2013-2014 ACT BUDGET SUBMISSION

Posted on March 5, 2013 by childers

The Childers Group believes that the 2013-2014 ACT Budget is the most important budget for the regional arts community in a decade.

The Childers Group acknowledges that the ACT Government is a significant supporter of the arts development of the ACT and neighbouring regions. The Government is the primary financial contributor to over twenty key arts organisations, which enable the community to access a diversity of programs and enable professional artists to progress their careers, many reaching national and international audiences. The Government also supports individual artists directly through the ACT Arts Fund and its associated programs.

In this Centenary year, we’re experiencing the maturing of much of this activity, with a rich and exciting array of events and programs in which our community and visitors can participate. Therefore, the 2013-2014 ACT Budget is the most important one for the arts in a decade, as it must build on the momentum ignited by the Centenary.

It’s an opportunity too good to miss.

What services does the Childers Group believe are most important for the Territory?*

A modern and mature society such as the ACT’s deserves ongoing access to a wide variety of arts and cultural programs. In general, the Childers Group supports the broad intent of the programs delivered by the ACT Government through its two main arts and cultural bodies – artsACT and the Cultural Facilities Corporation. However, the Group also advocates for ongoing review to ensure that the programs delivered are cost-effective and productive. Consulting with the arts community is critical in any review process, and the Childers Group is able to assist in this regard. Funding levels must also be regularly revisited to ensure that delivery is professional, sustainable, and reaching the community.

What infrastructure priorities should the Government consider initiating in the next four years?*

