purchases overseas. We intend,
for example, to give effect to the National Gallery's policy
of giving priority to the purchase of Australian arts.
Alongside this policy Australia must of course be open to
influence from overseas. Great art inevitably must cross
political frontiers. We have announced our intention to
support a more vigorous sponsorship of exhibitions which will
give Australians ready access to the art and culture of
other countries. Australians are and ought to be in the
vanguard of the artistic world.
The rlovernmeint's principal. present concern to restore economic
prospierity to Australia will not be allowed to obscure the
fact Australia is more than aa efficient economy. Australia
can be a part of a vital world culture and the Government
intends to play a part in encouraging this development.
The regional galleries have a most significant role in this exciting
prospect, both as repositories of Australian art and as exhibitors
of the art of other countries. 3
3.
The regional galleries of Victoria have already made ? n
important contribution and I have no doubt that this
contribution will be even greater in the future.
I have great pleasure in declaring the 19th annual conference
of the Regional Galleries Association of Victoria open.
000ooo00000