CHILDERS GROUP 2025

Childers has been busy since the beginning of the year. Our activities include :

• Meeting with our 3 Federal Members : Alicia Payne, David Smith and Andrew Leigh. Alicia is following up some information we were seeking from Creative Australia (going back over 15 years) regarding how many Canberra artists and organisations are applying for grants and how many are successful.

• Meeting with Chief Minister Barr

• Meeting with new Independent for Canberra MLA : Thomas Emerson

• Meeting with Jo Clay : ACT Greens Arts spokesperson

• Meeting with James Milligan : Liberal Arts spokesperson

• Attended (along with Tuggeranong Arts Centre) a 2025-2026 Budget consultation meeting with ACT Treasury officials

• We have meetings lined up with the Treasurer Chris Steel and new MLA Caitlin Tough

• We are planning to meet with all the new Assembly MLA’s over the next six months

• We are also looking at possible forums we might run this year and would welcome any ideas from arts practitioners and organisation. Please contact us at : childersgroup@gmail.com