The realistic support of key arts organisations – ensure that through the ACT Arts Fund CPI continues to be provided to Key Arts Organisations on an annual basis.
Appropriate pay for arts workers – ensure that there are no professional arts workers employed by Key Arts Organisations earning less than the average Australian wage of approximately $55,000 per annum. The Childers Group advocates for the benchmarking of professional arts worker salaries with salaries in the Community Sector and with arts personnel in other states and territories. Payment of ACT arts workers’ salaries commensurate with their skills and experience will ensure the retention of qualified people with the necessary expertise to manage Canberra’s arts and cultural services. It will also ensure the sound management and development of strong policies within the key arts facilities built by the ACT Government.
Related to pay for arts workers is the critical issues of superannuation and long-service leave provisions – the increase in superannuation up to 12% begins in 2013 and increases steadily over the next five years and will have an impact on all funding, for organisations and one-off projects. The position of arts organisations in relation to retaining staff and meeting ACT long-service leave obligations is also a real and increasing cost attached to the $55 per annum figure mentioned above. The arts have obligations like any other business and if there is a commitment to addressing retention of artists and arts staff in the ACT then there are real costs attached to that – more so than other states e.g. there are greater long-service leave obligations in the ACT
Private-sector philanthropy – there is an urgent need for an incentives-based approach that brings together business and arts in the ACT, not necessarily paying an individual to broker relationships but rather developing a suite of strategic benefits for investment by business and individuals in the arts. We strongly advocate for the ACT Government to provide seed-funding in the first instance.
Ongoing funding of the You Are Here festival – You Are Here is a cross-arts festival showcasing the ACT’s alternative arts and underground culture. It highlights the energy, innovation and talent of Canberra artists past and present, presenting and promoting their work in non-traditional venues, revitalising inner-city spaces and attracting new audiences. The Festival is one of the most tangible outcomes of the build-up to the Centenary and considerable support for its continuation was raised during the Childers Group forums in 2012. We estimate that the Festival requires a minimum of $150,000 per annum over the next three years to build on its successes to-date and become a regional and state-wide cultural drawcard. It is essential to showcase the art forms of youth and to engage new audiences with contemporary ideas and arts practice.
Increased support for one-off arts activities – the ACT Arts Fund’s ‘project round’ supports one-off activities for individual artists and groups of artists to initiate and develop their own independent projects. Key arts organisations provide core infrastructure, but they cannot be ‘all things to all people’, nor do they receive program funding to engage artists on major projects. The Project Funding category is – regrettably – supporting fewer projects each year due to the increasing cost of delivering arts projects; this is especially true of the performing arts. The Childers Group strongly advocates for this category to receive additional funding of $250,000 per annum over the next three years. This is particularly important in building on the momentum of the Centenary celebrations.
A dance hub – Ausdance ACT recently conducted a review of dance facilities in Canberra. The organisation found that the numbers of dancers, particularly in schools and other cultural groups, is under-reported, but statistics indicate over 10,700 people participate in dance in the ACT. The Ausdance review found that there is an urgent need for good facilities in the ACT. Building on the ‘hub’ model, Canberra needs a high-quality dance hub with state-of-the-art facilities. The facilities could be shared between a number of organisations, offering space for schools, classes, and our independent dance creators and choreographers as well as performers. Locations that are currently under-serviced and would be suitable sites include: the inner sections of central Canberra, Gungahlin , Central Belconnen, South Tuggeranong, and Weston Creek. The Childers Group commends the review and endorses the recommendations.
A world-class artist-in-residence program – The ACT region has all the ingredients to offer a world-class artist-in-residency program for all art forms: a planned and accessible city, a seat of modern democracy, a suite of national cultural institutions, over twenty key arts organisations, nationally recognised tertiary education providers, a vibrant urban environment surrounded by natural beauty and pastoral landscapes, a network of country towns, and a diverse and engaged population. Artist-in-residency programs offer time and space to create, but also help to bring in national and international artists to work with local artists and the community. Recently the ACT Government developed a policy statement and tool kit, along with a small amount of funding for 2011/2012 and 2012/2013. The Childers Group strongly advocates for ongoing funding of $200,000 over the next four years in order to fully realise the potential of the program.
Significantly enhanced arts-in-education services – the establishment of an Arts-in-Education Officer position would build relationships, partnerships and programs between the Education Directorate and the Community Services Directorate. Ideally this should be a Senior Officer Grade C, paid for by the Education Directorate, with the officer spending 50% of time in Education and 50% at artsACT. In the first instance, this should be a 3-year initiative. Similar initiatives in other states e.g. WA, have proved very beneficial. Establishing and consolidating existing links between artists, arts organisations and schools and the tertiary sector should be a key component of the work. Engagement in the arts throughout a child’s schooling, including early childhood, has immeasurable benefits which are now both quantifiable and proven in countries that have invested in strong arts programs within their schools.
Improved arts publicity and promotion services – the arts are an important tourist attraction in Canberra. To increase publicity for the arts there needs to be a specific ACT Government program to ensure closer liaison between the arts sector-local and national, and ACT Tourism. We are seriously missing out on creative marketing that effectively and powerfully links the cultural attractions and food and wine trails of our region. This has been done to great effect in Victoria and Tasmania. The Childers Group believes that with a more strategic approach cultural tourism could be strengthened in our region.
A whole-of-government service approach to arts development – encouraging all directorates and agencies to examine ways in which they may directly or indirectly support the arts would enhance cultural life in Canberra. For example, potential exists for the development of collaborative arts arrangements with health, education, and heritage. To make this a reality, the Childers Group recommends the creation of specific position within the ACT Government to facilitate connections and multi-directorate programs and projects.
Building creative partnerships with the regions – in many ways the ACT not only services the arts and cultural needs of its own citizens but also those who live in the neighbouring regions. The regions have their own strengths and challenges, but greater partnerships between the ACT and the regions would result in deeper and more diverse opportunities; additionally, it would further cement this part of Australia as one of the most creative, leading to an increase in cultural tourism. The Childers Group advocates for the establishment of a specific Regional Partnerships Fund at $100,000 per annum over the next three years and to be delivered by artsACT in close consultation with the regional arts development offices such as Southern Tablelands Arts (STARTS) and South-East Arts Region (SEARS).

Should the Government maintain its current suite of services?*

Yes, the ACT Government must maintain its current suite of arts and cultural services. However, it should also investigate ways of improving the services to maximise their reach into the community and ensure that artists are receiving the support needed. Funding realistically is the key, as is ensuring organisational sustainability and growth.

How can the Government deliver current services more efficiently and productively?*

In broad terms, the Childers Group supports the notion of arts hubs – co-locating similar organisations to rationalise administrative costs, to increase community access, and create an overall sense of vibrancy. However, we also believe that arts hubs are more appropriate to some art forms than others – for example, dance (as mentioned above) and visual arts at the Kingston Foreshore – and that in some instances co-locating dissimilar organisations may also have positive results – for example, co-locating the ACT Writers Centre with ScreenACT may result in positive synergies. The Childers Group strongly advocates that there is more work to be done to realise the potential of arts hubs work, particularly in terms of sector commitments versus individual organisation commitments.

Are there any services the Childers Group considers that the community should make a direct contribution to (a fee for service)?*

There is already a considerable fee-for-service culture in the ACT’s arts sector. For example, most programs and workshops provided by the ACT Government-funded key arts organisations have a fee attached, as is membership of organisations. In general, the Childers Group supports a fee-for-service approach, but also acknowledges that fees need to be kept affordable in order to maximise accessibility. It should be recognised that for many communities participating in arts activities is as much about social interaction than creative production and these activities should be low-cost or free wherever possible, which is consistent with the accessibility theme raised in the Loxton Report.

