Arts

The arts sector has been hit especially hard by COVID. 

  • In the 2022-23 the Morrison government provided a minimal $20 million dollars to support the Arts while ending to COVID relief. Most of this money went to the large professional arts companies  – not to support small community/regional galleries/companies /theatres or individual performers who were unable to work. [‘The Conversation’, March 31, 2022]
  • This was because the Morrison government believed that this support for the Arts would stimulate the economy – not because they wanted to support artists and performers! Their attitude now is ‘we supported the Arts through CoVid now they can stand on their own feet’.
  • In fact, in the recent Morrison/Frydenberg budget, ‘the arts and culture appear to be the big losers’ [ The Conversation, March, 2022].
  • Comparing funding in 2021-22 Budget with the 2022-23 Budget:
  • ‘Film and Television’ a loss of $45 million;
  • ‘Australian Music ‘ – no funding after 2024!;
  • ‘Regional Arts’ -  [support for community/regional/remote] - a loss of $10.5 million;
  • ‘Screen Australia’ – nearly $28 million loss by 2023-24;

[Portfolio Budget Statements 2022-23 Budget Related Paper No. !.10]

  • During CoVid the biggest investment by the Morrison government in the Arts was $20 million to support 541 projects through the RISE fund [Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand] BUT decisions on who received money WERE NOT made by the independent Australia Council: IT WAS THE MINISTER OF THE ARTS WHO MADE THE FINAL DECISION: much of the funding went NOT to ‘not for profit’ community organisations and individual artists but to profit-making commercial activity.
Janine Kitson in conversation on 'The Arts and the Australian Economy'
The Arts illuminate, reflect and critique the cultures and soul of Australia. Without strong Arts - visual, literary, performing - we are in danger of losing our soul!
Image
Janine Kitson arts supporters
Image
Arts in crisis panel
The Arts are in crisis. Janine Kitson is the only Bradfield politician that cares enough to turn up.