Professor Jacqueline Lo, Professor and Director of the ANU Centre for European Studies, and Acting Director Research School of Social Sciences, ANU
Further to our ongoing advocacy about the ACT Government’s review of its Arts Policy Framework, which is the key document driving how the arts are supported in the ACT region, the ACT Minister for the Arts, Joy Burch MLA, has invited the Childers Group to participate in a Reference Group. The Minister has nominated Childers Group spokesperson David Williams as the Group’s representative.
The letter, which is dated 18 December 2014 and can be founded at Joy Burch MLA to CG re. arts review reference group 18 12 14, states:
…as an ongoing commitment to community participation and engagement, a review of foundations and principles will take place to ensure that it continues to be a relevant and engaged policy.
Other invitees to the Reference Group are:
- David Broker, director, Canberra Contemporary Art Space
- Joseph Falsone, director, Ainslie + Gorman Arts Centres
- Professor Jacqueline Lo, ANU Centre for European Studies
- Rosanna Stevens [musician, writer, co-founder of Scissors Paper Pen]
- Gavin Finlay, Music ACT
According to the letter, the first meeting is scheduled for ‘early 2015’. The attached Terms of Reference sheet suggests the review will be complete by ‘mid 2015’.
The Childers Group will continue to advocate for broad and diverse sector consultation beyond the Reference Group.
We note that the letter is an invitation only and the final composition of the Reference Group may not be finalised.
We also note that there continues to be little information about the arts policy review on artsACT’s website. The only reference to the review is: The Framework will be reviewed in 2014 to ensure that it continues to be a relevant and engaged policy.
The Childers Group looks forward to participating in the review.