The recent initiative of the ACT Government in supporting six Community Cultural Inclusion Officer positions to engage our community in creative activities is an important step in helping address access. Skilled facilitators are essential for inclusive community cultural development.

–

The ACT leads our nation in both community participation and attendance at arts and cultural events. The Childers Group strongly recommends consideration of increased investment in the arts as outlined in our submission. As our city and the region grow and develop, so too must our thinking in terms of providing opportunities and encouragement for our artists to stay, and nurturing creativity and social engagement within the wider community.

With this kind of support, the ACT region will continue its development as a vibrant, engaged, confident and sophisticated National Capital area.

The next creative generation depends on it.

–

If you would like to provide feedback on the Childers Group’s 2013-2014 ACT Budget submission, please email us childersgroup@gmail.com or engage with us through Facebook or Twitter.

–

* Questions asked by ACT Treasury

CHILDERS GROUP CLIMBS TO THE HEIGHTS OF ARTS PEAK

Posted on February 24, 2013 by childers

The Childers Group, the only arts advocacy body for the ACT region, has joined ArtsPeak, the confederation of Australian peak arts organisations. This is an exciting opportunity for us. Since our establishment in 2011 we have found our feet and started to have a real impact on the development of the arts and cultural life of our region. However, joining ArtsPeak enables us to situate our advocacy in a broader national context.

The membership of ArtsPeak includes 30 key advocacy organisations, including the National Association for the Visual Arts, Regional Arts Australia, Ausdance, Young People and the Arts Australia – and now the Childers Group.

Joining ArtsPeak gives our advocacy a certain gravitas. This is particularly important as the ACT and region is currently celebrating significant milestones, including the Centenary of Canberra. The Childers Group is already starting to think about what happens next in our region and we’re thrilled to now be in a position to bounce ideas off our ArtsPeak colleagues and be a part of a connected, informed and energised national arts advocacy movement.

ArtsPeak’s priorities for the immediate future are:

a long-term cultural framework and the necessity for adventurous arts policies that emphasise cross-departmental support for arts and culture – this will need a much greater funding commitment to sustain and grow arts infrastructure and to support the intrinsic and economic contribution of artists.

the viability of creative practitioners’ careers with appropriate professional development and lifelong skills that contribute to the economic and cultural life of the community, with fair payment and ethical conditions supported by appropriate legislation and regulation.

the importance of a good arts education from early childhood through school and into higher education, anticipated by the introduction of the Australian Curriculum for the Arts in 2014 – TAFE cuts to arts training and the gradual contraction of arts education options in universities are of major concern.

greater need for better recognition of and support for the diversity of the arts, including Australia’s unique Indigenous culture, multicultural communities and people with disability across urban, regional and remote Australia – the importance of international engagement and exchange is strongly advocated.

maintenance of the arm’s length and peer-assessment principles in the restructure of the Australia Council, and greater flexibility and responsiveness to developments in the arts sector – ArtsPeak strongly argues that art form expertise should be maintained.

Forum No. 2: the guts of the discussion…and now it’s up to you to vote

Posted on October 8, 2012 by childers

On Wednesday 19 September 2012 at the Canberra Museum and Gallery Theatrette, the Childers Group held its second forum, organised for the lead-up to the ACT Legislative Assembly election (on 20 October). The speakers were: Joy Burch, ACT Minister for the Arts; Vicki Dunne, ACT Opposition Spokesperson for the Arts; and Caroline Le Couteur, Greens Spokesperson for the Arts (positions as at September 2012).

Each speaker was asked to present their respective political party’s arts policy. Approximately 70 members of the ACT-region arts community attended; representatives from the various art forms asked questions, and there were general questions from the floor. Actor and professional communicator Andrea Close facilitated the two-hour discussion.

The arts policies as presented at the forum can be found by clicking on the following links:

ACT Labor
ACT Greens
Canberra Liberals (not yet available on-line)

