We expand our expertise

Posted on March 25, 2013 by childers

We are delighted to announced that we’ve expanded our areas of expertise, adding writer/educator Rosanna Stevens, singer-songwriter/musician James Fahy, and long-term arts worker Meredith Hinchliffe.

All of us who are involved in the arts are currently enjoying this extraordinary air of celebration in the ACT region. It’s so important as a network of creative communities that we build on this groundswell of activity and starting thinking about what happens next. To this end, the Childers Group has added three new members. There is no doubt that Rosanna, James and Meredith will make terrific contributions to our advocacy work.

As a collective of arts advocates, the Childers Group is committed to maximising our diversity of expertise and strategic thinking. Getting out of touch with the work of our artists and creative practitioners is simply not an option for us. That’s why we’ve expanded our expertise – we want to make sure that our advocacy work is informed by the best brains possible.

JAMES FAHY

James Fahy

James Fahy is a MAMA-nominated multidisciplinary artist based in Melbourne and Canberra. He has written for entertainment magazine BMA and ANU newspaper Woroni, and had fiction published in ACT literary journal Burley. Alongside Rosanna Stevens, Duncan Felton and Adelaide Rief he is a co-director of the ACT young literary organisation Scissors Paper Pen. In March 2013 James completed a research internship with independent think-tank Grattan Institute. As a musician, James has performed as a featured artist at the FUSE Music Conference in Adelaide, received national airplay for his EP The Sun Will Burn Through This Cloud, and played with high-profile acts including The Beards, the Wildes, A French Butler Called Smith, Beth and Ben, Peter Combe, and Novocastrian touring veterans Benjalu. In 2012, James was nominated for an award at the MusicACT Annual Music Awards in the category of Best Folk Artist. In 2010, James co-founded Canberra-based label Nash Cap Productions with Bec Taylor and Julia Winterflood. As an events organiser, host, musician and interviewer he has taken part in a string of festivals such You Are Here, the Canberra Multicultural Festival, the Illawarra Folk Festival, and the Woodford Folk Festival. With Joe Oppenheimer, James founded and co-produced the Pedestrian Orchestra, a year-long series of fifty concerts and arts performances aimed at encouraging Canberra’s emerging talent.

MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE

Meredith Hinchliffe

Meredith Hinchliffe has been involved with the arts since 1977 when she began work with the Crafts Council of the ACT. As part of the CCACT exhibition program she curated many exhibitions including several of individual artists and group exhibitions. These included all craft media – ceramics, wood, textiles, leather, metalwork and, to a lesser degree, glass. Craft ACT was included in some touring exhibitions and during her time at the organisation, Meredith showed an exhibition of Molas from the San Blas Islands of Panama. Meredith was a contributor to The Canberra Times from 1978 to 2009 and writes review articles of crafts and visual arts exhibitions and books. She also writes about issues of importance to the arts. She has written articles about for a number of journals, including the National Library News, Smarts, Pottery in Australia, Craft Arts International, Textile Fibre Forum, Object and Ceramic Art and Perception. Meredith worked at The Australian Bicentennial Authority, artsACT and Business Development in the ACT Government. She was responsible for grant programs in each area.

Meredith Hinchliffe was appointed the full-time Executive Director of the National Campaign for the Arts Australia Ltd in July 1996, until the organisation was wound up due to lack of funding in August 1997. During this period she built up a strong network of media contacts and assisted with the successful campaign for Artbank to be retained as a government operation. From August 1997 to December 1999 she worked as a freelance consultant. In 2000 Meredith began an appointment for two years as Project Manager, Australian Science Teachers Association. She was appointed Executive Officer of Museums Australia, the national professional association for museum workers and museums in July 2002. She worked as Public Arts Project Officer for artsACT and has managed several public art installation projects. From July 2008 to April 2009 she was the inaugural Executive Officer of the Donald Horne Institute for Cultural Heritage at the University of Canberra.

Meredith has served on the boards of a number of local arts organisations and was President of Ausdance ACT until May 2011. She is approved to value Australian ceramics, glass, textiles, jewellery, leatherwork, wooden objects and furniture from 1950 for the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program and has undertaken numerous valuations of works in most media, including the valuation of the Tamworth Regional Gallery’s textile collection. Meredith has been involved in a number of projects, including curating the Survey exhibition of the Tamworth Fibre Textile Collection in 2010. In 2000 she was awarded an ACT Women’s Award in recognition of her significant contribution to the ACT community in the arts. In 2011 she was awarded an Australia Day medal by the National Gallery of Australia.

