We are sharing the letter the Childers Group sent to Dr Andrew Leigh MP on 29 June 2016. The letter is in response to comments by Dr Leigh in a recent radio interview.

The Childers Group has put together an analysis of the past 12 years of arts grants in the ACT and the trends within different funding types. This analysis shows that over this time, stretching over three full electoral cycles, there has been a significant decline in ACT arts grants on a per capita basis, and as a proportion of funds available to Government.

This analysis is drawn from over 1,500 grant entries in ACT Government annual reports, copied and sorted by grant type.

Here’s how we’re looking.

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Following the success of ArtsPeak’s election debate in Melbourne last week, the Childers Group invite you to be involved in a new lobbying strategy in the lead up to the federal election – an Arts Day of Action on 17th June 2016.

Facts:

• The arts and cultural industries employ more people than agriculture, construction or mining, and generate $50 billion for the Australian economy.
• Independent artists and organisations are the backbone of the arts in Australia, generating new ideas and new talent.
• Our creative industries are innovators for our nation.
• On 13 May this year 50% of small to medium arts companies did not receive funding because of the government’s cuts to the Australia Council. This will result in job losses across the cultural industries, educational institutions and the commercial sector.

Here’s how you can be involved on 17 June:

• Share your concerns with local media and on social media with #istandwiththearts and #ausvotesarts
• Contact your peers and plan your own action for the arts.
• Sign this petition to restore arts funding.
• Write to the Arts Minister, the Hon. Mitch Fifield, inviting him to: Fund Culture, Fund the Arts, Change Lives.
• Vote for the candidates with the best arts policies on 2 July.