Whilst the Childers Group does not necessarily endorse any elements of the policies presented at the forum, we note some common themes that emerged from the discussion, which we suggest are also opportunities:

importance of acknowledging the ACT’s high level of participation in the arts
there is a direct link between arts and creative expression and emotional wellbeing, and this should be further acknowledged
there is also a direct link between creative activity and economic development
further developing arts activity in schools – for all arts sectors – is vital to the creative health of the region’s young people
artist-in-residence programs provide a real opportunity for local, national, and international artists to work in the ACT
the Kingston Arts Precinct is a critical opportunity for the ACT region
good clear communication between arts sectors is crucial, as is communication between the arts community and the broader community of the ACT region
public liability insurance is a key challenge for arts events, particularly live music
also in terms of live music, providing appropriate venues continues to be an issue
important to retain the community cultural inclusion officers
demand from professional dance practitioners in Canberra is growing for a purpose-built dance facility that will encourage independent dance practice and further develop the dance profession through provision of professional facilities
demand may also be growing for a purpose-built facility for Indigenous arts practice
in regards to film, there needs to be investment in studio infrastructure
there is a need to build employment opportunities for theatre practitioners
need for ongoing consultation and dialogue between key arts organisations and the ACT Government
there are ongoing opportunities to build mutually beneficial relationships between ACT arts organisations and the national cultural institutions based in the region.

The above list is not intended to be exhaustive, and we again encourage all those interested in learning more about the discussion at this forum to visit the websites of the three main political parties in the ACT.

The Childers Group also recommends that if you were inspired by an idea presented at the forum, or you have an idea of your own, you make contact with the relevant key arts organisation or advocacy body – email us if you need assistance with who to contact.

For more information about the key areas of Childers Group advocacy, click here for a list of our six key opportunities, and here for our vision for the Kingston Arts Precinct.

BOOKING THE DATE: our next forum will be on 19 September 2012. Woohoo!

Posted on August 6, 2012 by childers

Just a heads-up that the next Childers Group forum will be held on Wednesday 19 September 2012. It will be 5pm for a 5.30 start, 7.30pm finish. The venue will be the Canberra Museum and Gallery Theatrette, Canberra City. The format of the discussion is still being finalised, but we can tell you that the three ACT Legislative Assembly members relating to the arts will be presenting their arts policies. Discussion will undoubtedly ensue. Formal marketing of the forum will commence shortly.

THE ARTS IN THE ACT REGION: BURNING ISSUES AND RADICAL IDEAS’ – SUMMARY OF FORUM

Posted on June 17, 2012 by childers

On Wednesday 18 April 2012 at The Street Theatre in Canberra, the Childers Group held its first forum, ‘The Arts in the ACT Region: Burning Issues and Radical Ideas’. The invited special guests were: Robyn Archer, Creative Director of the Centenary of Canberra; Vicki Dunne, ACT Opposite Spokesperson for the Arts; Yolande Norris, You Are Here Festival Producer; Caroline Le Couteur, Greens Spokesperson for the Arts; and Omar Musa, poet and performer.

Each special guest was asked to present a burning issue and a radical idea. Approximately 140 members of the ACT-region arts community attended and many took the opportunity to share their own burning issues and radical ideas. Genevieve Jacobs from ABC Radio Canberra facilitated the two-hour discussion.

The following serves as a summary of key points; it does not purport to document every issue or idea, but the key themes. The ordering of the key points does not necessarily reflect the priority of the arts community or the Childers Group. The Childers Group also wrote an article about the forum, ‘ACT a crucible of the arts’, which was published in The Canberra Times on 28 May 2012.

BURNING ISSUES:

Canberra

what is our identity?
Canberra is a small city with a large cultural structure
Canberra is an innovative and creative city
important to recognise that Canberra is a regional city, but strategically it’s very well placed
the Centenary is making Canberra and Australia value local work
value what we’ve got
don’t listen to negatives – stop talking about Canberra having an inferiority complex!
generally the ACT-region arts community is silent – stand up and be heard! (the Childers Group is an excellent evolution)
make a connection between the south of the lake and the north of the lake
Canberra has great youth circus – build on this
it was generally agreed that Canberra and the region is rich in creativity and the arts are valued; investment in and the promotion of this flourishing region was strongly recommended by many attending the forum

The region

go beyond the border – the border means nothing
there’s great arts activity happening in the surrounding region area
from a regional perspective, Canberra can be parochial

Policy

we don’t have clear statements of what we want, i.e. a comprehensive, meaningful cultural policy

Support for artists

cultivate local production
support the voice of individual artists
many artists don’t get support from local audiences
concern that artist salary levels are too low (it was noted that this is also a national problem)
how best to support artists with disabilities?