ROSANNA STEVENS

Rosanna Stevens is currently the Communications Officer at the ACT Writers Centre, Senior Ambassador for the Australian National University Student Equity division, and co-producer and founder of Canberra’s young literary organisation, Scissors Paper Pen. In 2012 she was the recipient an artsACT grant to visit a variety of literary communities, initiatives and organisations in the United States of America. She also received CAL Creative Industries Career Funding while completing a three-month internship with San Francisco publishing house, McSweeney’s.

Rosanna has been a guest of the National Young Writers Festival, Adelaide Writers Week, You Are Here festival and the Emerging Writers Festival. She has also acted in a range of minor positions at literary festivals including Chairperson for the Melbourne Writers Festival, Volunteers Coordinator for the National Young Writers Festival, and Communications Officer for You Are Here festival. In 2011 she was National Young Writers Month co-Ambassador for New South Wales, and Katharine Susannah Prichard Writers Centre Young Writer in Residence in Perth. Her short fiction, non-fiction and poetry have been published nationally, and her work has received favourable mention in The Canberra Times, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and The Australian.

Within her role at ANU Student Equity, Rosanna provides creative writing workshops to high-school students based in regional areas. Her passion for providing creative opportunities to young people and challenging popular educational paradigms has seen her work with students in Young, Bega, Goulburn, Yanderra, Canberra, Collector, the Blue Mountains, Chicago and San Francisco. Rosanna is currently completing a Master of Philosophy at the Australian National University.

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.

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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.

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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.

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* 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.

A letter to the Hon. Barry O’Farrell concerning cuts to NSW TAFE fine-arts courses

Posted on November 20, 2012 by childers

The Hon. Barry O’Farrell, MP
Premier
NSW Government
GPO Box 5341
SYDNEY NSW 2001

Dear the Hon. Barry O’Farrell,

CUTS TO FINE-ARTS COURSES OFFERED BY NSW TAFE

On the behalf of the Childers Group, an independent arts think-tank for the ACT region, I write to express considerable concern at reports that the NSW Government will cease offering fine-arts courses through TAFE.

Whilst the Childers Group recognises that the NSW Government is currently undergoing a process to reduce costs, we respectfully but unreservedly suggest that cutting opportunities for people in NSW to access a fine-arts education through the TAFE system is short-sighted and requires urgent review.

The Childers Group notes that many of those educated through the TAFE system find work in the creative industries. The creative industries are enablers of creative networks and spaces and of new business models. They contribute 2.8% of gross GDP (more than agriculture, communications, and electricity, gas and water supply). The visual arts, design and architecture makes up over 11% of the creative industries and have been growing in terms of employment opportunity. To significantly reduce opportunities to enter this workforce could not be seen to advance the needs of those living and working in the NSW, particularly those in regional areas.

Further, whilst some members of the community undergo arts training through the TAFE system to enable themselves to work in the arts sector, many pursue these opportunities simply as a way of building connections and skills – this is particularly relevant for regional areas where unemployment tends to be higher than metropolitan areas and there is a real need to build confidence and social capacity. There is ample Australian and international research that draws a direct link between creative practice and personal/community wellbeing. At a time when social cohesion could be said to be a priority, we suggest that there is a need to fund fine-arts courses at a higher level, not at a lower level.

The Childers Group, which was established in 2011 to be a positive and productive voice for the arts in the ACT region, offers expertise in the visual arts, music, dance, film, theatre and performing arts, youth arts, community arts, and literature. Our members have local/regional as well as national and international expertise and connections. We live in and advocate for both the ACT and adjacent regional areas of NSW. The Group is available to act as a sounding board to the NSW Government in terms of the arts, and we would be more than willing to meet with you direct to discuss this matter further.

To arrange a meeting, or to seek more information, please contact the Childers Group’s coordinators Nigel Featherstone or Evol McLeod on 0428 810 442 or 0406 378 889, or via email on childersgroup@gmail.com.

In closing, I strongly urge you to recognise the value of TAFE arts education to NSW and to ensure it continues to be funded at viable levels.

Yours sincerely,

Professor David Williams AM

Spokesperson
The Childers Group –
an independent arts forum

www.childersgroup.com.au

November 2012

The Childers Group’s six key opportunities for the ACT region

Posted on August 18, 2012 by childers

MARKET CANBERRA AS ‘THE CREATIVE CAPITAL’

There is a process underway to review the brand of Canberra. A branding exercise needs to offer an insight, hopefully with a unique selling proposition. With regard to Canberra we suggest the city should be positioned as ‘The Creative Capital’. Why can we make such a bold claim and why is it important:

it is Australia’s only ‘designed’ city;
it has the highest per-capita representation of creative-industry business and employees in Australia;
through our national cultural institutions Canberra is the holder of the cultural artefacts that articulate the Australian story;
we have Australia’s most distinctive (ambitious) collection of public art;
the arts attract visitors – statistics from recent visual arts blockbusters make this clear; and
we have great artists in the region – let’s value them and recognise their achievements while promoting a different face for Canberra.

THE KINGSTON ARTS PRECINCT

In terms of the Kingston Arts Precinct, what is most important is that all those committed to the arts and cultural life of our region – especially the ACT Government – have a grand vision, a strategic overview, a long-term plan for what’s needed to develop this area as a lively precinct for arts activity and cultural events. It’s a rare opportunity for the ACT to work with the various development authorities and stakeholders to establish an exciting set of cultural facilities and creative spaces in the vicinity of the iconic Kingston Powerhouse, now the home of the Canberra Glassworks, which is already a major national attraction. The Childers Group’s vision is a vibrant and accessible arts precinct for the visual arts in all its diversity, including film, new media and creative industries such as architecture, graphic design and digital technologies. In the Childers Group vision, Kingston is a place for live performance to happen but music would not be the focus.

The full vision statement for the Kingston Arts Precinct is available here.

THE ANU SCHOOL OF MUSIC

The School of Music was established in 1965 as an autonomous ‘conservatorium’ model of teaching (one-to-one) and performance. This vision was part of a long-term plan to stimulate, develop and enhance professional musical life in Australia’s emerging national capital city. Funding was available to employ outstanding, experienced professional musicians for instrumental teaching and performance. Since then, the School’s presence has been the ‘life blood’ and a major contribution to every aspect of Canberra’s musical activity and the cultural life of the city. The reputation of the School of Music and School of Art was highly regarded nationally. Since 1992 when the School of Music (and the School of Art) amalgamated with the ANU, its teaching in schools and participation in concerts, performances, youth music activity and events have been a major part of Canberra’s cultural life and the public face and community profile of the ANU.

Recent developments have seen the School of Music facing funding challenges. A revised ‘university model’-based curriculum, staff cuts and new budget arrangements have been proposed to achieve financial viability and the future of the School. The changed curriculum will inevitably see the loss of key professional instrumental teacher/performers and consequently their loss to Canberra’s musical life.

The ANU, ACT Government and community support for music education in Canberra is essential to ensure professional expertise is available for teaching, participation in the Canberra Symphony Orchestra, music ensembles, choral societies, youth music, festivals and musical events. The ANU and the ACT must work together to ensure the continuation of a professional level of music performance in Canberra and the ACT region.

A radical option might be the establishment of new ‘National Academy of the Arts’ outside the university sector where the conservatorium model does not easily fit. A National Academy of the Arts based in Canberra eventually accommodated in ‘state of art’ group of facilities could cater for music, visual arts, dance, theatre and film capitalising on the strong base of life and activity already present in these disciplines. This visionary option is seen as a long-term possibility for Australia’s national capital city but would require dedicated funding commitments from Federal and ACT governments and the private sector, new legislation, governance and administrative arrangements. The ACT Government could take a lead on facilitating discussions about the future.

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 and there is a need for good facilities in the ACT. Building on the ‘hub’ model, Canberra is in the need for 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.

ARTS IN EDUCATION, INCLUDING AN ACT-WIDE POETRY SLAM PROGRAM

There has been considerable progress in establishing links between education and the arts in the ACT but more can be done to strengthen this relationship.