The economy

the economics will defeat us if we are not creative in delivery
there’s a schism between professional and community arts – there needs to be an investment in both
housing affordability is a major challenge – what will this mean to the future of a creative capital?
investigate and build alternative revenue streams
how to build a culture of philanthropy?
collecting and applying data is important

Arts in the public realm

Canberra has a good compilation of facilities – bring it all together
Canberra is too fond of the wrecking-ball i.e. it demolishes buildings too soon
how to make the Kingston Arts Precinct and the Fitters Workshop truly come alive? New Acton is a great example of an arts precinct that brings everything together beautifully
public art: how to get the balance right in terms of the expenditure and how to get the process right in terms of outcomes?
art is an everyday part of life: how can we better integrate it?
the ACT planning system doesn’t actively enable the arts
spaces are needed for contemporary music gigs
The Canberra Times could make a more positive contribution to how complex arts issues are resolved

Engagement, marketing and tourism

the main problem lies with Canberra not telling its own story – there’s a lot happening and people don’t know about it
how to bring the arts community and the broader community together?
value and recognise local arts activity, not just ‘the blockbusters’
the national cultural institutions tend to get all the limelight
ACT tourism bodies need to take local arts activity seriously beyond the work of the national cultural institutions – there’s little interconnection with tourism and local arts events and activities
cross-sector, cross-jurisdiction, cross-organisation collaboration is paramount
how to engage the transient members of the ACT community?

Arts in education

we need to expand participation
we need to hear from new strong voices
more funding and support for facilitating engagement in the arts by young people
how to get more people involved in poetry?

RADICAL IDEAS:

Engagement, marketing and tourism

an ACT-region arts calendar
an arts web-site based on the ‘AllHomes’ model e.g. ‘AllArts’
make the most of www.creativespaces.net.au
use the internet to sell Canberra content nationally and internationally
tour and/or broadcast Canberra content to regional areas (and vice verse)
find ways to bring back artists who have left the ACT region
import the inspirational
take up the opportunities presented by the National Broadband Network
keep the You Are Here Festival going
expand the Multicultural Festival to include more arts
make the most of the Centenary of Canberra
be outrageous, provoke comment

The economy

double the ACT Government’s arts budget by 2020

Arts in the public realm

a future-proof showcase venue to market ACT-region arts product nationally and internationally
more adaptive re-use of old buildings
let arts precincts grow on their own, flourish in an organic fashion, rather than rush or force them
more local arts commissions in public art
more art in architecture
more functional art, e.g. bike stands designed by artists
sound barriers so people can sleep and people can listen to music and bands can perform
make Canberra a centre for guerilla art

Arts in education

an ACT-wide poetry slam program in schools (hip hop and slam poetry is a great opportunity to engage young people in arts activity)
we have an amazing and vibrant youth culture – let’s build on this
nurture the instinct in our children to go out and develop art

ACT a crucible of the arts

Posted on May 29, 2012 by childers

Image courtesy of The Canberra Times

Throughout much of the past twelve months, across the suburbs of the National Capital and beyond, there has been a conversation. It began in a lounge-room and was progressed in cafes and bars and restaurants and foyers, even spreading out to a pub in Goulburn. At the core of this conversation was a question: does the ACT region warrant a voice for the arts? The answer was yes, it sure does. And so the Childers Group – an independent arts forum – was born.

Like any sector that matters, the arts aren’t immune to passion and opinion. However, the Childers Group approach is to bring cool, calm, considered thinking to the arts and to always base its advocacy on fact. And the fact is the ACT region is rich in arts activity and rich in arts participation. In the global context, the population is well remunerated, highly educated, and actively engaged in arts and cultural activities. But how can the arts and cultural life of the ACT region progress to the point where creativity is at the very centre of daily life, and we can be proud of it?

The arts investigate, illuminate, challenge and connect; they tell the story of what it means to be Australian in all its layers and guises. Participation in the arts fosters a sense of community, promotes health and well-being, encourages cooperation, and helps to reduce the pressures of a competitive, materialistic society.

The arts aren’t afraid.

These are easy words to say, but the aspirations are difficult to advocate.

Another fact: in our country, as soon as our cultural, business and political leaders begin talking about the importance of the arts, they run the risk of being seen to be out of touch, of being elitist, of somehow forgetting that their real job is to know the cost of a loaf of bread. But how can the arts even be considered as ‘elitist’ when, according to the Australia Council, an artist earns on average $35,900 per annum, of which only $10,300 comes from their creative practice if they are male, and a mere $5,000 if they are female?

It’s also a fact that we live in society, not an economy. It would be a rare Australian – no matter where they live, city or country, coast or inland – who gets to the end of their day and hasn’t been touched by some kind of creative endeavour: extraordinary music, or artfully crafted words, or skilful design of home-ware, machine and technology.

Despite everything, creativity surrounds us; it’s part of who we are.

In April this year, the Childers Group hosted a public forum titled “Burning Issues and Radical Ideas”. To the Group’s surprise and delight, almost 150 people turned up, proving that our community is bursting to explore the importance of the arts and life’s cultural experiences.

Issues raised at the Forum represent opportunities.

Portrait of Rosalie Gascoigne (Greg Weight 1993)

There was a surprising emphasis on the potential of cross-sector, cross- disciplinary, cross-regional cooperation: between groups and individuals; between universities, colleges, and school communities; between professional and amateur; between the public and the private sectors; between government jurisdictions and government departments; between city and town and village.

The installation of the National Broadband Network presents a new digital environment for Australia, offering endless possibilities for cooperation and the exchange of ideas and information. Artists and all those engaged in creative practice can already see that the NBN will open up a new digital future, one that will invigorate Australia. The challenge is to use this opportunity to meet the expectations of our artists and facilitate innovative thinking more generally.

A frustration expressed at the Forum concerned the lack of a vision for our arts and creative future, including a clearly articulated and practicable strategic plan at all levels of government. Short-term, ad hoc decisions in funding and planning delay or impede the development of arts infrastructure.

Forum attendees asked how can we amend our urban planning systems so that the organic growth of arts precincts can be facilitated, especially the sort of precincts that pulse with life and invite extensive participation?

Attendees highlighted the impressive range of arts practices, exhibitions and performances scheduled in the ACT region, but asked how can the arts and cultural sector better connect with tourism promotion and publicity?

Canberra’s national cultural institutions, museums and galleries, universities, colleges and schools employ many visual artists, musicians, composers, and writers, and their presence and their work is integral to the vitality of our region’s cultural life. They offer a high level of professionalism as a benchmark for the community. The inter-connection between institution-based artists and cultural infrastructure – arts organisations, arts centres, and community groups – is central to the quality of arts experiences available. The wide-spread outpouring of concern about proposals to reduce specialist music tuition at the ANU School of Music exemplifies the importance of the link between the School’s professional musicians and the region’s music community, which relies on specialist expertise at a high artistic standing.

The ACT region is home to a wide range of professional artists, many of whom straddle the institution-community divide. These practitioners form the back-bone of our cultural life, contributing to the vitality and energy in our communities. Without an institutional employment base, they would be lost to us. Without these artists, we lose their ideas, expertise and inspirational practice premised on research, innovation, technical risk, and the acquisition of new knowledge. Without these artists, we are all less inspired to think in new and exciting ways.

In 2013 there are two significant birthdays in our region: the Centenary of Canberra and Goulburn’s 150^th as a city. Now is the time to capitalise on the depth of creative talent and the quality of cultural life around us. Now is the time to tackle big issues, support radical thinking, to be brave. Now is the time to highlight the national and international achievements of our artists and arts organisations and the significance of our educational and cultural institutions. Now is the time to celebrate with confidence and generosity the inspired creative crucible that is the ACT region – there is no doubt that it can be a place that lifts us all above life’s utilitarian dimension. The Childers Group is serious about that word crucible, because we have at our core Canberra, the nation’s capital city.

In the year of significant milestones, let’s honour the quality of cultural life and the creative crucible that is the ACT region. The spirit of that idea makes us a very special place indeed.

This piece, which was first published in The Canberra Times on 28 May 2012, was written by Professor David Williams AM and Nigel Featherstone, who are foundation members of the Childers Group.

THANK YOU

Posted on April 19, 2012 by childers

Here’s a huge thank you to everyone who attended the Childers Group’s inaugural forum, ‘Burning Issues and Radical Ideas’ last night.

It was completely brilliant to see so many people pack out the Street Theatre stage – there was over a 100 of you up there! – and more spilling into the auditorium. Inspired by our extraordinary special guests – Robyn Archer, Vicki Dunne, Yolande Norris, Caroline Le Couteur, and the utterly unstoppable Omar Musa – we were amazed how forum participants were brave enough to ‘move up to the table’ and share their burning issues and radical ideas. Without the artful facilitation of ABC Radio’s Genevieve Jacobs, well, we couldn’t have done it.

What happens now? We’ll be distilling the notes that were taken – one of the Childers Group members ended up with 10,000 words in his laptop! – and posting them here, as well as forwarding them to all those who are in the position to make the arts in the ACT region really come alive, including the ACT Government, the NSW Government, key arts organisations, just to name a few. Perhaps most importantly, we hope that you’ve taken away some great ideas yourself, and that you might even run with them and make them happen. If so, do let us know how you’re going and if there’s anything we can do to help.

Please note: we’re committed to hearing feedback on all our activities, including the ‘Burning Issues and Radical Ideas’ forum – you can post comments to us below, or chat to us via our Facebook page, or email us direct if you’d like to be a little more private about it. We might even sit down and have a coffee with you. Whilst we’re a volunteer-run group without funding and limited resources, we’re always interested in new and exciting ways to engage the ACT-region arts community. And we want your thoughts. Yes, we’re serious.