The Childers Group encourages the ACT Government to prioritise arts programs in schools. We would like to see an expanded commitment to include additional artists-in-residence and the establishment of a Canberra-wide Poetry Slam-in-Schools program. There is capacity within the ACT – and region – to provide an exciting and culturally rich experience for young people by encouraging participation in a very ‘cool’ art form that’s gaining world-wide recognition as an important emerging art form. Engagement in contemporary and relevant arts programs designed for young people has been shown to enhance their enjoyment of school, build self-confidence and lead to a stronger sense of community.

There is strong evidence from research undertaken in secondary schools, both within Australia and the United Kingdom, indicating engagement in the arts results in major benefits to young people. These include enhanced knowledge of social and cultural issues, development of creativity and thinking skills, increased communication skills, advances in social development and a heightened self-esteem. These are lifelong skills and worthy of investment.

The Childers Group estimates that $100,000 per year for three years would be sufficient to establish the ACT Poetry Slam-in-Schools program. The program should be developed with the burgeoning ACT poetry-slam community.

For more information, visit http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development

A WORLD-CLASS ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCY PROGRAM

The ACT region has all the ingredients to offer a world-class artist-in-residency program for all art forms: a planned an 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 off time and space to create, but also help to bring in national and international artists to work with local artists and the community. The ACT Government has developed a policy statement and tool kit, along with a small amount of funding for 2012/2013. The Childers Group strongly advocates for there to be ongoing funding within the order of $200,000 over the next five financial years in order to fully realise the potential of the program. This would build on the impetus generated by the Centenary of Canberra celebrations.

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 NEED FOR VISION: our response to the draft ACT Arts Policy Framework

Posted on March 31, 2012 by childers

The recently released draft ACT Arts Policy Framework supersedes Arts Canberra: Action Statement for the Arts 2006-2008 and, we assume, related documents such as the ACT Action Statement for Public Art (May 2007).

The draft document proposes four goals together with brief dot-points indicating how these goals will be achieved. The stated goals are to:

increase community access and participation;
support artistic excellence and artistic diversity;
strengthen capacity of the arts to contribute to social and economic outcomes; and
foster artistic innovation, creative thinking and sustainability.

The Childers Group appreciates the development of the draft ACT Arts Policy Framework and that it has been made available for public comment.

However, the Group believes the final Arts Policy Framework should be one that befits the capacity of the sector: it should be confident about its purpose and how it will contribute to arts development, and it should have a clearly articulate vision that energises arts activity, particularly in the context of the Centenary of Canberra.

More specifically, the Childers Group advocates for an arts policy framework that:

establishes the principles that will guide arts/cultural priorities and programs;
acknowledges the strengths of the sector, and the challenges ahead;
contains bold ideas for the future;
strongly advocates the importance of access and participation in the arts and the value of the arts and cultural life in our community;
promotes the notion of the intrinsic value of the arts while seeking to involve and engage with a wider constituency for mutual benefit;
makes a commitment to support for artists who are taking risks with new and innovative arts practice;
places emphasis on a whole-of-Government approach to policies and programs designed to support arts and cultural development;
includes a public art commissioning program (or the percent-for-art scheme);
develops stronger links and relationships with ACT Tourism and related agencies and the national cultural institutions to create opportunities for the arts;
indicates a time-frame for the life of the policy;
acknowledges that leadership in setting appropriate payments to artists and arts workers is crucial to arts viability and a sustainable future;
recognises that festivals, feature events, celebrations and other special anniversaries represent important opportunities for arts and cultural development;
supports arts opportunities available by developing co-operative arrangements with the University, College and School education sector, heritage facilities and services;
promotes the benefits of private support and working arrangements with the corporate sector both in terms of projects, commissions, sponsorship and philanthropy;
builds on relationships with the surrounding regional communities;
is committed to supporting key arts organisations, which are central to the vibrancy and life of our city and the region;
is written in clear and active language to maximise communication and effectiveness.

The Childers Group sees the 2010 Review of the Arts in Canberra (Loxton Report) and other relevant national documents, including the 2011 National Cultural Policy Discussion Paper, the Forward Plan for Contemporary Australian Art (Sept 2010) and the Dance Plan 2012, as useful references in preparing a policy for arts.

The Group would welcome the opportunity to contribute to the further development of the ACT Arts Policy Framework.

artsACT’s closing date for comment on the ACT Arts Policy Framework is 10 April 2012.

The Childers Group

An Independent Arts Forum for Canberra and the Region

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