Much gratitude to our supporters: The Street Theatre, BMA Magazine, and the wonderful folk at New Best Friend for their ongoing graphic design and web-site design and management.

And yes, we’ll be doing it all again. Stay tuned.

THE NEXT GENERATION DEPENDS ON IT: 2012-2013 ACT budget submission

Posted on March 10, 2012 by childers

Min Mae

SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF ANY GOVERNMENT BUDGET

Introduction:

Formed in November 2011, the Childers Group welcomes the opportunity for community input into the 2012-2013 ACT Budget development process.

Comprising a group of ACT and region experienced arts leaders, the Childers Group is a new voice for the arts. It is an independent forum committed to the long-term viability and vitality of the arts in the ACT and surrounding areas. It involves recognised individuals from diverse backgrounds including the visual arts, music, dance, film, theatre and performing arts, youth arts, community arts and literature.

The Childers Group interests and activities are based on the principles of:

objectivity;
independence; and
pride in Australia’s national capital city, Canberra.

General:

The Childers Group acknowledges that since self-government the ACT Government has been the main financial supporter of the arts in the Territory.
The ACT Government’s Arts Fund is the major ongoing support mechanism for the arts in this region.
The Arts Fund supports 22 Key Arts Organisations that form the backbone for the employment of arts workers and much of the arts activity in the ACT and region.
Key Arts Organisations are the basis for the development of professional arts practice and the presentation, production, performance and exhibition of this work.
Key Arts Organisations provide the main ways ACT and residents in the region access the arts. This involves attendance at exhibitions and performances and participation in a variety of classes and workshops. It also includes programs for people with special needs such as youth at risk, the indigenous, multicultural groups and people with disability.
The Arts Fund is also under pressure as a result of the increased number of arts facilities, and costs associated with the overall sound management and operational overheads increase each year.
The level of funding available through the Arts Fund must be sustained and allowed to grow, at the very least to match CPI.

Elizabeth Cameron Dalman

Advocating the arts in Canberra:

The Childers Group advocates the importance of access and participation in the arts and the value of the arts and cultural life in our community.
The arts are a major part of the way we see ourselves and contribute to our sense of place and self esteem.
The arts inject colour into our lives and contribute positively to many facets of community life.
The arts and design influence the way we think about the natural and built environment, how we regard the household articles we use, and what determines the traditions we preserve.
The arts foster cohesion and the expression of a community identity.

Why arts services important in Canberra:

Participation in the arts fosters a sense of community, promotes mental health and well being and reduces pressures of a competitive, materialistic society (Mackay: Advance Australia Where?)
Canberra’s creative artists and Key Arts Organisations are central to the vibrancy and life of our city.
Galleries and museums, libraries, theatres and performance spaces, artists’ studios, workshops and cinema facilities provide essential services for the ACT and exist as the ‘common good’ for the whole community.

The presence of these facilities, services, events and activities is a measure of Canberra’s life-style, confidence and sophistication.

Boho Interactive

Arts Funding Priorities for the ACT Budget recommended by the Childers Group:

CPI – ensure that through the ACT Arts Fund CPI continues to be provided to Key Arts Organisations on an annual basis.
Arts Worker Salaries – ensure that there are no professional arts workers employed by Key Arts Organisations earning less than the average Australian wage approximately $55,000 pa. The Childers Group advocates benchmarking professional arts worker salaries with salaries in the Community Sector and in arts personnel in other States and Territories. Payment of ACT arts workers’ salaries commensurate with their skills and experience will ensure the retention of qualified people with the expertise to manage Canberra’s arts and cultural services.
Increase allocation to the ACT Arts Fund’s Project Funding category – these funds support one-off activities for individual artists and groups of artists to initiate and develop their own independent projects. This acknowledges that while Key Arts Organisations provide core infrastructure, they cannot be “all things to all people”, nor do they receive program funding to engage artists on major projects. The Project Funding category is supporting fewer projects each year due to the ever increasing costs of delivering arts projects. The Childers Group advocates for this category to receive additional funding of $250,000 per annum over the next three years.
Arts in Education – create an Arts-in-Education Officer position to build relationships, partnerships and programs between the Education Directorate and the Community Services Directorate. Ideally this should be a Senior Officer Grade C, paid for by the Education Directorate, with the officer spending 50% of time in Education and 50% at artsACT. In the first instance, this should be a three-year initiative. Similar initiatives in other States e.g. WA, have proved very beneficial. Establishing and consolidating existing inks between artists, arts organisations and schools and the tertiary sector should be a key component of the work.
Arts in Heritage – allocate specific funds for ACT Heritage Unit to engage professional practicing artists to creatively interpret ACT Heritage sites. The outcomes will be greater community engagement, appreciation and use of heritage assets and mean professional artists are employed in sectors outside the arts.
Following on from 6 above, adopt a Whole-of-Government approach encouraging all directorates and agencies to examine ways in which they may directly or indirectly support the arts and cultural life in Canberra. Potential also exists for the development of collaborative arts arrangements with Health and Sport.
Artists-in-Residence – develop the success of existing artsACT residency funding and provide a program for a Key Arts Organisation Artist–in-Residence Support Fund. This would encourage arts organisations to devise their own residency projects by developing collaborative arrangements with other Government agencies, the private sector, the Australia Council or tertiary institutions.
ACT Arts Partnership Fund –create a fund where the ACT Government dollars are matched by the private sector to assist arts partnerships. Available to both individual artists and arts organisations, this initiative could commence with $300,000 per year over three years to be matched dollar-for-dollar by the private sector. A good example exists in Tasmania with assistance from ABaF. For more information see http://www.arts.tas.gov.au/funding/grants/premiers
Public Art – reintroduce a percentage of capital infrastructure allocation to establish a Public Art Fund available for public art commissions and acquisition of art works.
Publicity and promotion – the arts in Canberra are an important tourist attraction. To increase publicity for the arts, ensure much closer liaison between Canberra’s arts sector and the ACT Tourism and the national capital cultural institutions.
Research – increase the research capacity of artsACT by establishing a Senior Officer Grade C position as a three-year initiative. Work in this position would enable increased capacity to undertake much needed research to support ACT arts policy development, communicate and explain the basis of research findings and rationale for the arts and cultural development initiatives proposed.

The ACT leads our nation in both community participation and attendance at arts and cultural events. The Childers Group recommends consideration of increased investment in the arts as outlined in our submission.

With this kind of support, Canberra will continue its development as a vibrant, engaged, confident and sophisticated National Capital and adjacent region.

The next creative generation depends on it.

QL2 Centre for Youth Dance

WRITING AUSTRALIA should call National Capital home

Posted on January 25, 2012 by childers

In November 2011 concerned ACT region arts leaders formed a new voice for the arts.

The CHILDERS GROUP advocacy is based on the principles of objectivity, independence, valuing the arts, and a pride in Australia’s national capital city and the region that surrounds it.

The CHILDERS GROUP strongly advocates for Canberra to be the formal and functional home for the newly formed organisation, Writing Australia.

The writing sector is currently undergoing considerable change, and there is a need for a strong and coordinated voice for the sector. Writing Australia can be that voice.

Writing Australia currently has a presence in Canberra with its administration operating from an office provided by the National Library of Australia. The National Library, in the context of the other national cultural institutions, is the appropriate place for the operational base of Writing Australia.

Not only is Canberra Australia’s National Capital, it is the location of significant writing infrastructure, including the National Library but also the National Archives, three universities and Manning Clark House. Canberra and its surrounding regional areas have a high level of engagement in professional writing activities.

Proximity to the Australian Parliament, federal Government departments, and the network of national cultural agencies is central to the effective work of any organisation with Australia-wide responsibilities.

The CHILDERS GROUP is calling on the ACT Government, the Australia Council for the Arts, and Writing Australia to begin working towards formalising its headquarters in Canberra, Australia’s national capital city.

For more information, please contact the CHILDERS GROUP.

ANNOUNCING…

Posted on November 18, 2011 by childers

It is our great pleasure to announce the formation of a new voice for the arts, The Childers Group: an independent arts forum.

The Childers Group is an independent forum committed to the long-term viability and vitality of the arts in the ACT and surrounding areas.

The Childers Group contains representatives from diverse backgrounds, including visual art, music, dance, theatre and performing arts, youth arts, community arts, and literature, with new members to be added as appropriate. Many have regional as well as national expertise and connections. Whilst many of the members live and work in the ACT, the Group will build relationships with the surrounding regions. Details about our members can be found at the membership tab above.

The Childers Group is based on the principles of objectivity and independence.

We look forward to engaging with all those interested in moving the arts forward, including governments at all levels, the private sector, educators, the media, and the broader community. The Centenary of Canberra provides an exciting context to our work. To this end, the Childers Group will host a public forum on the arts early in 2012.

Details about the Childers Group public forum will be announced shortly.

The Childers Group

An Independent Arts Forum for Canberra and the Region

Tag Archives: arts advocacy